Root Beer

[Navigator]

In the last issue of 'Fundamentalist Today' they started a six-part series titled 'Root Beer - The Heavenly Brew'.

//aside see we can have fun too.

I thought I might start a thread here to discuss this very important issue, and, perhaps, come to some sort of conclusion on what the best brand of root beer might be.

Since I started this OP, no fair bringing other, less inspired, libations into the discussions.

//aside - go start your own OP

In the end, if we can whittle the list down to four candidates, I've got some really cool colored beads we can use to vote for the best brand.

/* aside - isn't voting with colored beads the most theological way of coming to a scientific consensus??? */

Here is my first take on the top four.

Red bead - IBC Red top
Pink bead - A&W
Gray bead - Dad's
Black bead - Barq's

/* final aside - There is just something warm and cozy about the thought of a cold frosty root beer, and a slice of pepperoni pizza */

Peace.

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† Jon †
Phillipians 4:13

[Gilligan]

I'd go with IBC and Stewart's.

[WallyM7]

Heathens!

Hires Root Beer.

All others are mere pretenders.

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Stop telling God what to do.

[Navigator]

Never tried Stewarts... is that an East Coast thing??

Hires.. I fergit about that... Dad's comes off.. Hires goes on...

Peace.

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† Jon †
Phillipians 4:13

[Doctor Jackson]

For the "major" brands, it's IBC, hands down. I have had occasion, though, to find a particular "microbrew" that is all natural. It is a clear rootbeer, no coloring added, and it is expensive. Absolutely the best I have ever had. I have only found it at one little country store in the North Georgia mountains. I can't remember the name, but it's certainly worth the drive. If you're ever in Helen, GA, stop by Betty's Store and pick up a few.

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The overwhelming majority of people have more than the average (mean) number of legs. -- E. Grebenik

[Ukulele Ike]

Nah, Stewart's is brewed in Denver. I'm not sure what their distribution is like, but it's easily available all over the NYC area.

Damned good stuff. No offense meant.

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Uke

[Navigator]

none taken... I used to live in Rhode Island, and think I may recall Stewart's actually. Is it a clear bottle, and they also have flavors like orange and cherry and stuff. 'Stewart's' is in a handwriting type a logo??

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† Jon †
Phillipians 4:13

[Lauralee]

Barq's, thank you very much!!

[Fretful Porpentine]

IBC, but Dr. Brown's is also drinkable. Barq's is an abomination unto the Lord.

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=== '>

[JoeyBlades]

Being somewhat of a Root Beer aficionado, I would have to rank the various name brands accordingly (just my top five):

1. Sioux City Sarsaparilla
2. Stewart's
3. Canfield's
4. Barq's
5. IBC

Note: I've had some home brews that blow all of these away!!!

[Polycarp]

Barq's is an abomination unto the Lord.

You Suthun types are so judgmental!!

[Spiritus Mundi]

Well, I really like beer, but I don't know that I actively root for it. Whiskey is nice, too, and I try not to play favorites.

[Satan]

Yer all heathens!

Birch Beer, if you please...

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Yer pal,
Satan

[Navigator]

Sarsparilla is not Root Beer.. though the argument can be made that it evolved from root beer... and them other libations... well. STAY ON TOPIC!!!

Peace.

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† Jon †
Phillipians 4:13

[Navigator]

Birch Beer.. bleeechh....

abdomination fer sure.. but go figure the source...

Oh and BTW.. not ROOT Beer...

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† Jon †
Phillipians 4:13

[Lauralee]

Hey!!! I's suthern, and I LIKE Barq's!! But in San Antonio at the old Lone Star brewery they make their own root beer, and THAT is some GOOOOOOOOOOOD stuff!!

[Navigator]

oooo.. good point.. In DFW there is a place called humperdink's (not sure if has anything to do with Englebert) that makes their own Root Beer.. yummy as well...

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† Jon †
Phillipians 4:13

[Polycarp]

Lauralee...Fretful is a grad. student about 30 miles from me; we're both immigrants to the area, me from NY and her from VA. So I tend to joke with her on and off, sometimes on local stuff.

I work in the same town as our resident Prince of Darkness, too.

[douglips]

Thomas Kemper & Stewarts get my $bestColor bead.

<font size=-2>Gator: You aren't the only one who can geek out.</font>

Anyone else think this belongs in MPSIMS?

I like Dad's brand. But I really prefer Pepsi(cherry flavored)!

[MKM]

Frostie in can!?!?!?! What has this world come to?

