Overpriced Average: Jones Cane Sugar Soda Root Beer!

The Good: Decent taste, Not overly carbonated.
The Bad: Not terribly nutritious, Quite a bit pricier than most, Nothing superlative in the taste
The Basics: Jones Soda makes a fine Root Beer, but charges a lot more for it than other, comparable, root beers.


My wife, every now and then, picks something completely random up for me, insisting "you get yourself so little these days!" I'm to that weird point in my life where the only things I truly want tend to be expensive (new bookcases, collectibles, etc.), so I spend most of my discretionary money on her now. So, when we were out last week at a store we seldom get to, she picked up a four-pack of Jones Soda Root Beer as a simple "I love you" gift. The gesture was better than the product.

Jones Root Beer is a premium soda that is sold in glass bottles from Jones and it is fine, but there is nothing about it that is so extraordinary as to justify its inflated price.

Basics

Jones Root Beer is a bottled soda that is both sold at grocery stores and restaurants like Panera Bread (reviewed here!). Each 12 oz. glass bottle houses the dark brown liquid. The bottles look good and while Jones is a smaller company, they are big enough that their operation is completely professional. Jones Soda has photo contests to appear on the labels.

The 12 oz. bottle represents a single serving of Jones Root Beer.

Ease Of Preparation

Jones Root Beer is a liquid in a clear 12 oz. bottle. Preparation is as easy as opening the bottle by twisting the bottle cap off and drinking the liquid inside. I recommend refrigerating the bottle first as its full flavor potential is reached by having it cool. The tops of the caps give consumers something to read (I do NOT need to watch a foreign film right now, thank you Jones Soda!) and that's cute and very indie.

Taste

Jones Soda Root Beer smells like root beer. Root Beer is one of those foods that tastes like what it is: root beer is root beer flavored, slightly dry and with a slightly more spiced flavor than cola. The Jones Soda iteration of root beer is marginally sweeter and less dry than other brands I have tried, but beyond that, it is pretty indistinct.

The Jones Soda Root Beer has a mild, sweet aftertaste that fades within a minute of consumption.

Nutrition

As a soda, one might expect this to have many unpronounceable ingredients. However, Jones Root Beer is made primarily of carbonated water, inverted cane sugar, and caramel color. There are no unpronounceable ingredients in this.

Nutritionally, Jones Root Beer is not enough to live off of, but it could be worse. Jones Root Beer has a significant 46 grams of sugar. In addition to 180 calories per serving, there are 35 milligrams of sodium in this. Jones Root Beer has no fat, nor any other nutrients.

Storage/Clean-up

Jones Root Beer comes in a glass bottle and there is no clear expiration date on the bottle (unless it expires in the year 5056!). There is a batch code printed on the side of the bottle neck.

This drink is dark brown and will stain clothes that are lighter than it. Consult a fabric guide on how to prevent stains from the caramel coloring in this from your specific fabric. As well, the drink wipes off surfaces easily with a cloth, assuming they are impermeable.

Overall

Jones Root Beer is fine, but a pretty unexceptional culinary outing from Jones Soda.

For other Jones Soda pops, please check out my reviews of:
Zilch Vanilla Bean Soda
Berry Lemonade Soda
Green Apple Soda

3.5/10

For other food and drink reviews, please visit my Food Review Index Page for a complete listing of all the foods I have reviewed!

© 2015 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Weak, But Interesting, Jones Zilch Vanilla Bean Soda Is Good!

The Good: Decent taste, Not overly carbonated, Zero calories!
The Bad: Quite a bit pricier than most, Aftertaste
The Basics: Jones Vanilla Bean Soda is an interesting soda pop, but hardly an indispensible flavor from the premium brand.


My wife is incredibly nice to me. She gets me quite a few things as surprise “I Love You” Day gifts, which she intends for me to enjoy and review. The other day, she surprised me with a six pack of Jones Zilch Vanilla Bean Soda. The Vanilla Bean Soda is good, but its flavor is almost stronger as an aftertaste than the primary flavor.

Jones Vanilla Bean Soda is a premium soda that is sold in glass bottles from Jones.

Basics

Jones Vanilla Bean Soda is a bottled soda that is both sold at grocery stores and restaurants like Panera Bread (reviewed here!). Each 12 oz. glass bottle houses the clear liquid. The bottles look good and while Jones is a smaller company, they are big enough that their operation is completely professional. Jones Soda has photo contests to appear on the labels.

The 12 oz. bottle represents a single serving of Jones Vanilla Bean Soda.

Ease Of Preparation

Jones Vanilla Bean Soda is a liquid in a clear 12 oz. bottle. Preparation is as easy as opening the bottle by twisting the bottle cap off and drinking the liquid inside. I recommend refrigerating the bottle first as its full flavor potential is reached by having it cool.

Taste

Jones Soda Vanilla Bean Soda smells slightly like vanilla. The aroma is generally weak and it does not become more aromatic as the soda pop gets warmer.

The Jones Vanilla Bean Soda is lightly carbonated. The flavor is very dry, but weakly flavored very much like Vanilla. The aftertaste is strongly a classic Vanilla Bean flavor. The flavor of vanilla is uncommon in soda pop and it is represented very truly in this beverage.

The dry and somewhat saccharine flavor endures in the mouth as an aftertaste for about ten minutes after one is done consuming this drink.

Nutrition

As a soda, one might expect this to have many unpronounceable ingredients. However, Jones Vanilla Bean Soda is made primarily of carbonated water, natural flavors and Phosphoric Acid. There are no unpronounceable ingredients in this.

Nutritionally, Jones Vanilla Bean Soda is not enough to live off of, but it could be worse. Jones Vanilla Bean Soda 0 calories per serving and there are only 35 milligrams of sodium in this. Jones Vanilla Bean Soda has no fat, nor any other nutrients.

Storage/Clean-up

Jones Vanilla Bean Soda comes in a glass bottle and there is no clear expiration date on the bottle. There is a batch code printed on the side of the bottle neck.

This drink is clear and should not stain clothes at all. As well, the drink wipes off surfaces easily with a cloth, assuming they are impermeable.

Overall

Jones Vanilla Bean Soda is good, but fans of vanilla might want to find something with a stronger primary flavor than this.

For other Jones Soda pops, please check out my reviews of:
Cream Soda
Berry Lemonade Soda
Green Apple Soda
Strawberry Lime Soda

6/10

For other food and drink reviews, please visit my Food Review Index Page for a complete listing of all the foods I have reviewed!

© 2014 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Underwhelming Taste For The Price: Jones Soda Cream Soda

The Good: Decent taste, Not overly carbonated.
The Bad: Not terribly nutritious, Quite a bit pricier than most, Not the most impressive taste
The Basics: Jones Cream Soda is good, but vastly overpriced for the taste.


I have discovered that I generally enjoy Jones Soda. However, just because I enjoy something does not mean that it is objectively worthwhile or, as important, worth the expense of the product. This, I am discovering with Jones Soda Cream Soda. It is an adequate cream soda, but vastly overpriced and it is the expense of the soda that drives it into the lower ranges of “average.”

Jones Cream Soda is a premium soda that is sold in glass bottles from Jones.

Basics

Jones Cream Soda is a bottled soda that is both sold at grocery stores and restaurants like Panera Bread (reviewed here!). Each 12 oz. glass bottle houses the clear liquid. The bottles look good and while Jones is a smaller company, they are big enough that their operation is completely professional. Jones Soda has photo contests to appear on the labels.

The 12 oz. bottle represents a single serving of Jones Cream Soda.

Ease Of Preparation

Jones Cream Soda is a liquid in a clear 12 oz. bottle. Preparation is as easy as opening the bottle by twisting the bottle cap off and drinking the liquid inside. I recommend refrigerating the bottle first as its full flavor potential is reached by having it cool.

Taste

Jones Soda Cream Soda smells delightfully like vanilla. The aroma is actually fairly strong and it hints at a powerfully vanilla soda, more than many cream sodas I have tried.

The Jones Cream Soda seems to carbonate as it hits the tongue and it is a more mild flavor than the scent foreshadows. Instead, this is mildly carbonated, mildly vanilla-flavored soda pop.

I’ve noticed when I restrain a burp – and it comes out my nose – after drinking this soda, it smells delightfully like cupcakes. Outside that, there is no aftertaste from this soda.

