Where have I been?

Well...I'm still lurking around the soda world and trying out new sodas and recipes, I just kind of lost interest in keeping a running blog about it for a long time, and have recently started up a new blog related to my most time-consuming hobby of the last four years- which has been collecting and playing retro video games.
That is probably the biggest culprit in why I stopped maintaining this blog, and I apologize for that. Not because I haven't enjoyed revisiting my past, or finding new gaming experiences, but because it really took away from making homemade soda.
Making homemade soda satisfies my creative side, and helps me feel more like I'm contributing something unique to my family that no one else does. even if it is only a super sweet treat.

I do plan on getting back to blogging about my homemade soda adventures and keeping up on revies and other random soda-related things...but i'll still be spending more time over at my video game blog. If you'd like to check it out, I would really appreciate it, and it can be found at Soda's Fountain Arcade

Review: Boylan Bottling Co. Birch Beer

I never really know what to expect with a birch beer...because many companies don't really seem to know what exactly a birch beer is supposed to be.
Boylan seems to be another one of those companies.
I enjoyed this standard root beer with a slight hint of birch flavor. It wasn't too sweet, but it was not anything I would go back to buy again.
If you're unfamiliar with birch...think again. It is the primary flavor of old school baseball card package sticks of gum. Yes, THAT gum that "tastes like the bleachers".

Taste- 4/7
A pretty basic root beer, but a little less sweet and just a tiny hint of birch.

Aroma- 2.5/5
It didn't really smell like anything...which was odd, but not exactly unpleasant.

Packaging- 2/5
Boylan has a nice clean uniform labeling system that varies in color based on flavor...but it is also incredibly dull and not eye catching at all.

Overall- 8.5/17
This may have been one of the most mediocre soda's I have ever had, but would have been helped by not touting itself as a Birch Beer.
It'd be like if something was called "vanilla cola", but the vanilla flavor was only evident after you drank the whole bottle and licked your lips.