# How can you describe root beer to someone who has never had it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** soda-softdrinks\ **Created:** [April 6, 2008, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-describe-root-beer-to-someone-who-has-never-had-it/444171 "2008-04-06T12:28:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Martha\_Medea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@Martha\_Medea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martha_Medea)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2008, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-describe-root-beer-to-someone-who-has-never-had-it/444171/41 "2008-04-06T21:54:52Z")
Coke with mouthwash. Like one of the posters above, I tasted it at McDonalds in the UK in the late 70s/early 80s. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2008, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-describe-root-beer-to-someone-who-has-never-had-it/444171/42 "2008-04-06T22:31:20Z")
Moved from IMHO to CS. ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2008, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-describe-root-beer-to-someone-who-has-never-had-it/444171/43 "2008-04-06T22:40:16Z")
[QUOTE=Napier] In my opinion, ginger ale is refreshing and the colder the better, whereas ginger beer is better for serving cool and sipping more slowly. [/QUOTE] Definitely–I can’t imagining chugging ginger beer, or drinking it because I’m thirsty. It’s something to be sipped, and you have to REALLY like ginger! My favorite mixed drink is Gosling’s & ginger beer. I thank the anonymous person at some bar in 1997 who introduced me to it. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2008, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-describe-root-beer-to-someone-who-has-never-had-it/444171/44 "2008-04-06T22:40:18Z")
[QUOTE=MJinks] and Mug. [/QUOTE] When I was a kid I liked Mug. It came in brown bottles the size and shape of beer bottles. My paternal grandmother used to make Mug root beer candles, by using a bottle to make a mould and using brown wax. She’d put the label from the bottle on it. This was in the early-'70s. I didn’t have Mug for years, and when I did it didn’t taste the same. I’ll still get some occasionally at drive-throughs, but it’s not as good as the bottled stuff I got when I was a kid. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2008, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-describe-root-beer-to-someone-who-has-never-had-it/444171/45 "2008-04-06T22:55:37Z")
Mug is my favorite, but Barqs is good too. I don’t care for A&W ---
**Author:** ![vison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e47774/32.png) [@vison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vison)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2008, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-describe-root-beer-to-someone-who-has-never-had-it/444171/46 "2008-04-06T23:03:39Z")
We used to make ginger beer and root beer at home. Ginger beer we made “from scratch” but root beer, we bought a little bottle of Hire’s Root Beer mix. You added this mix to water and sugar, added a tiny bit of yeast, let it sit for a day or so (can’t recall how long), then you bottled it. Sometimes the bottles exploded, either ginger beer or root beer, which was pretty exciting. I looked recently for the mix, but I guess it’s no longer available. My grandsons were quite excited about making pop at home. I don’t think sassafras is used any more, I think it’s all chemicals now. ---
**Author:** ![Tabula\_Rasa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@Tabula\_Rasa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabula_Rasa)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-describe-root-beer-to-someone-who-has-never-had-it/444171/47 "2008-04-07T00:51:23Z")
“Carbonated ass and a Ricola with a mouthwash chaser,” at least according to a Canadian friend who first tasted it at the …root beer place where they make it on-site… on the Delmar Loop in St. Louis. He was especially viled out when he saw people drinking root beer and eating nachos. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-describe-root-beer-to-someone-who-has-never-had-it/444171/48 "2008-04-07T01:18:36Z")
[QUOTE=missbunny] What I’ve had in the States is: Ginger ale: that stuff made by Canada Dry or Schweppes; a mild ginger-flavored soda. Can be drunk plain or mixed into an alcoholic drink, like “7 & ginger”–this is the ginger that is used. I drank this all the time as a kid. Ginger beer: a much MUCH more strongly flavored ginger carbonated beverage. Usually only found made by small bottlers in the “designer” section of the soda aisle. Doesn’t come in 2-liter bottles; and I’ve never seen it in cans either. It’s got much more bite than ginger ale. Can be drunk alone although it’s pretty strong, or mixed in alcoholic drinks. Is the _only_ accompaniment to a “Dark & Stormy” (Gosling’s Black Seal rum & ginger beer). Kids might like it (I did) but I’d guess they’d think it to strong and nose-tickling. [/QUOTE] You are the only person other than my husband’s former boss who knows what a Dark and Stormy is (and that you can ONLY make it with Gosling’s Black Seal). Where do you live? I wonder if it’s more popular in certain places. Ex-boss lives in South Carolina, and served them up for us when we were visiting him. I’ve been addicted ever since. ---
