Diet A&W Root Beer - Candy USA

You know times are hard when you go into town and find yet another shop has closed down. It’s really sad, especially when they’re boarded up. But sometimes old stores get replaced by new ones and this week I came across a new store that caught my attention.

It’s called Candy USA and is full of US imports, mainly candy funnily enough, plus other popular US foods such as Twinkies and Hershey’s bars and even coconut M&Ms. My daughter dragged me in there and I must admit it I felt like a kid in a candy store!

Ever conscious of my waistline (and teeth), there was little in here I’d consider buying since it was mainly sweet, oh so calorific things. But browsing over at the drink section there were a few diet drinks, one of which was A&W Root Beer.

Diet A&W Root Beer

Root Beer is one of those drinks often mentioned in books and films, but until now I had no idea what it might taste like.

On the side of the can it says ‘Made with aged vanilla’. I adore vanilla so hoped this would bode well. It didn’t.

All I can say is that as soon as I opened the ring pull on the top, I didn’t like the smell. I poured it out into a mini beer glass (a shot glass in the photo) and, due to the colour, thought it might taste like cola.

Candy USA Store

Nope. Nothing like it. The first thing that springs to mind is cough medicine, but fizzy and not at all what I was expecting.

Perhaps this is an acquired taste, but I don’t think I’ll be buying it again. I am glad I got the chance to try it though without having to travel to the US and at least it didn’t have any calories.

This A&W Diet Root Beer is canned by Canada Dry, Delaware Valley, under the authority of Dr Pepper/Seven Up Inc. Size of can is 12 FL OZ (355ml).

Found in a branch of Candy USA, London.

Nutrition information per 100ml: 0 calories, 0g fat, 110mg sodium, 0g carbohydrates, 0g protein.

Ingredients: Carbonated water, caramel, sodium benzoate (preservative), aspartame, acesulfame potassium, natural and artificial flavors, malic acid, quillaia extract.