The SurprisingOriginofthe Distinctively American BeverageRoot Beer
Imagine describingthe taste of root beer to someone who has never tried it before.What would you say? It’s probably not easy to come up with an answer. If you're like most people, you don't know what exactly in the glass. Roots? Beer? Who's to say?
Acraft soda aficionado might say that asip ofaward-winning Sprecher Root Beerhas the sweet taste of honey, notes of wintergreenand vanilla, and a creamy mouthfeel. This is all true, but whatis Root Beer, really? Well, root beer is a beverage with surprisingly deep—and distinctly American—roots.
Indigenous Root Medicine
The sweet, bubbly,non-alcoholicroot beer we know today bears little resemblance to theroot beers of yesteryear.The forbears ofthisbeloved beverage were root beers in the literal sense—beersmade fromroots.
Before the first root beer was brewed, root teas and medicines were the all the rage. Many of the indigenous peoplesof North America brewed medicinalteas andtinctures out ofroots, barks, berries, and flowers. Some of these medicinal drinksused sassafras, wintergreen, andsarsaparilla. These North and Central American plantswere thought to boost immune function, reduce inflammation, combat allergies, and more.
For indigenous people,these root-based beverageswere not for recreational consumption. These drinks didn’talwaystaste very good, and some of them had harmful side effects when overused. For example, while sassafras has analgesic and antiseptic properties, too much of it can cause liver damage.[1] When European colonists came to the Americas, they learned of these health benefits and made their own root-based drinks.
Root Beer in Colonial America
European colonistsbroughttheir own traditions to the Americas, includingthe medieval tradition of “small beer.” Small beers were low-alcohol beers (hovering at 1-2% ABV). Europeans brewed small beers because they were safer than water,cheap, nutritious, and unlikely toget you too drunkduring the day. Colonists made small beer by shortening the fermentation time of the brew or by re-using grain from a stronger beer.[2]
When European colonistsobserved indigenous people using sassafras,sarsaparilla, wintergreen and other roots, barks, and berriesfor theirhealth benefits, the colonists did what they knew best—madesmall beer. Colonists used Sassafras and Sarsaparilla roots—among other local plants—to brew a type of small beerthey (unimaginatively) named root beer. Generally, colonists did not drink root beer to get drunk. Instead, they drank root beer to hydrate safely and get (real or perceived) medicinal benefits.
Families passed down their recipes for root beer like heirlooms. Countless varieties of root beersmade from differentblends ofAmerican plants, water, sugar, and yeastemerged.This practice continued for many years. In the early days of the United States, merchants sold in small shops and drugstores throughout the country.Still, the general public largely saw root beer as a niche health drink.
Root Beer goes Commercial
In the 1870s,this all changed thanks to aPhiladelphia pharmacist named Charles E. Hires. After tasting a particularly delicious root beerat an inn during his honeymoon, Hires beggedthe innkeeper’s wifeforherrecipe. Hires got it, and when he returned from his honeymoon, he took the recipeto a couple of local college professors. He asked the professors to help him adjust the recipe for commercial production.
The professors did two great things for Hires. First, theycame up with a way to turn the ingredients into a shelf-stablepowder. Root beer powder was easier to sell and distribute as the base for a tasty non-alcoholic drink.Second, the professors eliminated (pun intended) the stronglaxative effect of the original recipe.
Hires was a Quaker, and he was deeply opposed to boozing. So, he wasted no time in fervently marketing his new “powder root tea” to local miners—menknown for their love of the sauce.This didn’t go over well until a friend advised him to stop calling itpowder root tea(duh!). In a bid to appeal to themasculine sensibilities of the miners,Hirescalledhis drinkrootbeer, andacommercialhitwas born.
Hires’ root beerquickly took off and evolvedas a product.Soon,Hires was selling it as a syrup and in kegs to soda fountains, who were pouring it as fast as Hires could make it. Hires died a rich man, and many sought to follow in his footsteps.[3][4]
Prohibition and the Birth of Big Root Beer
Hires’ root beer is no longer with us, but itscommercialsuccess inspired many competitors who are still around today.Theseearly competitors ofHiresgrew into big root beer companiesthat remain well-known throughout the country.
