Today I found out why root beer is called that when it doesn’t contain any alcohol.
This popular soft drink pairs well with vanilla ice cream, resulting in root beer floats that are common sights at kids’ birthday parties in North America. The common version that we know today isn’t an alcoholic beverage, but a sweet soda that can be enjoyed by all ages. So why is it called “root beer?”
The answer lies in the history of root beer. Most food historians (yes, they exist) think it likely that the first versions of root beer started out as “small beer,” a beverage brewed from herbs, bark, and berries. Small beer was popular in medieval Europe, where rampant water pollution had a tendency to make people sick. Brewed drinks like tea and beer were considered the healthier option. The same was true in early Colonial America before safer water facilities could be developed. Small beer contained alcohol—usually between 2% and 12%. The beverage was so commonplace that it turns up in a variety of classical literature, including several of William Shakespeare’s plays and Vanity Fair by William Thackery.
Fast forward a few centuries to find pharmacists attempting to create a “miracle drug” or “cure-all” for people’s ailments in the late 19th century. (Many of the popular carbonated beverages today have their roots in such an attempt.) Historians generally believe that root beer was created on accident by a pharmacist experimenting with a variety of roots, herbs, bark, and berries used in small beer recipes in order to make a brew to cure every sickness. The original “root beer” was sold as a syrup for consumers to water down into a type of cordial. It was both sweet and bitter, probably not unlike cough syrup today, and obviously didn’t take off as a beverage you’d buy for anything other than potentially curing sickness.
It should be noted that it’s unknown whether or not the original pharmacist commonly credited as the creator of root beer was actually Charles Hires. Obviously, types of root beer had been around for centuries, so he cannot accurately be described as the “inventor.” He was, however, the first one to come up with a recipe that was widely marketable, hence why he is given credit. According to his biography, Hires ran across a delicious tea recipe while he was on his honeymoon, which he decided to replicate and sell as a cure-all. However, the honeymoon story has little evidence to back it up, and it’s likely that Hires was simply experimenting with various ingredients until he came up with a recipe that worked.
He began selling dry packages of the tea mixture in his drug store, and later developed a liquid concentrate which people could mix with water. Initially, the mixture was called “Hires Root Tea” as it was brewed like tea from the dry packages. The packets cost twenty-five cents and supposedly could make up to five gallons of root tea.
The “root” in the name of Hires’ concoction came from its main ingredient, the sassafras root. Hires changed the name of his product from “tea” to “beer” sometime before the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition in 1876. It’s likely that he changed the name to make the beverage more appealing to the working class. In the midst of the second wave of the Temperance Movement, the name caused outrage amongst the movement’s leaders. Hires, on the other hand, advertised root beer as the “temperance drink,” arguing that it had no alcohol and was a great alternative to alcoholic beverages.Thus, “root tea” became “root beer.” (Note: It isn’t entirely accurate to say root beer doesn’t contain alcohol as carbonated beverages like root beer, Pepsi, co*ke, Dr. Pepper, etc. do have trace amounts of alcohol, as do many other things, like yogurt, just not any significant amount.)
The name change turned into a great marketing scheme. At the Philadelphia exposition, Hires handed out free cups of his brew, gaining new customers. It’s likely that marketing the product as “beer” was the key to its success, and Hires soon was bottling root beer and selling concentrated syrups to soda fountains. He even made “root beer kits” available for individuals to make their own root beer at home.
Root beer continued to be marketed as a “health beverage” with the slogan, “Join Health and Cheer, Drink Hires Root Beer!” Funny enough, in 1960 the United States Food and Drug Administration banned the main ingredient—oil from the sassafras root—because of research proving it was a carcinogen and also contained safrol, which damages the liver- not exactly healthy. Because of this, today root beer typically contains an artificial sassafras flavour rather than the real thing.So at this point the whole name is a lie.
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Bonus Facts:
- Both Benjamin Franklin and George Washington were fans of small beer; Franklin wrote in his autobiography that he would have a small beer with breakfast sometimes, while George Washington had developed his own recipe for his favourite small beer.
