Moxie
Moxie
Had heard of this stuff for some time. Was reminded of it when I saw this show on The History Channel which talked about the history of carbonated beverages. I was surprised to learn that this beverage at one time topped Coca Cola as the top selling carbonated beverage in the US! And that the phrase "he/she's got moxie!" was borne from this drink!
The drink also has some notoriety for its odd flavor. It's not quite a cola, not quite a root beer or sarsaparilla; everyone seems to have a different opinion on its flavor. So much so that a few friends, when hearing that I was making this community about carbonated beverages, they immediately asked if I was going to review or if I had tried Moxie! Thankfully one of those friends lives up in the New England states (one of the few places you can still get the drink) and was nice enough to grab me a bottle.
One friend described the flavor as "imagine a carbonated, non-alcoholic Jaegermeister" while another said "I liken the flavor to worchestershire sauce soda." Well, the former is slightly more on target with how it tastes. The moment it hits your palate you're thinking and tasting "cola", but almost immediately thereafter some other strange flavor kicks in. It is slightly similar to the flavor of Dad's Root Beer, but far from being as mediciney. I'm assuming that this flavor is the result of the "gentian root extracts" that is listed in the ingredients, as I've never really had anything else that features this extract. The ingredients also list "natural and artificial flavors"; but natural what? All in all, it's not a bad drink, and I wouldn't mind getting another bottle if I find myself up North sometime soon. Your mileage may vary!
Sweetened With: "high fructose corn syrup"
Verdict: worth trying at least once