# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/61 "2010-03-06T14:22:33Z")
Henry Weinhardt. And there’s a company with the same name (apparently a different company though historically related) that makes a _damn_ good lager. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/62 "2010-03-06T15:38:09Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > \*f you can find A&W on tap that is hard to beat. There is an old-style A&W drive-in near Middlebury, Vermont, that still has roller-skating waitresses! (They use in-line skates nowadays, of course) A Papa burger and an A&W float in a frosted mug, delivered by co-eds on skates. Can it possibly get any better? ---
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/63 "2010-03-06T17:03:39Z")
As an aside, I have a friend in Scotland who had never heard of root beer, let alone tasted it. So next visit, I brought a bottle (ICB, IIRC) along. I even served it in a frosted mug. He took one taste, spit it out and declared it the foulest thing he had ever tasted. And this from the nation that invented Irn-Bru… ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/64 "2010-03-06T17:49:59Z")
Umm, hello. Virgil’s! Why isn’t that a choice, it’s better than any of them. As far as can & plastic bottle soda goes, Mug rules. Never even heard of Dad’s. ---
**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 6, 2010, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/65 "2010-03-06T18:20:33Z")
[Semi-hijack] My grandfather used to make his own. Not from seltzer water + some kind of syrup but from actual ingredients old-fashioned style. He used an aluminum garbage can, mixing up something akin to 50 gallons of the stuff. I remember bits of orange peel floating on the surface, and it was steaming/smoking with the carbonation (I’m guessing he had dry ice in there?) Wish I had his recipe just for posterity even if I never tried it myself. ---
**Author:** ![C.Montgomery\_Burns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@C.Montgomery\_Burns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C.Montgomery_Burns)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/66 "2010-03-06T23:03:09Z")
Of those listed, A & W is my favorite. Dad’s used to be my favorite years ago, but I think they’ve changed it since then. Barq’s is also good, but I consider that as more of a root beer flavored cola than a true root beer. ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2010, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/67 "2010-03-07T01:03:01Z")
Stewart’s is my favorite. Way better than anything on this list, though IBC is still very good. A&W from a can tastes so watered down. Maybe it’s better on draft, I dunno. ---
**Author:** ![Fair\_Rarity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fair_rarity/32/153_2.png) [@Fair\_Rarity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fair_Rarity)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2010, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/68 "2010-03-07T01:06:08Z")
> [@installLSC](#): > > Finally got around to tasting my Hires. . You have Hires? Does someone still sell it? I thought they stopped making it years ago and it was my favorite! ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2010, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/69 "2010-03-07T02:35:57Z")
A & W from my childhood will never be topped. I remember bringing a gallon home (when Pops felt like splurging) in a heavy glass jug. There is something special, aside from nostalgia, about the smoothness of A & W. Even from a can, I can detect and enjoy it. Hires was good as well. A few I’ve not seen mentioned yet: Masons and Faygo. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/70 "2010-03-07T02:38:45Z")
I voted Other, because Mirinda puts out a great root beer here in Thailand. A&W in cans is available here, and there are A&W root-beer shops, where you can get root-beer floats along with hamburgers and ice-cream waffles and such, but the canned stuff is never as good as in the shops. In the US, may favorite was probably Dad’s. I recall my father always buying it way back when. Is it still around? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2010, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/71 "2010-03-07T04:37:59Z")
> [@Surly\_Chick](#): > > As an aside, I have a friend in Scotland who had never heard of root beer, let alone tasted it. So next visit, I brought a bottle (ICB, IIRC) along. I even served it in a frosted mug. He took one taste, spit it out and declared it the foulest thing he had ever tasted. And this from the nation that invented Irn-Bru… Years ago on the SDMB there was a thread in which somebody asked what in American cuisine is as weird to outsiders as vegemite is to Americans. As it developed, a lot of people outside the U.S. consider America’s taste for root beer bizarre. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2010, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/72 "2010-03-07T09:37:52Z")
> [@Johnny\_Angel](#): > > Years ago on the SDMB there was a thread in which somebody asked what in American cuisine is as weird to outsiders as vegemite is to Americans. As it developed, a lot of people outside the U.S. consider America’s taste for root beer bizarre. Yeah, it’s come up a few times. I believe the major problem is the taste of wintergreen – something we only use here in antiseptic ointments and liniment. Do any of the root beers in the US not taste of wintergreen? ---
**Author:** ![born\_too\_late](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba9def/32.png) [@born\_too\_late](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/born_too_late)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/73 "2010-03-09T18:33:48Z")
Voted ‘Other’. Sprecher root beer - smooth, with a robust flavor. Barqs and other mass-marketed ‘root beers’ always seem to be too carbonated to be able to actually taste and appreciate the root beer flavor. I haven’t had a tap A&W in a long time, but I remember that it used to be pretty decent back in the day. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/74 "2010-03-09T18:59:15Z")
I drink diet, but voted Barq’s for it’s bite. 😛 I will admit, though, that tap A&W is pretty good too. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/75 "2010-03-09T19:09:23Z")
Root Beer actually is kind of foul though. First time I tried it I had that similar reaction but you grow to love it. Russians have [kvas](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kvass). Now, THAT’S disgusting (although kind of good). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/76 "2010-03-09T19:12:44Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > I pretty much only drink diet now and Diet Barq’s is much better than any others I’ve tried. Agreed. The diet version of IBC is vile. On the occasions I drink the sugar versions, I prefer IBC or Henry Weinhardt. ---
**Author:** ![Trom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@Trom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trom)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/77 "2010-03-09T19:28:59Z")
It was close for me between Mug and A&W, but I voted Mug. I don’t really care for Barq’s. I don’t like the bite. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/78 "2010-03-10T16:58:55Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > A few I’ve not seen mentioned yet: Masons and Faygo. Now I’m wondering if I’m misremembering Faygo as Fanta after 30 years. ---
**Author:** ![Squooshed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Squooshed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squooshed)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/79 "2010-03-10T18:04:18Z")
Henry Weinhardt’s. No doubt about it. ---
**Author:** ![ministryman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388/80 "2010-03-10T19:09:09Z")
I grew up with A&W, Dad’s and Hires. All champions in their own right. But then someone made me a root beer float with IBC and Golden Vanilla Ice Cream…daaaaaaaaaaaaaaayummmmmmmmmmm! We have a winnnnnnnnah! Barq’s has caffeine, and thus is not a part of this poster’s refrigerator. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-root-beer/531388.md?page=5)