# Best Root Beer **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** soda-softdrinks\ **Created:** [March 5, 2010, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388 "2010-03-05T06:14:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/1 "2010-03-05T06:14:52Z")
I’ve been a big root beer fan all my life. There was an A & W Root Beer place in Little Rock that was very popular in the 60’s and 70’s. The car hops served it in big, frosted glass mugs. Root Beer floats are still my favorite. I’ve read that root beer isn’t as popular as it used to be. There’s still a lot of brands. IBC is my favorite. Barq and Mug my least. A & W used to be only available as a fountain (tap) drink. They started selling it in cans in the 70’s. Somehow, it doesn’t taste the same. Root Beer is naturally caffeine free. I get too much caffeine from coffee. It’s nice having a soda that doesn’t get me jumpy. ---
**Author:** ![cstamets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/958977/32.png) [@cstamets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cstamets)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/2 "2010-03-05T06:20:11Z")
Bottled, ICB might be better, but overall, the best is still A&W draft in a frosty mug. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/3 "2010-03-05T06:20:26Z")
IBC is definitely up there, though I wouldn’t swear it’s the best. A surprising one is the Albertson’s store brand: It’s not as good as the only-sold-in-glass-bottles brands, but it’s a fair bit better than Barq’s, Mug, or A&W (at least, bottled A&W; I’m not familiar with it from a tap), and for half the price. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/4 "2010-03-05T06:25:28Z")
Sprecher is my brand of choice. I can find it at my local butcher shop, and surprisingly at some hardware stores. It comes from Milwaukee so it may not be a national brand. Otherwise I agree that IBC is good, but if you can find A&W on tap that is hard to beat. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/5 "2010-03-05T06:27:31Z")
Another good root beer is Hires Root Beer. If you can find it. It’s been 20 years since I found one. I guess the worst root beer I’ve had was at Sonic. I don’t think they sell enough to keep it from going flat. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/6 "2010-03-05T06:54:27Z")
Barqs all the way…and that’s not even counting that it DOES have caffeine. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/7 "2010-03-05T07:12:37Z")
Henry Weinhard’s How could you leave it off the list, when it’s the best root beer in the history of the world? ---
**Author:** ![Shawn\_K\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Shawn\_K\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shawn_K_1)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/8 "2010-03-05T07:29:27Z")
Barq’s but A&W is good too. ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/9 "2010-03-05T07:50:57Z")
> [@](#): > > Another good root beer is Hires Root Beer. If you can find it. It’s been 20 years since I found one. Actually I just bought some at Bartel’s Drug (a Northwest pharmacy chain). Haven’t seen it in a long time either, but it was part of a RC cola/Canada Dry promotion. Gonna try it out tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/10 "2010-03-05T08:08:41Z")
My favorites are: Zuberfizz Thomas Kemper Henry Weinhard I’ve tried over 120 different root beers. Yes, I keep a list. If you want to start your own check off list, may I suggest you join the rest of us root beer lovers at [Root Beer World](http://www.root-beer.org/). [Here is the list of US brews](http://www.root-beer.org/modules.php?name=Brands&rbop=ctr&s=). ---
**Author:** ![Terraplane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@Terraplane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terraplane)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/11 "2010-03-05T15:11:00Z")
Boylan’s is the best I’ve ever had although I haven’t had very many outside of the major brands. Of those, I always liked Dad’s a lot but I can’t find it anymore. The worst that I’ve tried is Mug. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/12 "2010-03-05T15:12:06Z")
AJ Stephan’s Root Beer is the best. All others pale in comparison. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/13 "2010-03-05T15:17:12Z")
I voted IBC, but am curious about the lack of love for Stewart’s, which is my second choice. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/14 "2010-03-05T15:33:15Z")
Stewart’s is my favorite among brands I can actually find without going to a great deal of trouble. My original favorite was [Frostie](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frostie_Root_Beer) Root Beer but I haven’t had one in a long long time. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/15 "2010-03-05T15:39:52Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > Sprecher is my brand of choice. I can find it at my local butcher shop, and surprisingly at some hardware stores. It comes from Milwaukee so it may not be a national brand. > > Otherwise I agree that IBC is good, but if you can find A&W on tap that is hard to beat. My favorite also. A bit more mellow than others cause of less carbonation but may be a bit sweeter. They don’t use HFCS or sugar but rather pure honey. They sell it at Menard’s in Minnesota. (I actually like their cream soda even better). ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/16 "2010-03-05T15:40:47Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Stewart’s is my favorite among brands I can actually find without going to a great deal of trouble. > > My original favorite was [Frostie](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frostie_Root_Beer) Root Beer but I haven’t had one in a long long time. Another vote for Frostie. Of the list ( I said other) I guess Barq’s but Hires is a close third. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/17 "2010-03-05T15:45:01Z")
Of the ones in the poll I like IBC the best. But there are plenty of smaller/regional root beers that I like better. Barq’s is the worst and doesn’t even deserve the label “root beer.” I prefer canned A&W over what they sell on tap in the restaurants which I know is sacrilege. I do miss when a local beer and pizza movie theater used to have Henry Weinhard root beer on tap. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/18 "2010-03-05T16:19:50Z")
It’s debatable as to whether Barq’s even counts as root beer. It wasn’t originally marketed as such. They decided to slap the “root beer” label on it years later. Personally I don’t think it tastes much like root beer. I used to collect root beers, though I sold my collection in 2002 shortly before I moved overseas. My favourite ones for regular drinking were probably IBC and Sioux City. Here in Britain the only brands commonly available (and I use the term “commonly” rather loosely, since you have to go to Chinatown or specialist stores) are Bundaberg and A&W. Bundaberg tastes nothing like root beer to me, which figures since it’s made in Australia—having lived there I can attest that the beverage is virtually unknown there. ---
**Author:** ![hellpaso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@hellpaso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hellpaso)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/19 "2010-03-05T16:23:28Z")
Frostie. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/20 "2010-03-05T16:24:02Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Barqs all the way…and that’s not even counting that it DOES have caffeine. For me that’s a big negative, since the caffeine sent me to the hospital once. In any event root beer is the only carbonated soft drink that I’ll even touch-both A& W and IBC have no caffiene, but I like the foam on A & W better… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388.md?page=2)