SODA SCIENCE: The Harcourt Theory of Flavor

Here's the latest dispatch from Kris Harcourt, Aussie entrepreneur extraordinaire, who posits a scientific connection among three of the most popular sodas out there:

Only 3 sodas in the marketplace (that I can think of) are unique and original flavors...Coke, Mountain Dew, and Dr. Pepper. Everything else is a plagiarism of pre-existing flavors from nature, usually fruit-derived. Coke and Mountain Dew introduced something completely original that are derivatives of nothing that came before them. As for Dr. Pepper, given that it was created by a pharmacist means it definitely makes the list of "invented in a lab."

I have previously suggested that root beer was another sui generis taste, but my homonymic homie Harcourt argues that root beer is based on the sarsaparilla root, which comes from nature, not from a lab. What do you think? (And no, that's not a picture of Kris. It's a baby yak.)

POP OF THE DAY: Rat Bastard Root Beer

Category: Root Beer
Ratings (out of 5)
Taste: 5
Fizziness Factor: 5
Bottle/Can Design: 2
Availability: 2

Tasting Notes: Rat Bastard Root Beer (hereinafter RBRB) is a teenage boy of a soda, complete with PG-13 name, slogan-covered bottle ("It's them against us," "This time, put it in your mouth"), and surprising complexity (it contains something called gotu kola). RBRB is definitely of the rooty rather than creamy family or root beers, which leads to the Challenging Question of the Day: What, exactly, does the root in root beer taste like? if you can put your finger on some specific flavor analog, please write and tell me.

I could say that RBRB is an artful melange of molasses, ginseng, jasmine, and clove, (all on the ingredients list) but who's to say that the real flavor isn't coming from the mad dog weed or the dong quai? What I know for sure is that it's a tasty soda, if not exactly my gotu kola. (Total Score 14/20)

Suggested Food Pairings: Funyons, macaroni and cheese