- Without root beer, we wouldn’t have the Marriott Hotels and certain fast food restaurants. In 1927, a young couple named John and Alice Marriott opened up a root beer restaurant called Hot Shoppe in Washington. The restaurant experienced a huge amount of expansion over the years and turned into the Mariott Hotel chain. The Marriotts actually bought the shop from A&W, now a well-known restaurant chain root beer brand. A&W helped to popularize the idea of franchising. By 1960, there were over 2000 A&W restaurants—more than McDonald’s at the time! Another restaurant that got its start in root beer was Sonic, which started off as a root beer and hamburger stand and now has over 3500 restaurants in the United States.
- There are hundreds of different recipes for root beer and the drink has a wide range of flavours. Common ingredients in root beer include vanilla, cherry tree bark, wintergreen, molasses, anise, liquorice root, cinnamon, and honey among others. The primary ingredient is still sassafras flavour.
- Root beer is almost exclusively a North American drink. There are a few international brands, but the flavour is quite different from, say, A&W. If you browse the shelves in Australia or the UK you’re probably more likely to find “ginger beer” than root beer.
Expand for References
FAQs
In 1875, Charles Elmer Hires introduced the first commercial brand of root beer, named Hires Root Beer. Hires initially wanted to name the product to be “Root Tea,” but chose “Root Beer,” to make the beverage attractive to Pennsylvanian coal miners.
Why was root in root beer? ›
Colonists used Sassafras and Sarsaparilla roots—among other local plants—to brew a type of small beer they (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.
Was root beer ever alcoholic? ›
Traditional root beer was usually alcoholic, whereas modern root beer is rarely fortified with ethanol and is a favourite of kids everywhere.
Why is there beer in root beer? ›
The name root beer may imply that the soda contains alcohol or is fermented like beer; however, neither is the case. It was the sassafras root and sarsaparilla root that provided the flavor for the soft drink for decades until the FDA banned sassafras as an ingredient in packaged foods, per Portable Press.
What is the meaning of root beer? ›
: a sweetened, usually carbonated, brown beverage flavored with extracts of roots (such as sarsaparilla or sassafras) and herbs (such as wintergreen) or with artificial flavorings.
Do they use roots in root beer? ›
Root beer is a sweet North American soft drink traditionally made using the root bark of the sassafras tree Sassafras albidum or the vine of Smilax ornata (known as sarsaparilla, also used to make a soft drink, sarsaparilla) as the primary flavor.
What flavor is root beer supposed to be? ›
Most root beers produced today are flavored primarily with a combination of vanilla and wintergreen, along with small amounts of ginger, licorice, anise, juniper berries, and dandelion, explains Portable Press. To this list of flavorings, BlackTailNYC adds cherry tree bark and nutmeg.
What is the oldest soda? ›
Vernor's boasts the oldest soda in America, but not the world. That belongs to Schweppe's, who created a carbonated mineral water in 1783. Other old sodas include Hires Root Beer (1876), Moxie 1876, Dr. Pepper (1885) Coca-Cola (1886) and Pepsi (1893.
Is Dr Pepper a root beer? ›
Is Dr Pepper a root beer? No. Dr Pepper is not a root beer. It's not an apple, it's not an orange, it's not a strawberry, it's not a root beer, it's not even a cola.
Is root beer older than co*ke? ›
It wasn't until the creation of root beer in 1876 that soda began to evolve into a drink option. Cola flavored soda entered the market shortly after in 1881. Dr Pepper was created in 1885 and believed to be the first soda as we know it today followed by Coca-Cola one year later.
Allen partnered with former Lodi employee Frank Wright. They leased their first two Root Beer stands to other operators so they could expand into the larger city of Sacramento. This was around the same time the partners coined the new name A&W®, “A” for Allen & “W” for Wright.
Is sassafras root illegal? ›
The roots and barks of the sassafras tree contain a high concentration of the chemical named safrole. Safrole was listed as a carcinogen in rats by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is hence banned at present.
What is the secret ingredient in root beer? ›
In addition to being the go-to flavoring for a delicious, foamy mug of root beer or root beer-flavored candy and gum of days gone by, sassafras, known by many names including Ague tree, cinnamon wood, and saxifrax, is a plant that is used in a plethora of ways.
Why is root beer different from soda? ›
After examination of the make-up and ingredients of root beer, researchers found that this type of soda rarely has any traces of citric or phosphoric acid. This makes root beer healthier for teeth when compared to typical colas. Root beer acidity is also much lower than other sodas on the market.
Is root beer good for you? ›
It is also widely preferred over diet soda. However, root beer contains a lot of ingredients that do not make it a healthy drink for you. High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS): It is high in sugar. You would not like to consume it because it can cause weight gain and lead to chronic conditions such as diabetes.
Can kids drink A&W root beer? ›
Whether poured directly from a cold bottle or paired with ice cream for a delicious float, an A&W Root Beer is the quintessential summer drink for both adults and kids.
What state was root beer invented? ›
When was root beer invented? Legend has it that Charles E. Hires discovered an herbal tea (tisane) while honeymooning in New Jersey. He quickly recreated the drink and began selling a dry tea mixture of 16 wild roots and berries called Hires' Root Tea.
What alcohol goes in root beer? ›
Root beer goes great with rum, as they share a sweet, vanilla-y flavour. This combination is particularly good with a strong, spiced rum like The Kraken, which has a dark and rich flavour which complements the lighter, fizzy root beer.
What does root beer do to meat? ›
The acidity levels in root beer will tenderize most red meat, like ribs and steak, in addition to other pork dishes, like pork chops.
What flavor is Dr Pepper? ›
Dr Pepper has been described as having a sweet and savory flavor, with subtle notes of cherry and caramel. Dr Pepper is not overly sweet like some sodas, but it still packs enough of a punch to satisfy your cravings for something refreshing. Dr Pepper has a unique taste that no other soda can claim.
A&W is the most recognized root beer brand in the US and is known for its creaminess that goes perfectly well when turned into a root beer float. Allen and Wright introduced this brand in 1919, and currently, Keurig Dr. Pepper Inc. is the owner of the A&W brand.
What is Dr Pepper made of? ›
Carbonated Water, Sugar, Colour (Caramel E150d), Phosphoric Acid, Preservative (Potassium Sorbate), Flavourings Including Caffeine, Sweeteners (Aspartame, Acesulfame K).
What is the oldest soda still sold today? ›
Schweppes (1783)
The oldest soda brand still on the market today is none other than Schweppes. Schweppes was founded initially in 1783 when Jacob Schweppes created carbonated mineral water (via Coca-Cola). The product's notoriety grew, and Schweppes began selling in Geneva and England.
What is the rarest soda ever? ›
The 10 Most Expensive Sodas In The World
- 1 Coca Cola Can Factory Error, $281,000.
- 2 Coca-Cola Factory Error Unopened Can, SOLD $250,000.
- 3 6 100th Anniversary Laredo Coca Cola Bottling Co, $11,000. ...
- 4 Antique Kiesener Swiss Apple Juice from 1942, $7,950.
- 5 3 Vintage Pepsi-Cola Cans From The '50s, SOLD $5,995. ...
According to the Daily Mail, the 31-year old Monaco woman drank only soda since just after puberty. The woman had no prior family history of heart conditions, but she also admitted that in addition to exclusively drinking soda she had not consumed water since the age of 15.
What two sodas make Dr Pepper? ›
Pepper at home using just two ingredients. If your favorite soda is Dr. Pepper but you don't have any in your fridge this new trend might be the one for you. According to TikTok you can recreate the taste of the real thing by using two ingredients: unflavored seltzer water and black cherry MiO.
What does the 23 on Dr Pepper mean? ›
Dr Pepper 23 is made up of a unique blend of 23 different flavors. These flavors include orange, cherry, blackberry, peach, lime, lemon, grapefruit, tangerine, watermelon, and mango.
