In the summer of 2000, my friend Pete stumbled onto the massive list of cream sodas available at Pop The Soda Shop, ultimate purveyor of all things soda.
Pete was so excited that he bought a bottle each of 20 different sodas, and nine of us converged for a blind tasting. (After which we could barely move because of the sugar coma: This was well before I learned about spitting at tastings.) Our friend Sarah compiled the results into an elaborate spreadsheet that sat, hidden, on Tim's hard drive until I asked if I could repost an abridged form here for the world to see. The list doesn't reflect the current inventory of cream sodas at Pop the Soda Shop, but it's a good start. I continue to buy Pearson Brothers whenever I can, though it's hard to find. Henry Weinhard's, however, has a larger production level and a more widespread distribution.
| Soda | Score | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Pearson Bros. of SF | 4.9 | Pete wanted it stickier |
| Henry Weinhard's | 4.6 | With honey and natural vanilla |
| Moxie | 3.4 | Not flavored enough, too carbonated |
| Pirate's Keg | 3.3 | Notes of vanilla and caramelized sugar |
| IBC | 3.1 | Astringent and too sweet. Not enough vanilla. |
| Jones Soda Co. | 3.1 | Burnt marshmallow taste. Nice aftertaste. |
| Jack Black's Blue | 2.9 | Windex blue, good flavor for some, too artificial for others |
| Original Stewart's | 2.8 | Not enough vanilla, too carbonated. |
| Hansen's Signature Vanilla | 2.6 | Brief taste and smell |
| Hansen's Signature Orange | 2.6 | Orange-ish aroma with a weak orange taste |
| Hot Rod Magazine Sweet & Sticky Burn Out | 2.4 | Boring, artificial, caffeinated |
| Thomas Kemper Honey Vanilla | 2.3 | Musky taste/smell, metallic aftertaste |
| Henry Weinhard's Orange | 2.3 | Tasters loved it or hated it. |
| Journey Twisted Bean | 2.1 | Chai flavor that few liked. No vanilla. |
| Outlaw Hemp Butterscotch | 2.0 | "The cream soda of despair." |
| Dr. Brown's Original | 1.9 | Broad spectrum of opinions |
| Boylan Bottle Works | 1.9 | Baking soda/chalk taste. No vanilla flavor. |
| Dad's Classic Creamy Red | 1.8 | NyQuil. Unsubtle, artificial, bad aftertaste. |
| Journey Caribbean | 1.4 | Rental car smell |
| Pirate's Keg Orange & Cream | 1.4 | "Stale rotten taste." |