Barq’sroot beer appeared on the scene in 1898in Mississippi. After a slow start, itexploded in popularity during prohibition,andleveraged its newfound popularity to grow throughout the 1900s.Barq’s cemented its statusas a big root beer companywhen the Coca-Cola company purchaed it in 1995.[5]
A&Walso jumped on the root beer bandwagon in the wake of Hires, in 1919. A&W lays claim to a major innovation:sellingroot beercold in frosted mugs. The ice-cold root beerwasa revelation to people used to room-temperature root beer (I shudder to imagine), and with this innovation, A&W grewrapidlyduring prohibition just likeBarq’s.These big root beer brands rose to dominate the industry, leaving little room for competition from smaller root beer producers.[6]
The Banning of Traditional Root Beer
However, small root beer producers soon found an angle into the craft root beer market: better ingredients and technique. This became possible in part because traditional root beer recipes were effectively outlawed in the 1960s.
In the early days,root beerslike Hires’,Barq’s, and A&Wwere made with sassafras, calling back tothe drink’sindigenous origins. However, as indigenous people knew, sassafras is not without its side effects—it may have some health benefits, but too much sassafrascan cause liver damage.This is rather ironic, since marketers initially touted root beer as a healthy alternative to alcohol.
In 1960, the FDA recognized the liver-damaging effects of Sassafras oil and banned its use as a food additive in the United States.[7]Now, commercially produced root beer is made with a variety of extracts that imitate the flavor of Sassafras. This is no easy feat, and extractmakersclosely guard their recipes.[8]
The Origins of Sprecher Craft Root Beer
Sinceit is illegal in the United States tocommercially produceroot beer withall ofits traditionalingredients, the quality of ingredients and brewing process used to make root beer make a big difference for the authenticity and flavor of the final product.
The Fire-Brewing Process
Randy Sprecher knew this when he opened up Sprecher Brewing Company in 1985.That’s why he decided to make Sprecher root beer with extracts produced by trusted local suppliers andraw honey. It’s also whyRandydecided to use a traditional fire-brewing process. In fire-brewing, the ingredients are brewed in a kettle under a flame until thesugars in the honeyarecaramelized. The result is a uniquely rich flavor that cannot be replicated by a cold-mix brewing process.
The "Why" of Sprecher Root Beer
But why did Randy make root beer in the first place? Sprecher Brewing Co. was founded as a brewery focused on making traditional European beers. What could be less like European beer than an all-American soda popularized by a teetotaling pharmacist? That story begins withSprecher Brewery Tours.
The Brewery Tour is apeculiartraditionwith its own unique history.Sprecher begangiving tourstogive beer geeks an opportunity to marvel at the inner workings of thefirstpost-prohibitioncraftbrewery in Milwaukee.Legend has it that these tours were all-you-can-drink, which was appealing to adults, but not so much to the children who would sometimes tag along with them. Not wanting to leave the kids out, Randy brewed small batches of root beer forunderage visitorsto enjoy on the tour, applying the tools and techniques of his craft to make the best soda he knew how.
Randy, living up to his reputation of brewing good things,wowedeverybodywith his root beer, and manytourgoerswere quick open their wallets for a chanceto takesome home with them. Ever the shrewd businessman, Randystarted to sell his root beer outside of the four walls of his brewery. Itwas a hit! Sprecher Root Beer quickly became a favorite in Wisconsin andthe Midwest,far outselling Sprecher’s original craftbeer.Root beer has since become central to Sprecher’s identityandeven inspired thename ofSprecher’s official mascot,Rooty.
The Future of Root Beer
Now, Sprecher Brewing Co. hopes to takeSprecherRoot Beer to every corner of the country, and one day, all around the world!Root beer has a long history as a uniquely American brew that appeals to all kinds of people. Sprecher is both a part of that history, and part of the future of the storied drink called root beer. We on the Sprecher Brewing team think that future is in good hands.
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Sources
[1] Burrows, Jillian Ada. "Root Beer's Indigenous Roots." Medium, July 21, 2019, https://medium.com/jill-burrows/root-beers-indigenous-roots-bfd6e8ba8de4.
[2] Anchor Brewing, "Small Beer, Big Flavor." Anchor Brewing, July 5, 2012, https://www.anchorbrewing.com/blog/small-beer-big-flavor/.
[3] Funderburg, Anne Cooper. Sundae Best: A History of Soda Fountains. Bowling Green State University Popular Press, 2002, pp. 92-5.
[4] Smith, Andrew F. Encyclopedia of Junk Food and Fast Food. Greenwood Press, 2006, pp. 231-2.
[5] Barq's.com. "Barq's History." https://www.barqs.com/history.
[6] Allen, Molly. "The Untold Truth Of A&W." mashed, Dec 10, 2020, https://www.mashed.com/161394/the-untold-truth-of-aw/.
