Thursday, October 12, 2017

Virgi'ls Zero Root Beer



Stevia is my sweetener of choice whenever possible.  It is a naturally growing herb and it seems to have minimal effect on blood sugar.  It is significantly sweeter than sugar so you use much less of it.  I feel better when I use it over other sweeteners.
Of course, there are pesky issues like bitter aftertaste, so it is tricky to work with.  It is generally most successful either paired with another sweetener or used in moderation - too much will definitely give you a bad aftertaste, but just enough is perfect.  
I tried Virgil's "microbrewed" root beer at a health food store eons ago, and it wasn't really to my taste.  It didn't really taste like root beer, the flavors didn't meld and I could taste wintergreen but none of the traditional richness of a root beer.  All the wonderful ingredients in the world just didn't add up to a great beverage for me.
So it was with  trepidation I tried Virgil's Zero.  I was attracted by the ingredients once again, but not really expecting much.
I was pleasantly surprised.  It tasted like a very sweet root beer, similar to Blue Sky or Zevia.  I generally prefer a little more of the darker flavors in my root beer but this is one of the few occasions I can say the diet is a distinct improvement over the full sugar version.  It also had a milder carbonation than Blue Sky or Zevia, without being flat.  
One thing I did find interesting is the store did not refrigerate this.  As there are no preservatives I usually see Virgil's in the refrigerated section.   It didn't taste "off" at all but it is something to pay attention to, and I would absolutely refrigerate at home.  
Ingredients: Purified Carbonated Water, GMO-Free Caramel Color, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf Extract, Natural Flavors, Citric Acid, Spices. Gluten Free.