A&W Root Beer Pop Tarts

In this time of DVR, On Demand, YouTube, and assorted ways to watch your favorite programs, advertising has become something we've learned to ignore, no matter how hard they try to make us watch it. But once in a great while, it does what it's supposed to: inform me about a product I wasn't aware of...and then send me on a crazy hunt until I find it.

Case in point: A&W Root Beer Pop Tarts!

Even though Pop Tarts and I are not as close as we once were, I swing by every once in awhile to see how things are going and catch up on what's new. My favorites have always been the non-traditional flavors. While Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough has become a regular flavor (one of my favorites!) I also really like Watermelon, which is a seasonal flavor. They also introduced a Pink Lemonade which I'll probably check out but I've only been able to find it in 12 packs so far. Too much of a commitment for a trial flavor for me.

A couple weeks ago I somehow managed to see the ad announcing not only A&W Root Beer but also Orange Crush Pop Tarts. (And if you like those flavors, there's also ice cream topping!) I found them just last week and almost missed them. Had I not seen the Orange Crush ones, I wouldn't have looked harder for the A&W ones.

As I popped them in the toaster for the inaugural tasting, a perplexing conundrum crossed my brain: what does one drink with A&W Root Beer flavored Pop Tarts? There are certain things in life that do not create taste sensations to sweep the nation such as orange juice and toothpaste or milk and soda...unless your name is Laverne. With Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, milk is a no brainer, but root beer? It being breakfast time, I still went with milk.

So yeah, they're Pop Tarts with A&W Root Beer flavor. While they're two things I like individually, I don't think I quite enjoy them as much together, at least for breakfast. They leave a Root Beer-ish aftertaste that I can only describe as having sucked on a Root Beer Barrel for about an hour. Even a tooth brushing didn't help much.

If you're not a Pop Tart connoisseur, you may not be aware there are other ways to enjoy Pop Tarts other than a breakfast food. They are good as a snack right out of the foil, no toasting required. They can also be enjoyed after being refrigerated or even frozen. I think that's where these will end up for me because my brain auto-associates Root Beer with cool and refreshing. I definitely recommend them for Root Beer fans!

UPDATE
I was right, these are much better as a chilled treat than a breakfast food!