**Author:** ![Rasa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rasa/32/3578_2.png) [@Rasa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rasa)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-describe-root-beer-to-someone-who-has-never-had-it/444171/49 "2008-04-07T02:38:37Z")
[QUOTE=Drain Bead] You are the only person other than my husband’s former boss who knows what a Dark and Stormy is (and that you can ONLY make it with Gosling’s Black Seal). Where do you live? I wonder if it’s more popular in certain places. Ex-boss lives in South Carolina, and served them up for us when we were visiting him. I’ve been addicted ever since. [/QUOTE] I know you didn’t ask me 🙂 but I’m in RI and dark and stormies are known round these parts. It’s become my drink of choice. Some bars around here call them Stormy Nights. ---
**Author:** ![JpnDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@JpnDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JpnDude)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-describe-root-beer-to-someone-who-has-never-had-it/444171/50 "2008-04-07T03:02:17Z")
Both **A&W** and **Dad’s** brands of root beer are sold at a place near my in-law’s home outside Tokyo. I’ve introduced the drink to various Japanese friends. None became fans. Hahaha. Same happened when I asked friends about **Dr. Pepper** which is available at vending machines here. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-describe-root-beer-to-someone-who-has-never-had-it/444171/51 "2008-04-07T03:02:57Z")
I like Hire’s, actually, which is now hard to find compared to Mug and Barq’s and A&W. Hire’s always seemed to have a softer, warmer flavor, without the bite of Barq’s. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-describe-root-beer-to-someone-who-has-never-had-it/444171/52 "2008-04-07T09:16:04Z")
[QUOTE=Sage Rat] The reason, so far as I can tell, that Root Beer isn’t seen much outside of the US is that sarsparilla flavored cough syrup or some other medicine became prevalent outside the US. Probably it was flavored that way because so many people liked sarsparilla as a drink, but the medicine crossed the ocean before the drink did, and a gazillion children were subjected to alcohol-induced, way-too-strongly flavored medicine. Now they’re all screwed so far as tasing the real version could ever go. [/QUOTE] You’re on the right lines, but the sarsparilla isn’t the problem: I _loved_ sarsparilla as a kid, and even though it’s harder to find these days, it’s still around. And I’ve never come across any medicinal product that tasted or smelled particularly similar. So I’ve just done a little [del]research[/del] rummaging around, and I believe the problem flavouring in root beer is… wintergreen! I find that oil of wintergreen is also known as methyl salicylate, and [lo and behold,](http://home.intekom.com/pharm/group/germln-o.html) that very compound is found in Germolene®, and I believe it features in various liniments etc. You might also note that the UK has approximately zero popular sweets or chewing gums flavoured with wintergreen. So are any root beers especially light on the wintergreen component? ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-describe-root-beer-to-someone-who-has-never-had-it/444171/53 "2008-04-07T14:32:29Z")
[QUOTE=WotNot] … So I’ve just done a little [del]research[/del] rummaging around, and I believe the problem flavouring in root beer is… wintergreen! I find that oil of wintergreen is also known as methyl salicylate, and [lo and behold,](http://home.intekom.com/pharm/group/germln-o.html) that very compound is found in Germolene®, and I believe it features in various liniments etc. … [/QUOTE] Bingo, that’s the flavor of [birch beer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birch_beer), [methyl salicylate](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methyl_salicylate#Commercial_production) MCKA [wintergreen](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wintergreen) and a really common ingredient in topical deep heating liniments. > [@](#): > > … [Betula lenta](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betula_lenta) {the Sweet Birch, also known as Black Birch, Cherry Birch, Mahogany Birch, River Birch, or Spice Birch} was used commercially in the past for production of oil of wintergreen before modern industrial synthesis; the tree’s name reflects this scent of the shoots. … > [@](#): > > … [liniments](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liniment) typically are formulated from alcohol, acetone, or similar quickly evaporating solvents, and contain counterirritant aromatic chemical compounds such as methyl salicilate, benzoin resin or capsaicin. … I’m guessing it’s still called birch beer, not just for historic accuracy but, 'cause “wintergreen soda” ain’t gonna sell and suggesting “methyl salicylate soda” gets ya fired from the marketing dept. Birch beer it’s a soda and an arthritis rub! :eek: CMC +fnord! ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-describe-root-beer-to-someone-who-has-never-had-it/444171/54 "2008-04-07T14:43:08Z")