Nutrition

As a soda, one might expect this to have many unpronounceable ingredients. However, Jones Cream Soda is made primarily of carbonated water, inverted cane sugar, and natural and artificial flavors. There are no unpronounceable ingredients in this.

Nutritionally, Jones Cream Soda is not enough to live off of, but it could be worse. Jones Cream Soda has a significant 38 grams of sugar. In addition to 160 calories per serving, there are 35 milligrams of sodium in this. Jones Cream Soda has no fat, nor any other nutrients.

Storage/Clean-up

Jones Cream Soda comes in a glass bottle and there is no clear expiration date on the bottle (unless it expires is 2214!). There is a batch code printed on the side of the bottle neck.

This drink is clear and should not stain clothes at all. As well, the drink wipes off surfaces easily with a cloth, assuming they are impermeable.

Overall

Jones Cream Soda is all right, but for my money, I want better than all right from Jones Soda.

For other Jones Soda pops, please check out my reviews of:
Berry Lemonade Soda
Green Apple Soda
Strawberry Lime Soda

4/10

For other food and drink reviews, please visit my Food Review Index Page for a complete listing of all the foods I have reviewed!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Sour And Satisfying, Jones Soda Berry Lemonade Soda Is Worth Trying!

The Good: Decent taste, Not overly carbonated.
The Bad: Not terribly nutritious, Quite a bit pricier than most, Very sour flavor for the middle taste.
The Basics: Jones Berry Lemonade Soda is a worthwhile soda pop that is flavored like granny smith apples and is well worth trying.


Thanks to Jones Soda being a brand I am exploring of late, I have been trying a number of fruit flavored soda pops. While I had already tried the Strawberry Lime Soda (reviewed here!) and the Green Apple Soda (reviewed here!), I had much less of a reference mentally when I picked up the Berry Lemonade Soda from Jones Soda. This beverage looks like Romulan Ale from the Star Trek franchise and it was strongly fruity. It is also a pretty much a novelty beverage, as opposed to one I would eagerly recommend for “daily consumption.”

Jones Berry Lemonade Soda is a premium soda that is sold in glass bottles from Jones.

Basics

Jones Berry Lemonade Soda is a bottled soda that is both sold at grocery stores and restaurants like Panera Bread (reviewed here!). Each 12 oz. glass bottle houses the bright blue liquid. The bottles look good and while Jones is a smaller company, they are big enough that their operation is completely professional. Jones Soda has photo contests to appear on the labels.

The 12 oz. bottle represents a single serving of Jones Berry Lemonade Soda.

Ease Of Preparation

Jones Berry Lemonade Soda is a liquid in a clear 16 oz. bottle. Preparation is as easy as opening the bottle by twisting the bottle cap off and drinking the liquid inside. I recommend refrigerating the bottle first as its full flavor potential is reached by having it cool.

Taste

Jones Soda Berry Lemonade soda smells very much like cotton candy. In fact, there is almost no fruity aroma to it, so it does not hint at the full flavor of the soda.

Berry Lemonade Soda tastes initially sour, like one would expect from lemonade. The strong citrus flavor is cut into by the carbonation and then by a much sweeter blueberry flavor. The Blueberry flavor takes on more of an aftertaste than a primary taste. The Berry Lemonade Soda finishes sour, but not in an unpleasant way.

The carbonation in the Berry Lemonade Soda seems to serve the function of dissipating the sour aftertaste within twenty seconds and that makes this soda more of a thirst quencher than one might expect.

Nutrition

As a soda, one might expect this to have many unpronounceable ingredients. However, Jones Berry Lemonade Soda is made primarily of carbonated water, inverted cane sugar, and citric acid. There are no unpronounceable ingredients in this and Jones seems committed to creating a uniquely-flavored beverage that is not as nutritionally bad as other sodas!

Nutritionally, Jones Berry Lemonade Soda is not enough to live off of, but it could be worse. Jones Berry Lemonade Soda has a whopping 41 grams of sugar. With 170 calories per serving, there are 35 miligrams of sodium in this. Jones Berry Lemonade Soda has no fat, nor any other nutrients.

Storage/Clean-up

Jones Berry Lemonade Soda comes in a glass bottle and there is no clear expiration date on the bottle (unless it expires is 2084!). There is a batch code printed on the side of the bottle neck.