What's healthier Sprite or root beer? ›
It was determined that, despite being a soda, root beer is considered the safest soft drink as it rarely contains the harmful acids found in most sodas, which lessens its impact on teeth.
What is the most sold drink in the world? ›
1. Water. Water is the most popular beverage on the planet. This is such a simple drink, but no one can live without it.
When did McDonald's stop selling root beer? ›
For a brief period of time in the 80s, McDonalds appear to have sold root beer - a distinctly American fizzy soft drink with a sweet, herbal flavour. However, the selling of root beer by the brand was restricted to a small number of McDonalds restaurants by 1992, due to poor sales, and stopped completely in 1993.
"Mountain Dew" was originally Southern and/or Scots-Irish slang for moonshine (i.e., homemade whiskey or poitín), as referenced in the Irish folk song "The Rare Old Mountain Dew", dating from 1882. Using it as the name for the soda was originally suggested by Carl E. Retzke at an Owens-Illinois Inc.
Can Muslims drink root beer? ›
Present-day root beer is not an alcoholic beverage, and is not haram. What is Non-Alcoholic Beer? Alcoholic beverages are prohibited in Islam, and the culture associated with drinking alcoholic beverages is not Islamic.
Why are KFC and A&W together? ›
"Co-branding is a trend that is evolving daily in the quick service restaurant business," explained A&W President Kevin Bazner. "We believe this is a good fit for KFC, since our All American Menu of hamburgers, hot dogs, our signature A&W Draft Root Beer and A&W Root Beer Floats will compliment the KFC menu."
Who invented root beer? ›
Root Beer is first known to have been marketed commercially at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition in 1876 by a teetotal Philadelphia pharmacist named Charles Hires who is said to have discovered a recipe for a delicious herbal tea while on his honeymoon.
What happens if you chew sassafras? ›
Some scientists think even safrole-free sassafras can increase the risk of cancer. Sassafras containing safrole is LIKELY UNSAFE in the amounts found in medicine. Don't take it by mouth. The safrole in sassafras root bark and oil can cause cancer and liver damage.
Why did FDA eliminate sassafras? ›
The FDA banned sassafras use in 1979 following research that showed it caused cancer in rats.
What drugs can be made from sassafras root? ›
Sassafras is a hallucinogen that's also known as methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA). You might also hear it called sass or sally. It's derived from the oil of the sassafras plant. This oil, called safrole, can be used to make MDA.
What is the oldest brand of root beer? ›
What is this? Hires Root Beer is known as America's original root beer. According to the brand's official history, Philadelphia pharmacist Charles Hires first tasted root beer in 1875 while he was on his honeymoon.
What two flavors make root beer? ›
According to McGill Office for Science and Society, sassafras and sarsaparilla are the two root ingredients that are primarily responsible for root beer's iconic flavor — or were.
What root beer is made by Coca Cola? ›
Barq's (/ˈbɑːrks/) is an American brand of root beer created by Edward Barq and bottled since the beginning of the 20th century. It is owned by the Coca-Cola Company. It was known as "Barq's Famous Olde Tyme Root Beer" until 2012. Some of its formulations contain caffeine.
The root beer helps to free air bubbles trapped in the ice cream. The fat in the ice cream coats the bubbles, protecting them and allowing them to expand to create the foam you see on root beer floats.”
Why is root beer so delicious? ›
Root beer isn't just sweet, it has a distinct and complex flavor that makes it taste almost like a dessert in your mouth, while the carbonation keeps it as refreshing as any other cold soda. Other sodas also have unique flavor profiles, but it's the particular type of sweetness in root beer that sets it above the rest.
What makes root beer so foamy? ›
Sassafras naturally acts as a surfactant - the dried, ground leaves are called gumbo file, or just file, and are used to thicken Creole gumbo. The same mucilaginous properties that thicken gumbo, made root beer form a long lasting foam.
What is the healthiest root beer? ›
What is the healthiest root beer? Out of all the brands listed above, the healthiest is Virgil's zero-sugar root beer since it uses natural sweeteners, is preservative-free, is made using filtered water, and uses natural flavors.