[QUOTE=Drain Bead] You are the only person other than my husband’s former boss who knows what a Dark and Stormy is (and that you can ONLY make it with Gosling’s Black Seal). Where do you live? I wonder if it’s more popular in certain places. Ex-boss lives in South Carolina, and served them up for us when we were visiting him. I’ve been addicted ever since. [/QUOTE] I’m up in Boston. The place I first heard of them was at a bar on Martha’s Vineyard, which I found unusual because I had bartended for many years in Boston and parts but nobody had ever ordered one from me before. Now that I know what they are, I see that lots of people drink them here although maybe they don’t order them in bars so much but rather make them at home. Probably because most bars don’t carry ginger beer; not many carry Black Seal either. Man I want one right now and it’s only 10:44 AM! Rasa: yep I’d imagine they’re popular in RI too. Maybe it’s a New England invention? ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-describe-root-beer-to-someone-who-has-never-had-it/444171/55 "2008-04-07T15:45:02Z")
[QUOTE=crowmanyclouds] Birch beer it’s a soda and an arthritis rub! :eek: [/QUOTE] Well, yeah, which maybe gives a clearer idea of why **Sage Rat’s** theory of sarsparilla-flavoured cough syrup doesn’t quite communicate the sheer _nastiness_ of wintergreen-flavoured root beer on the european palate. It’s not merely that it has a taste reminiscent of medicine (I actually rather like most cough syrups) – but that it’s a flavour or scent only previously encountered in substances that are very much Not To Be Taken Internally. The reaction tends to be not “Oh, I don’t like that much” – it’s more like alarm bells from the hindbrain carrying the message “THIS IS NOT A FOODSTUFF!” ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-describe-root-beer-to-someone-who-has-never-had-it/444171/56 "2008-04-07T16:07:30Z")
[QUOTE=WotNot] Well, yeah, which maybe gives a clearer idea of why **Sage Rat’s** theory of sarsparilla-flavoured cough syrup doesn’t quite communicate the sheer _nastiness_ of wintergreen-flavoured root beer on the european palate. It’s not merely that it has a taste reminiscent of medicine (I actually rather like most cough syrups) – but that it’s a flavour or scent only previously encountered in substances that are very much Not To Be Taken Internally. The reaction tends to be not “Oh, I don’t like that much” – it’s more like alarm bells from the hindbrain carrying the message “THIS IS NOT A FOODSTUFF!” [/QUOTE] Methyl salicylate is also commonly found in the US in deep-heating ointments like Ben Gay, so I’m not sure that explanation works for me. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-describe-root-beer-to-someone-who-has-never-had-it/444171/57 "2008-04-07T16:49:58Z")
[QUOTE=pulykamell] Methyl salicylate is also commonly found in the US in deep-heating ointments like Ben Gay, so I’m not sure that explanation works for me. [/QUOTE] Well, to begin with, I’m not being entirely serious: I’m offering a personal, subjective reaction – naturally different people react in different ways. But I’m not sure what doesn’t work for you. Methyl salicylate may be in ointments in the US, but it’s also in root beer, TicTacs, Life Savers and gum. In 45 year in the UK, I’ve yet to experience it in anything meant for consumption apart from McDonald’s root beer (and I’d argue that’s a borderline case 😉 ). The US has a tradition of using wintergreen in foodstuffs, though it seems to be something of a minority preference; the UK has no such tradition, having used it _only_ in medications for external application (actually I think there’s a wintergreen toothpaste, but it’s not a popular one). It’s simply not a taste that people here associate with a tasty soft drink. Of course we don’t associate the tastes of mint or aniseed with soft drinks, either; but we don’t associate wintergreen with them _very strongly._ ---
**Author:** ![AlmondJoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@AlmondJoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlmondJoy)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-describe-root-beer-to-someone-who-has-never-had-it/444171/58 "2008-04-07T16:57:00Z")
I only drink Sprecher Root Beer its from Milwaukee and it’s amazing! [http://www.sprecherbrewery.com/sodas.php](http://www.sprecherbrewery.com/sodas.php) ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-describe-root-beer-to-someone-who-has-never-had-it/444171/59 "2008-04-07T17:07:45Z")
[QUOTE=WotNot] … I actually rather like most cough syrups … [/QUOTE] Can I interest you in supporting my petition to get a Robitussin® flavored soda? :o :eek: :rolleyes: :dubious: 🙂😛😃 CMC +fnord! ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-describe-root-beer-to-someone-who-has-never-had-it/444171/60 "2008-04-07T17:26:32Z")
[QUOTE=crowmanyclouds] Can I interest you in supporting my petition to get a Robitussin® flavored soda? :o :eek: :rolleyes: :dubious: 🙂😛 :D[/COLOR] [/QUOTE] Perhaps I should have said that I’ve rather liked the ones I’ve _tried._ I haven’t had Robitussin®(™© etc), so I’ll have to get back to you on that. Er… not that I’m in anyway in the _habit_ of quaffing cough linctus, you understand. Just in case you were getting that idea. Well all right then. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-describe-root-beer-to-someone-who-has-never-had-it/444171.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-describe-root-beer-to-someone-who-has-never-had-it/444171.md?page=4)