[7] Dietz, Brigit and Judy L. Bolton. "Botanical Dietary Supplements Gone Bad." Chem Res Toxicol., vol. 20, no. 4, Apr. 2007, pp. 586-590. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2504026/
[8] Delfino, Jessica. "The Root In Root Beer: Behind This Soda's Toxic Ingredient." Allrecipies.com, Aug 17 2020, https://www.allrecipes.com/article/root-beer-sassafras-safrole/.
Image Attribution
[Header Image] Sprecher Media Library
[2] "Sassafras albidum - Köhler–s Medizinal-Pflanzen-260," uploaded to Wikimedia Commons from Author Franz Eugen Köhler under the public domain. No changes made to the original image.
[3] "Charles E. Hires Co. (3092723475)," uploaded to Wikimedia Commons from the Miami U. Libraries - Digital Collections under the public domain. No changes made to the original image.
[4] "Barqs Building," uploaded to Wikimedia Commons by author Woodlot under the CC BY-SA 3.0 License. No changes made to the original image.
[5] "Bryant's Root Beer (1897) (ADVERT 279),"uploaded to Wikimedia Commons from an unidentified author under the public domain. No changes made to the original image.
[6] Sprecher Media Library
As a seasoned enthusiast and expert in the realm of craft sodas, particularly root beer, my extensive knowledge spans the historical evolution, ingredients, and commercialization of this distinctively American beverage. With a depth of understanding, I'll delve into the concepts embedded in the article you provided.
Indigenous Root Medicine:
The article traces the origins of root beer to indigenous North American practices. Before the modern sweet and non-alcoholic root beer, indigenous peoples brewed medicinal teas and tinctures using roots, barks, berries, and flowers such as sassafras, wintergreen, and sarsaparilla. These beverages were not for recreational consumption but were believed to have health benefits like boosting immune function and reducing inflammation.
Root Beer in Colonial America:
European colonists, influenced by indigenous practices, introduced their own version of root beer in colonial America. They brewed small beers, low-alcohol beverages safer than water, using roots like sassafras and sarsaparilla. Root beer, in this context, was not consumed for intoxication but for hydration and perceived medicinal benefits. The tradition of making root beer recipes as family heirlooms emerged during this period.
Hires and Commercialization:
In the 1870s, Charles E. Hires, a Philadelphia pharmacist, played a pivotal role in transforming root beer into a commercially successful product. After adapting a recipe he acquired from an innkeeper's wife, Hires worked with local college professors to create a shelf-stable root beer powder. This innovation, combined with eliminating the laxative effects of the original recipe, led to the birth of commercial root beer. Hires marketed it as a non-alcoholic alternative and enjoyed significant success.
Prohibition and Big Root Beer:
The prohibition era saw the rise of big root beer brands. Barq's, originating in 1898 in Mississippi, gained popularity during prohibition and was eventually purchased by the Coca-Cola company. A&W, emerging in 1919, introduced the innovation of serving root beer cold in frosted mugs, contributing to its rapid growth. These big root beer brands dominated the industry, leaving little room for smaller producers.
Banning of Traditional Root Beer:
In the 1960s, traditional root beer recipes, including the use of sassafras, faced restrictions due to the recognition of its potential liver-damaging effects. The FDA banned the use of Sassafras oil as a food additive in the United States. Consequently, commercially produced root beer began utilizing extracts that imitate the flavor of sassafras, with closely guarded recipes.
Sprecher Craft Root Beer:
Sprecher Brewing Company, founded in 1985, adopted a unique approach to craft root beer. Randy Sprecher, the founder, emphasized using high-quality ingredients, such as extracts from trusted local suppliers and raw honey. The fire-brewing process, involving the caramelization of sugars in honey, contributed to a rich flavor that distinguishes Sprecher root beer. Despite its European beer-focused origins, Sprecher embraced root beer, initially brewing it for brewery tours and later commercializing it successfully.
The Future of Root Beer:
Sprecher Brewing Co. aims to expand the reach of its craft root beer, showcasing a commitment to the unique history of root beer as a distinctly American brew. Root beer has evolved from a niche health drink to a widely loved beverage, and Sprecher is positioned both in history and the future of this storied drink.
In summary, the article provides a comprehensive overview of the surprising origins, historical transformations, and commercialization of root beer, with a focus on its indigenous roots, colonial adaptations, commercial success, and the evolution of big root beer brands.
