Root beer

[kudzu3]

Ain't root beer a lot like sassafras tea?

Yea it is. Good to know someone else knows about sassafras tea (I guess it's a Georgia thing). It's made by boiling the roots of sassafras. That's why they call it root beer. Mother made it a lot when I was a lad, I believe it was supposed to cure a lot of stuff too. I looked for some sassafras trees last year to make some but couldn't find any. Are sassafras trees extinct?

 

[mkk41]

I never knew there was an alcoholic version of root beer!

Only ever knew of the soft drink.

Root beer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[dewey]

KUDZ
Only in Ga. They grow like weeds over here in SC.

 

[jag312]

Root Beer; that brings back a lot of good memories. After football practice in college, some of us would meet at an A&W for a big mug of root beer. After football practice, it tasted real good.

 

[REM 3200]

Barq's before they sold out to Coke. Made only in Biloxi, MS.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

My best friend used to use root beer starter to brew home brew then bottel it in Hires bottels and caps, It was 5 or 6% and still tasted like root beer. We also use to boil sasafras roots for soft drinks, but it wasn't popular with my friends.

 

[nipster]

I like Hires, but they apparently dont make it anymore.

Mug is awful, Barq's, I think they changed the formula recently as I tried it and it didnt taste very good like I remembered it. A&W is fine. Dont really find Dad's around here anymore either and IBC always seemed too carbinated

 

[Old TexMex]

Three of my favorite soft drinks (all for different reasons):

Blenheim Hot Ginger Ale (I dare you to pour this into a snifter and take a deep breath)

Dr. Brown's CEL-RAY celery tonic (with a pastrami sandwich)

Jarritos Tamarindo

I like Tamarindo diluted with Topo Chico mineral water, makes it a little less sugary.
Musslemans sparkling cider is a celebration favorite around here.

 

[MWK1975]

MawMaw Rose always made this for the kids/grandkids. I still enjoy a pitcher of Zatarain's from time to time.

http://www.zatarains.com/Products/Spices-and-Extracts/Root Beer Extract.aspx

 

[Rule 303]

They don't make any root beer where I live, just steak.

Funny reading this thread, I'm sitting at the Computer drinking an A&W right now.

Rule 303

 

[Armanius]

Hello folks. I'm reviving this thread. Need help finding Henry Weinhard root beer in Houston. Can't find it anywhere here! Hate to order it online because shipping is more expensive than the root beer itself. Help!!!

 

[P&R Fan]

I have a touching, romantic Root Beer story: When I was first dating the lovely Missus P&R Fan, we had not yet said those Three Little Words to each other that forever change a relationship. I had made myself a promise: I was not going to say "I Love You" until I was 110% sure, and then, I was going to wait a week. Unbeknownst to me, she had already said it to me, in Spanish. I don't speak Spanish, so it went over my head. However, I had also told her A&W Root Beer was one of my most favoritest things in the world. BUT, there is only one way to properly consume it: In a frosted mug. Shortly after I advised her of this, I came over to pick her up for a date. She took me into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and pulled out a 2 liter bottle of it. I thought AWWW, that's sweet. But then she got a mischievous look in her eyes, reached into the freezer, and pulled out a mug she had frosted.....just for me. She stood there with bottle in one hand, mug in the other, and had a "what do you think of THAT, big boy?" look on her face. I looked into her beautiful blue eyes, and something happened to me that NEVER happens to me-I was speechless. But at that same instant, something else happened to me...I fell madly, passionately in love with her. I figgered any Woman who would do that for me, was a KEEPER.
I kept my promise, I waited a week, but finally said it. She of course cried.

You know, we've been married almost 24 years, and as I look back I ask myself if I love her as much today as I did then? Honestly, I can't say I do. No, I love her a WHOLE LOT more.....But just a LITTLE bit less than I will tomorrow.

Top that one, guys.
Jim

 

[beach elvis]

Back in the late '60's and early '70's, there was one in ohio called Frosty.
IMO when Frosty went away, root beer went away. Heaven won't be heaven if they don't have Frosty up there.

 

[timn8er]

I used to love Dad's. I haven't seen it in quite a while. My Father loved it;there was a little bit of a joke in my family where if someone saw you pouring yourself some root beer, they'd say "Don't drink that, that's Dad's." I remember that the Lone Star Brewery had complimentary root beer(& of course Lone Star!)in the saloon. I don't know what brand it was, but it was good!

 

[Cdog]

I can't keep it round the house. That ole Sneaky Snake keeps drinkin' mine up.

Then he goes dancing, giggling, kissing and hissing.

Sorry, Tom T comes to mind every time I see "root beer".

 

[gm272gs]

I like Sprecher.

Their Root Beer and Cream Soda are exceptional.

 

[fat tom]

My mother used to make root beer. It was the best I ever tasted. Except once. She made it in a old 5 gallon chamber pot. Once I got deathly sick on some. I thought maybe she put too much yeast in it. Then I found out how she made it, or rather in what. Even though she attempted to assure me that she had scrubbed out that ancent pot many times, that done it for me!

Yep,that would do it for me too. Yech!
f.t.

 

[durango]

Virgil's is a great brand of traditionally brewed root beer. It's available in Kansas and Colorado, not sure about other states. You have to go to the weird health food stores to find it usually.

On the flip side, avoid Mug root beer, it's pretty terrible.

 

[tompehret]

I like my root beer with a bite to it, and IBC is about the best I can find here in Albuquerque. Weinhard's is good, wholesome stuff but a bit too creamy for me. If you ever get the chance, try Sioux City Sarsaparilla (and that is the correct spelling). Good stuff.

 

[charger73se]

A&W is very, very good. But Henry Wienhards is better. If it's not sold nationwide it's worth moving to the Pacific NW for.

Henry's WAS the best root beer on earth. I hadn't drank one in a couple of years until last month. Some bean counter thought it was a good idea to replace the cane sugar with HFCS. Now it tastes horrible.