Luke's Root Beers
H
Hank's • Hansen's • Hard Times Cafe • Henry Weinhard’s • Hires • Hosmer Mountain
The Original
Hires
Root Beer
Since 1876
Review: Charles Hires is said by some to have invented root beer in the 1870s, but the blandification that comes with mass marketing has taken its toll over the intervening 125 years. "Boring" and "cloying" were the repeat reviews of this national brand in our 2001 Taste-Off, where it ranked 8th of 9 beers. Tasters were unimpressed with the "syrupy, sweet" taste which "masks its lack of rootiness." Sometimes sugar water is just, well, sugar water.
2001 Cole Family Root Beer Taste-Off (8th)
|
Flavor |
Mouthfeel |
|
Sweetness 4.94 |
Carbonation 5.81 |
|
Rootiness 5.50 |
Smoothness 6.25 |
|
Aftertaste 5.00 |
Over-all mouthfeel 5.64 |
|
Over-all Flavor 5.08 |
Over-all Root Beer Experience 5.50 |
|
Over-all average 5.47 |
Rank: |
Luke's Numbers (12/25/01)
|
Flavor |
Mouthfeel |
|
Sweetness 5 |
Carbonation 9 |
|
Rootiness 6 |
Smoothness 9 |
|
Aftertaste 5 |
Over-all mouthfeel 9 |
|
Over-all Flavor 6 |
Over-all Root Beer Experience 7 |
|
Over-all average 7.00 |
Luke's Rank: |
Links: The History of Hires from the Soda Museum
Charles Hires on the Philosophy of a Successful Merchant -- from 1913
Historical bottles and bottle caps
Luke's Root Beer Homepage + Luke's Root Beer Archive
2001 Root Beer Taste-off + 2002 Root Beer Taste-off