Root beer

OLIPOP Classic Root Beer

OLIPOP · Prebiotic

Oakland, California, USA

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A modern, prebiotic-driven take on the diner classic that trades the syrupy punch of mainstream root beer for a leaner, more botanical pour. Smooth vanilla and a creamy soft-drink roundness sit up front, underpinned by sweet birch and an earthy burdock-root depth that reads as genuine sarsaparilla territory rather than candy. With only a few grams of sugar it lands far drier than a Barq's or A&W, and the gentle carbonation lets the root and bark notes show through, though that same restraint can leave the finish tasting a touch herbal and lightly medicinal to palates expecting full sweetness. A good reference point for where wellness sodas meet the traditional root-beer profile: clearly recognizable, cream-forward, and rooted.

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

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

Flavor wheel
Flavor wheel for OLIPOP Classic Root BeerHighlighted: Root & sassafras, Vanilla & cream.RootWintergreenAniseSpiceVanillaCaramelWoodyHerbalOff-notes

Our editorial notes.

Scores

Our score
33/50
What drinkers think
6/9
early estimate
Critics vs. the crowd
+4
A critics’ pick

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The maker

OLIPOP is a public-benefit beverage company founded in 2017 by Ben Goodwin and David Lester, built around a prebiotic 'soda alternative' that pairs plant fiber and botanicals with low sugar. Based in Oakland, California, the brand reframes nostalgic flavors like root beer as functional drinks, using its proprietary OLISMART fiber-and-botanical blend in place of conventional sweeteners. Its Classic Root Beer evokes vanilla and sweet birch while carrying 9 grams of fiber per can.

Ingredients & nutrition

Carbonated Water, OLISMART (Cassava Root Fiber, Chicory Root Inulin, Jerusalem Artichoke Inulin, Nopal Cactus, Marshmallow Root, Calendula Flower, Kudzu Root), Cassava Root Syrup, Apple Juice Concentrate, Natural Flavors, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Stevia Leaf, Himalayan Pink Salt, Mushroom.

12 fl oz · 40 cal · 3 g sugar(per serving, as labeled)