Is root beer medicinal? ›
Root beer is a drink so American it predates the formation of the United States, and while it may be closest tied to a scoop of vanilla ice cream today, it actually began as a medicinal drink.
Why is root beer better for your teeth? ›
Root beer
It's less acidic than most sodas and therefore slightly less damaging to your teeth. However, still drink with caution — any soda is high in sugar and can stain your teeth and erode your enamel.
Why doesn't A&W put ice in their drinks? ›
As it turns out, my boyfriend actually worked at an A&W restaurant when he was in college and he explained that the thinking was that ice would dilute the good taste of A&W root beer, so they serve it in frosted glasses instead.
Why is there no caffeine in root beer? ›
Today, generally, root beer still does not have caffeine. That is because caffeine is not a natural result of the root-beer-making process. In other words, it is a substance that is not hard to avoid from the start. However, that does not mean that all root beers do not have caffeine.
Can root beer be alcoholic? ›
As noted earlier, root beer naturally does not contain alcohol, and it's also caffeine and gluten free. But there are exceptions to the rule, such as when caffeine or alcohol are intentionally added back to the formula to create energy drinks or hard sodas.
Why was sarsaparilla banned? ›
In 1960 the FDA banned the use of sassafras oil in foodstuffs after evidence accumulated showing that the main constituent, safrole, was carcinogenic.
The Downfalls of Sassafras
The FDA banned sassafras use in 1979 following research that showed it caused cancer in rats.
Did root beer have beer in it? ›
As we have pointed out, and you probably know, root beer is not beer, as it does not have alcohol. However, many believe it was not always like that. What is this? Today, water is undoubtedly the healthiest thing to drink.
Why does root beer taste like root beer? ›
Root beer gets its name from the roots and herbs that are used in the traditional brewing process. Wintergreen, sassafras, anise, ginger and other aromatic spices are what give root beer its distinct flavor. The term “root beer” was first coined in the 1800s as a way to describe this unique beverage.
Is sarsaparilla still used in root beer? ›
Sarsaparilla was made from the Sarsaparilla vine, while Root Beer, roots of the sassafras tree. These days, Root Beer recipes do not include sassafras as the plant has been found to cause serious health issues. The vine was banned by the American Food and Drug Administration for commercial food production in 1960.
Is Dr Pepper a sarsaparilla? ›
Dr. Pepper does not seem to be sarsaparilla, either, and it lacks the earthy, sweet flavor that characterizes sarsaparilla and does not seem to be made with the sarsaparilla root.
What flavor was sarsaparilla? ›
Sarsaparilla is known as the original version of root beer. The rich flavor comes from a tasty blend of roots and herbs. With a slight note of vanilla, some claim our frothy treat is even smoother and creamier than root beer.
What drugs contain sassafras? ›
NOTICE - Safrole and Sassafras Oil are used in the Illicit Manufacture of MDMA.
Is sassafras still used today? ›
The root bark is used to make medicine. Despite serious safety concerns, people use sassafras for many conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses. In beverages and candy, sassafras was used in the past to flavor root beer. It was also used as a tea.
What is in A&W root beer? ›
Ingredients. Carbonated Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Caramel Color, Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Natural and Artificial Flavors.
What is the oldest soda ever made? ›
Vernor's boasts the oldest soda in America, but not the world. That belongs to Schweppe's, who created a carbonated mineral water in 1783. Other old sodas include Hires Root Beer (1876), Moxie 1876, Dr. Pepper (1885) Coca-Cola (1886) and Pepsi (1893.
Originally made in Morrison's Old Corner Drug Store in Waco, Texas, the drink's unique flavor was a hit when it was first sold in 1885. Wade Morrison, the drug store owner, named it "Dr. Pepper" after Dr. Charles Pepper, a Virginia doctor who was the father of a girl Morrison was once in love with.
Is root beer healthier than co*ke? ›
While all soda is not labeled as a health food, root beer is considered to be a healthier option than cola.
Today I found out why root beer is called that when it doesn’t contain any alcohol.