LauraLee, I getchur point, sweetcakes.

[David B]

[Moderator Hat: ON]

Well, I was debating with myself whether to leave this here or move it to MPSIMS. On the one hand, it is a debate, like who was the better starship captain or the better baseball player. On the other hand, there ain't much debatin' goin' on, and, I mean, it's root beer fercryingoutloud.

So, since a couple other people have brought it up, and I'm in a housecleaning mood, I'm throwing it over to MPSIMS. Have fun!

-------
David B, SDMB Great Debates Moderator

[Moderator Hat: Handed off to Eut.]

[Minxsmom]

Forget Root Beer (yuck) - Diet Coke is the ONLY thing to drink.

Yes this does belong in MPSIMS.

[MKM]

Frosty! Oh...wait... that hasn't been made in years has it....

Ok... IBC...

Now where was that Diet Pepsi I was drinking.

Countdown to "This topic moved to MPSIMS forum"

10...
9...
8...


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"We love Him because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19 †

[Lauralee]

Well in that case get to debating about this!!! You know.... [blank] is best because [blank]. We can do this, I know we can!!

Poly, no problem... just poiting out it wasn't a "Suthern" thang. (But maybe a Texas thing??)

[MKM]

Uh, LauraLee - Texas was a part of the Confederacy.... Y'alls suthin too!

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"We love Him because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19 †

[Mojo]

Actually, Frostie is still made and available from Price Club (at least in the DC area). In fact, there's a case of it in the office fridge. It gets my vote for best canned RB, but for bottled I'd vote either IBC or Dominion.

[Lauralee]

Yeah, so the damnation of all Barq's lovers can't be just a southern thing.... that being mah point, hunney-chile!!

[Navigator]

This was buried in the thread, and I was wondering if there was anyother input on this very important subject...

@ DavidB

Peace.

[Gaudere]

[Moderator Hat ON]

::grumble grumble:: Dang pounders bumping long-dead threads up. Some of us don't much go for the "resurrection" thing over here, ya know. Well, it's a perfect thread for our new IMHO forum. Off it goes.

[Moderator Hat OFF]

[Lucretia]

In my very own home-town, Higganum, Connecticut, there is a small bottling company called Undina that makes not only the best root beer in the world, but the best birch beer as well, which is much yummier than root beer, IMHO. (Of course)

[Bubble Girl]

Hey!!! I's suthern, and I LIKE Barq's!! But in San Antonio at the old Lone Star brewery they make their own root beer, and THAT is some GOOOOOOOOOOOD stuff!!

Exactly Lauralee, that is some good stuff!

[Necros]

I'm shocked *shocked! I say!* that no one has mentioned Henry Weinhardt's (sp?), the best mass-market root beer out there.

[Drain Bead]

I second the IBC and Stewart's.

Back where I grew up, they had a place called Stewart's Hot Dogs...it was one of those drive-up restaurants where they hooked the trays on your car window, a la Fred Flintstone. They served Stewart's root beer, too, of course. I miss it.

[occ]

Um, I don't see how there can be any discussion.
Virgil's Root Beer.
Hires? Barq's? These are all water/high-fructose-corn-syrup and a little artificial flavoring (and caffeine, in the case of Barq's). If you ever see Virgil's anywhere, buy it. This is what rootbeer is supposed to be.

[occ]

Um, I don't see how there can be any discussion.
Virgil's Root Beer.
Hires? Barq's? These are all water/high-fructose-corn-syrup and a little artificial flavoring (and caffeine, in the case of Barq's). If you ever see Virgil's anywhere, buy it. This is what rootbeer is supposed to be.

[bibliophage]

Root beer isn't quite what it used to be. One of the traditional ingredients, sassafras root, contains small amounts of a chemical called safrole that has been shown to cause cancer in high doses in laboratory animals. (Safrole is not to be confused with the artificial sassafras flavoring called sassafrol.) If you have acess to sassafras trees, you could brew your own in the traditional manner (if you dare).

I tried Barf's once. Never again. It tastes like medicine.

Hires and A&W are good, but every bit as good was a brand called "Wildwood" that also happened to be dirt cheap. I used to buy it when I lived in W.Va. It disappeared from the shelves before I moved away.

[Smeghead]

Considering the fundamentalist flavor of this thread, I thought I'd make sure that everyone knew that A&W was started by Mormons. It stands for Alice and Willard. As in Marriott. That's how they got started - with root beer stands. I make no judgements here, I just wanted to make sure everyone was making informed decisions.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread.