Customer Reviews

Boylan Bottleworks 12 oz. Black Cherry 12pack

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Another delicious old fashioned Boylan Bottleworks flavor of soda. I say old fashioned because they are a 100 year plus company that makes their sodas the way that everyone made them before they changed all the ingrediants in the 1970's. Their Black Cherry's deep flavor comes from a blend of different cherries along with other high class ingredients here. This is the only cherry soda I know that uses only a mix of pure natural black cherries for the flavor, no other fruit juices or artificial flavors mixed in to save money. As a result the cherry really does taste like cherry rather than a syrupy mess that has a hint of cherry. It has an authentic tart cherry mixed in the sweet, and you can taste the tart in the aftertaste. It even has a nice texture in the mouth. I know this sounds gushy but you have to try it!

But it gets better, they used real cane sugar instead of the cheaper high fructose corn syrup that is used in all the big brand sodas. As a result the sweet is more clean, not as overpowering or syrupy. The carbonation is medium, again here is an issue of too much carbonation can detract from the flavor. Caffeine free. The bottle is very cool and nostalgic with a painted on label and raised letters on the glass, reminding you they have been in business since 1891. All in all a perfect black cherry soda, best I have ever had.

This is a great fruit soda, will surprise you if you are used to artificially flavored junk.

BUT... It's much cheaper in supermarkets. Trader Joe's, as noted above, sells it for under $3 in a four-pack.

There also exists an all-natural version without the preservative or artificial colors, that is sold in Whole Foods. Side by side it tastes a little better, but is more expensive. I prefer it.

"Boylan Bottleworks"

AS a charter member of "Free Associators Anonymous," the company name is ripe with conotation: Pittsburgh. Giant pipes of metal and glass with sweaty workers downing a "Boylans" (or, shorter, sweeter: "Hey, Trow Me a 'Boys'!" Ironworks, manholes made in Oakland, tough immigrants, and cherries blacker than coal. Coupled with The Bottle Americana, even a non-serious soda flavor like cherry has a certain gravitas, a don't-screw-with-me style, even though I'm rich enough to afford this.

Speaking of serious, let's get on with the parlor game of tasting notes. Boylan's Black Cherry, as noted by others, isn't too sweet (cloying as the wine connosieurs will tell you), syrupy, and it tastes like cherries, especially upon entry and in a very satisfying aftertaste. However, a grape/apple flavor sneaks in under all this, so much so that I was surprised that Boylan uses cherry juice only. It keeps Boylan's from perfection, just as the Amazon price may give you pause. (Trader Joe's does it again--will this company ever do an IPO so that we can all get rich off its well-deserved popularity.

Back to Boylan again. It's strong enough to stand up to ice, the fizz is moderate--you don't lose half your cherries to foam--and it's quite tasty and refreshing. Again, the only minor problem I had was the perception of a grape juice filler, perhaps my imagination, or perhaps a characteristic of one of the varietals in Boyland's cherry blend. The competition is from other designer sodas (Kemper's, for example), and from cherry sodas made with the artificial flavors and colors that we all grew up to love. At this price, it's a treat, and the taste is so good it'll disappear quickly, but you're a working man or woman. You deserve this liquid luxury presented with no-nonsense attitude.

I tried this for the first time recently and found it to be simply fantastic. Ever since the early 1990's I have looked for a replacement for my old standby, black cherry flavored Clearly Canadian that has long since disappeared. This is by far the closest I have found and in the flavor department, this stuff is much better; no lack of cherry here. The only wish I have is that it had a little more fizz. While it is a little pricey here, the cost does include shipping, which is undoubtedly expensive for such a heavy and bulky item. For those of us without a Trader Joe's around, this is a great way to get your hands on this wonderful drink.

$30 for a 12 pack?

Are you serious?

Trader Joe's sells 4 packs for $3.

And that's about all they are worth.

I bought this in Montana on I90 at a gas station just to try ($.50-.99). I believe this is the best soda out there. If you can find it locally to save on shipping I would definitely give it a try and I will be looking for it locally also.

I am from Wisconsin (a cherry state) and we have real (natural) cherry sodas.

My experience with soft drinks has been mostly limited to the major brands so this was quite a change---these sodas have a much cleaner( less chemical)and therefore more refreshing taste than the Coke/7up/Canada Dry variety. The cane sugar and glass bottles seem to make all the difference( although I still prefer Canada Dry to Boylan's Ginger Ale).
$3.25 per 12 oz. bottle is a bit steep. I would check your local specialty markets to see if they carry this; unfortunately, the nearby Trader Joes dropped this product so I'll have to check Gelson's or Whole Foods.

Treat yourself and your loved ones to a vintage treat!
You won't regret it.