This drink is a bright blue color and if it gets on light fabrics it will certainly stain them. Consult a care guide for your clothes, though I suspect even light clothes will be able to wash the soda right out. As well, the drink wipes off surfaces easily with a cloth, assuming they are impermeable.

Overall

Jones Berry Lemonade Soda has an intriguing flavor that makes it worth hunting down, but not something so incredible to make one want to stock up on it.

For other soda pops, please check out my reviews of:
Maine Root Blueberry Soda
Stewart’s Orange ‘N Cream Soda
Virgil’s Black Cherry Cream Soda

5/10

For other food and drink reviews, please visit my Food Review Index Page for a complete listing of all the foods I have reviewed!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Jones Green Apple Soda Is Flavorful And Worth Trying!

The Good: Decent taste, Not overly carbonated.
The Bad: Not terribly nutritious, Quite a bit pricier than most, Very sour flavor for the middle taste.
The Basics: Jones Green Apple Soda is a worthwhile soda pop that is flavored like granny smith apples and is well worth trying.


Sometimes, I encounter something that I am not sure, objectively, is worth trying. As I have begun to explore Jones Sodas, I have found a few that are delightfully flavorful, even if they are not the most initially satisfying to drink. So, while the Green Apple Soda might not be as sweet and satisfying as the Strawberry Lime Soda (reviewed here!) that I tried recently, the apple flavor is actually pretty accurate and overall wonderful. My first experiences with Jones Sodas were through Panera Bread (reviewed here!) and I’ve found that I enjoy sampling the different flavors outside that restaurant experience whenever I can. Tonight, that takes the form of Jones Green Apple Soda.

Jones Green Apple Soda is a premium soda that is sold in glass bottles from Jones.

Basics

Jones Green Apple Soda is a bottled soda that is both sold at grocery stores and restaurants like Panera Breat. Each 12 oz. glass bottle houses the bright green liquid. The bottles look good and while Jones is a smaller company, they are big enough that their operation is completely professional. Jones Soda has photo contests to appear on the labels.

The 12 oz. bottle represents a single serving of Jones Green Apple Soda.

Ease Of Preparation

Jones Green Apple Soda is a liquid in a clear 16 oz. bottle. Preparation is as easy as opening the bottle by twisting the bottle cap off and drinking the liquid inside. I recommend refrigerating the bottle first as its full flavor potential is reached by having it cool.

Taste

The aroma of the Green Apple soda is fruity and appropriately apple-scented. It smells very much like apple juice, as opposed to cider. The smell is inviting for anyone who likes apples.

As far as the flavor goes, Green Apple Soda is initially sweet, but turns tart as soon as the carbonation lets up. The slightly sour flavor and the carbonation make for a beverage that is not at all satisfying for quenching the thirst. With each sip, the Green Apple Soda the apple flavor and initial sweetness wash over the tongue before dissipating and the sour apple flavor asserts itself.

The aftertaste of the Green Apple Soda dissipates exceptionally quickly. In that way, the Green Apple Soda is not enduringly disappointing in any way. Despite the tart middle taste, the soda is delightful and flavored exactly like it is supposed to be.

Nutrition

As a soda, one might expect this to have many unpronounceable ingredients. However, Jones Green Apple Soda is made primarily of carbonated water, inverted cane sugar, and citric acid. There are no unpronounceable ingredients in this and Jones seems committed to creating a uniquely-flavored beverage that is not as bad as other sodas!

Nutritionally, Jones Green Apple Soda is not enough to live off of, but it could be worse. Jones Green Apple Soda has a whopping 43 grams of sugar. With 170 calories per serving, there are 35 miligrams of sodium in this. Jones Green Apple Soda has no fat, nor any other nutrients.

Storage/Clean-up

Jones Green Apple Soda comes in a glass bottle and there is no clear expiration date on the bottle. There is a batch code printed on the side of the bottle neck.

This drink is a bright green color and if it gets on light fabrics it will certainly stain them. Consult a care guide for your clothes, though I suspect even light clothes will be able to wash the soda right out. As well, the drink wipes off surfaces easily with a cloth, assuming they are impermeable.

