The designated Root Beer (and Sasparilla) thread - For me, it's 1919

[smartypants302]

It'd be bad opsec to name my favorite, but needless to say its very good and you can even get it on draft in frosty mugs at certain places.

Whenever I hit a soda fountain, though, I like to go half-n-half rootbeer and diet cola

Is it Bedford's Root Beer?

 

[BullfrogBill]

i managed to try out a few brands like mug and barq and it struck me as very different from what i was expecting, having grown up with brazilian soda staples like guaraná (note: look into tubaína, it's pretty good) it reminded me more of one time when i tried out tonic water. nevertheless i wouldn't mind drinking this kind of thing again, as long as it's not mug.

I hate Mug so much, love their logo but hate the root beer.

I'm a stickler for not eating processed stuff, so I avoid all root beers with weird additives and artificial preservatives. Virgil's root beer is a good choice for that, and it's pretty tasty too

Big disagree, since Virgil's is 100% natural flavors, it's illegal for them to have sassafras in it and therefore doesn't even taste like root beer at all. I think Virgil's tastes like carbonated sugar water.

 

[Mortan Shekelstorm]

I forgot what root beer was called in a drive through once. Asked my girlfriend what the bbq water was called, the lady heard heard me through the mic, and I heard her laugh.
I made this to remember the event.

 

[Skeletron Prime]

An acquaintance of mine once said "people who drink Mug come from broken homes" and I internalized that as a core belief.

Barq's or bust.

Edit: A&W is also acceptable

 

[Caesar]

Mmm I wish this was more common in the UK. I might have to pick some up over the weekend when shopping. Went to America as a kid and fell in love with it - although back then, it wasn't in any of the local super markets when we came back.

Cream soda is still fucking gross though, guys.

 

[BullfrogBill]

Mmm I wish this was more common in the UK. I might have to pick some up over the weekend when shopping. Went to America as a kid and fell in love with it - although back then, it wasn't in any of the local super markets when we came back.

Cream soda is still fucking gross though, guys.

Sprecher and IBC makes damn good cream soda, especially Sprecher. Those are the only two that I like though, every other cream soda I've tried tastes too sweet without a good flavor to back it up and gives a bad aftertaste.

 

[Caesar]

Sprecher and IBC makes damn good cream soda, especially Sprecher. Those are the only two that I like though, every other cream soda I've tried tastes too sweet without a good flavor to back it up and gives a bad aftertaste.

TBF its mostly just own brand cream soda you can get here, and I generally dislike fizzy drinks. I can't stand cream soda though, it's so gross to me.

 

[Vining]

I wish there was good root beer here in Bongistan that didn't cost an arm and a leg, most stuff gets double taxed (import + sugar) and the ""root beer"" we don't ship in from the US is pretty insipid. And I'd sell my left nut if somewhere over here sold birch beer at a decent price.

I thought you guys hated root beer

 

[Dysnomia]

does birch beer count for this thread too?
i wish we actually got brands other than A&W

Pennsylvania Dutch birch beer is good. I haven't had it in years because it's hard to find.

 

[PandaChai]

I thought you guys hated root beer

It's definitely considered an acquired taste over here. A lot people say it tastes like soap or cheap mouthwash

 

[Vining]

It's definitely considered an acquired taste over here. A lot people say it tastes like soap or cheap mouthwash

I thought everyone outside the US said it tastes like toothpaste lmao.

 

[Burning Bridge]

Not one mention of Thomas Kemper, for shame. When I was in high school and being dragged across the country on family trips, I made it a point to try local root beers across the country, and Thomas Kemper is my number one spot.

 

[BullfrogBill]

It's definitely considered an acquired taste over here. A lot people say it tastes like soap or cheap mouthwash

I thought everyone outside the US said it tastes like toothpaste lmao.

Since when did bongs start using toothpaste and mouthwash?

 

[WonderWino]

I used to see advertisements for this brand of Root Beer, but i have never actually had it and apparently it's extremely rare nowadays. Anyone who's ever tried it is it any good?
View attachment 6450971

Hires is common in canada, particularly in vending machines and root beer flavored candies. Its alright. Not the best brand i'd say but definitely not the worst

There is nothing more refreshing than a nice cold can of Barq's to start the morning.

Speaking of barqs, back in I think it was 1996 or so some pajeet working at the local 7-11 refused to let me buy a can of it, claiming I was underage to buy alcohol and absolutely would not listen to any explanation that root beer wasn't actual beer. He tried to claim the fact the word beer was in the name and the design and color of the can somehow meant it was an actual alcoholic beer

That said the worst root beer i've ever had was the stuff made by jones soda. Alot of their stuff is pretty good but their root beer is fucking vile

Speaking of which, obligatory garak and quark root beer scene:

 

[Steve Martin Short]

I second the love for Thomas Kemper. I don't know if they still make it, but once upon a time there was a Henry Weinhard's root beer that was pretty great, too.

 

[Tablet County]

Barq's

Barq's (the one with bite) is the finest peasant shit ever brewed.

 

[Oddjob OTP]

Of the three big brand soda Barq's is the only good one. Mug and A&W are pretty awful. I'd kill a nigga for a Sioux City Sarsaparilla but thankfully I don't have to because they sell them at Cracker Barrel.


Went to a Dog n Suds once and I recall their root beer being pretty good. They still apparently exist but shot gun blasted mostly across the mid west.

Lately I've been drinking ginger beer, which is nice enough alone but I only get them to make Dark and Stormy really.

 

[SteelPlatedHeart]

I always default to Barq’s out of the “mainline “ root beers the most, but this restaurant called BJ’s brews their own root beer and it’s fucking great. They also sell it in cans and stuff too, so it’s worth trying if you ever see one

 

[Obstacle]

I wish there was good root beer here in Bongistan that didn't cost an arm and a leg, most stuff gets double taxed (import + sugar) and the ""root beer"" we don't ship in from the US is pretty insipid. And I'd sell my left nut if somewhere over here sold birch beer at a decent price.

There was one in the local Asda years ago, had a simple American flag design, it was cheap, and tasted like how germaline smells.
I liked it, but it disappeared.

 

[Al from Dadeville]

Yes. Sassafras albidum root, specifically, also known as sarsaparilla. Unfortunately, Americans are dumb (I say this as an American) and let some idiot ~science~ at us, injecting 1000x the normal equivalent dose of sarsaparilla to a rat and let it get cancer. So now, instead of sarsaparilla, it's made out of chemicals the science guy's company sells. Thank god science guy's company had those chemicals ready to sell, eh?

It’s made with sassafras roots but they process out the safrole, which is basically the essential oil of sassafras roots. Luckily if you’re American you can just dig the shit up and make tea pretty easily, getting enough to brew a real root beer would probably be a big task.