Germany takes on Root Beer

During one of my leisurely, not shopping for actual groceries, trips to the store I found these cans of root beer on the shelf. 

Naturally, I bought both of them and brought them home. Europeans don't typically "do" root beer. I've heard more than once that there is some toothpaste flavor here that's pretty similar and it makes the beverage too weird to drink. Regardless, these are both German-made. The cans are the best. One is an american flag, the other specifically says "no beer" on it.

Tem's Root Beer. Smells like root beer. Mostly. Tastes... like root beer. Mostly. Heavy on the wintergreen. Enough that after two or three drinks I was getting flashbacks to Life Savers. The balance is wrong. But it's not terrible, although it is very carbonated.

Carters Root Beer. This smelled about the same as Tem's. That did not prepare me for the very heavy fresh mint rush and aftertaste. Before that vegetal, mint hits you it almost tastes like root beer too. But not quite.

I wouldn't buy either of these again. Good effort, but I'll stick to American brands. They did leave me wondering if that's how real root beer tastes to Germans - some sort of lost in translation thing...