Overall

Jones Green Apple Soda might not be a thirst-quencher, but it is flavorful and lives up to its promise as an apple flavored soda.

For other soda pops, please check out my reviews of:
Maine Root Blueberry Soda
Stewart’s Orange ‘N Cream Soda
Virgil’s Black Cherry Cream Soda

6/10

For other food and drink reviews, please visit my Food Review Index Page for a complete listing of all the foods I have reviewed!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Creative, But Not Quite Worth The Cost: Jones Strawberry Lime Soda

The Good: Decent taste, Not overly carbonated.
The Bad: Not terribly nutritious, Quite a bit pricier than most.
The Basics: Jones Strawberry Lime Soda is a good, but not great, soda that tastes pretty much like other strawberry soda pops, making it impossible to justify the price.


Part of making myself healthier has been limiting my soda pop intake. I have no more than one soda per day (if that), but I also make an effort to have good, creative, independently-produced beverages more often than not. Rather than going for the regulars like Pepsi and Coca-cola, I like trying sodas from Virgil’s and Jones. My first experiences with Jones Sodas were through Panera Bread (reviewed here!) and I’ve found that I enjoy sampling the different flavors outside that restaurant experience whenever I can. Tonight, that takes the form of Jones Strawberry Lime Soda.

Jones Strawberry Lime Soda is a premium soda that is sold in glass bottles from Jones.

Basics

Jones Strawberry Lime Soda is a bottled soda that is both sold at grocery stores and restaurants like Panera Breat. Each 12 oz. glass bottle houses the bright red liquid. The bottles look good and while Jones is a smaller company, they are big enough that their operation is completely professional. Jones Soda has photo contests to appear on the labels.

The 12 oz. bottle represents a single serving of Jones Strawberry Lime Soda.

Ease Of Preparation

Jones Strawberry Lime Soda is a liquid in a clear 16 oz. bottle. Preparation is as easy as opening the bottle by popping the bottle cap off and drinking the liquid inside. I recommend refrigerating the bottle first as its full flavor potential is reached by having it cool.

Taste

The aroma of the Strawberry Lime is certainly dominated by the strawberry scent. In fact, smelling the soda only prepares the consumer for the strawberry aspect of the beverage. The smell is sweet and fruity and actually quite inviting.

On the taste front, the flavor is initially sweet and clearly that of strawberries. The sour lime taste kicks in at the back of the tongue as an aftertaste that is very strong and crisp. With each new sip, the flavor of strawberry increases and the lime aftertaste diminishes. The result is a drink that tastes – by the end of the bottle – pretty solidly of strawberry with decent carbonation. Unfortunately, this makes it also taste like other company’s strawberry soda, like Strawberry Crush.

Nutrition

As a soda, one might expect this to have many unpronounceable ingredients. However, Jones Strawberry Lime Soda is made primarily of carbonated water, inverted cane sugar, and citric acid. There are no unpronounceable ingredients in this and Jones seems committed to creating a uniquely-flavored beverage that is not as bad as other sodas!

Nutritionally, Jones Strawberry Lime Soda is not enough to live off of, but it could be worse. Jones Strawberry Lime Soda has a whopping 39 grams of sugar. With 160 calories per serving, there are 35 miligrams of sodium in this. Jones Strawberry Lime Soda has no fat, nor any other nutrients.

Storage/Clean-up

Jones Strawberry Lime Soda comes in a glass bottle and there is no clear expiration date on the bottle. There is a batch code printed on the side of the bottle neck.

This drink is a bright red color and if it gets on light fabrics it will certainly stain them. Consult a care guide for your clothes, though I suspect even light clothes will be able to wash the soda right out. As well, the drink wipes off surfaces easily with a cloth, assuming they are impermeable.

Overall

Jones Strawberry Lime Soda is intriguing, but ultimately not better than other, less expensive strawberry sodas. At (locally) over $7 for a four pack, this is way too expensive for the taste.

For other soda pops, please check out my reviews of:
Maine Root Blueberry Soda
Stewart’s Orange ‘N Cream Soda
Virgil’s Black Cherry Cream Soda

5/10

For other food and drink reviews, please visit my Food Review Index Page for a complete listing of all the foods I have reviewed!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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