Friday, September 30, 2011

Boylan Cane Cola

Boylan Bottling Company
Cane Cola


Normally, I'm a Coke Zero drinker, but if it's not available, I'll drink Coke or Pepsi, so long as it's not the diet versions.  Basically, I like cola. 
 
Usually, that means whatever is on sale at the grocery store. 

When I want to indulge, however, and we're shopping at The Italian Centre, we pick up some Boylan Soda.  It's more expensive at about $1.66 (plus deposit) for a 355ml bottle, and comes in a variety of flavours.  Black cherry, ginger ale, cream soda, birch beer, orange, grape, and basic cane cola - the cane referring to the type of sugar used to sweeten it.  Now, I don't particularly care whether the sugar came from cane or beets.  If anything, I lean toward beet sugar, since I'm from Manitoba, which has a fairly large sugar beet industry, and I like to support local industry.

No matter.  Sugar is sugar, and personally, I can't tell the difference in taste.  In many ways, Boylan Soda reminds me of the Pic a Pop of my childhood.  

Boylan Soda touts itself as "vintage soda pop," and we've worked our way through all the flavours available locally since discovering the brand. It's a family owned business that's been in operation since 1891.  The Cane Cola ingredients list is refreshingly short.  Carbonated water.  Cane sugar.  Natural flavours.  Colour.  Phosphoric acid.  Caffeine - from coffee (where else does one get caffeine from?  I'd never really thought of that before.)

But is it any good?

In a word, yes.

The Cane Cola has that cola taste without the harsh, tinny bite the big name versions have.  It's smooth and creamy, without tasting like over sugared crack.  This is a cola even Spindle likes, and she has never liked cola.  Her sister prefers the Birch Beer and they both really like the Ginger Ale.  I like the Black Cherry, but my preference is the Cane Cola.   

If you can find it, give it a try.

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