Root beer

Frostie Root Beer

Frostie (Orca Beverage Soda Works) · Classic cane-sugar root beer

Mukilteo, Washington, USA (brand originally Catonsville, Maryland)

A nostalgic, cane-sugar root beer revived under the Orca Beverage label from a recipe that traces back to 1939. The pour is sweet and rounded, leading with classic root-beer-candy character before a soft wintergreen lift and a gentle whisper of spice carry it to a creamy, vanilla-tinged finish. It is an unfussy crowd-pleaser rather than a showpiece, the kind of bottle built to be poured over a scoop of vanilla ice cream as readily as sipped straight from the bottle.

Taste profile
Flavor fingerprint for Frostie Root BeerSweetness 4 of 5, Carbonation 3 of 5, Body 3 of 5, Creaminess 3 of 5, Bitterness 1 of 5, Spice-heat 2 of 5, Aroma intensity 3 of 5, Finish 3 of 5SweetnessCarbonationBodyCreaminessBitternessSpice-heatAromaFinish

Objective sensory intensities (how it tastes) — not a liking score.

Flavor wheel
Flavor wheel for Frostie Root BeerHighlighted: Root & sassafras, Wintergreen & birch, Spice (cinnamon, clove, nutmeg), Vanilla & cream, Caramel & molasses.RootWintergreenAniseSpiceVanillaCaramelWoodyHerbalOff-notes

Our editorial notes.

Scores

Our score
36/50
What drinkers think
7/9
early estimate
Critics vs. the crowd
-3
Critics and drinkers agree

Rate it

Add your own read to the crowd’s — a quick score, or a full tasting.

What drinkers think
Log in to add your rating →

The maker

Frostie is a heritage soda brand founded in 1939 by George Rackensperger, who started The Frostie Beverage Company in Catonsville, Maryland, reputedly bottling out of a converted jailhouse garage. The label passed through Monarch Beverage and Leading Edge Brands before Intrastate Distributors of Detroit acquired it in 2009, and several bottlers now produce Frostie using different sweeteners. This cane-sugar root beer is the 12 oz long-neck version bottled by Orca Beverage Soda Works in Mukilteo, Washington, which has spent more than three decades reviving vintage American soda labels.

Ingredients & nutrition

Carbonated Water, Cane Sugar, Caramel Color, Sodium Benzoate (A Preservative), Citric Acid, Natural and Artificial Flavors.