# Is Root Beer an American?Canadian Thing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** soda-softdrinks\ **Created:** [August 29, 2013, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-root-beer-an-american-canadian-thing/667459 "2013-08-29T00:52:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-root-beer-an-american-canadian-thing/667459/1 "2013-08-29T00:52:24Z")
Just wondering if root beer is popular in other countries (outside the US/Canada)? ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-root-beer-an-american-canadian-thing/667459/2 "2013-08-29T01:08:02Z")
Looking at Wiki it looks American in origin. [Root beer - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Root_beer) ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-root-beer-an-american-canadian-thing/667459/3 "2013-08-29T01:12:01Z")
Interesting article on US soft drinks and their origin in 19th century patent medicines. [http://www.csicop.org/si/show/pop\_culture\_patent\_medicines\_become\_soda\_drinks/](http://www.csicop.org/si/show/pop_culture_patent_medicines_become_soda_drinks/) I’ve heard that Dr Pepper flopped in Australia at least in part because people there thought it tasted like cough syrup - not too surprising considering that Dr Pepper was invented by a Texas pharmacist in 1885 as a product to be sold in his pharmacy. ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-root-beer-an-american-canadian-thing/667459/4 "2013-08-29T01:25:24Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > I’ve heard that Dr Pepper flopped in Australia at least in part because people there thought it tasted like cough syrup Is there a place where people don’t think it tastes like cough syrup? I just assumed it was popular in places where people like the taste of cough syrup. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-root-beer-an-american-canadian-thing/667459/5 "2013-08-29T01:43:59Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > not too surprising considering that Dr Pepper was invented by a Texas pharmacist in 1885 as a product to be sold in his pharmacy. That’s a bit of a modern take on it. Coca-cola was also invented by a pharmacist and sold initially in drug stores. Drug stores were often more social places back then, and it wouldn’t be out of place for one to also serve as the local soda shop. “It’s a Wonderful Life” features a good pop culture example of the drug store/soda shop combination. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-root-beer-an-american-canadian-thing/667459/6 "2013-08-29T04:03:07Z")
Yes, I think it’s an American thing. It is not popular in Britain. (We have our own weird drink flavours, like Lucozade, Tizer, and Irn Bru.) ---
**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:** [August 29, 2013, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-root-beer-an-american-canadian-thing/667459/7 "2013-08-29T04:03:56Z")
What, another root-beer thread? It is fairly popular in Thailand. A&W has a string of outlets here, and you can buy the brand in cans at the store. Mirinda in liter bottles is common too, and that’s the one served in some local cinema chains. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-root-beer-an-american-canadian-thing/667459/8 "2013-08-29T05:10:41Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Yes, I think it’s an American thing. It is not popular in Britain. (We have our own weird drink flavours, like Lucozade, Tizer, and Irn Bru.) Irn Bru is definitely an acquired taste. I have not yet acquired it. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-root-beer-an-american-canadian-thing/667459/9 "2013-08-29T05:42:52Z")
It took me a long time to appreciate Dr. Pepper, but I’ve always loved root beer. Has any root beer hater ever had a [root beer float](http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Root-Beer-Float)? Or how about [Root Beer Barrels](http://www.oldtimecandy.com/root-beer-barrels.htm)? ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-root-beer-an-american-canadian-thing/667459/10 "2013-08-29T06:20:20Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Yes, I think it’s an American thing. It is not popular in Britain. (We have our own weird drink flavours, like Lucozade, Tizer, and Irn Bru.) You forgot dandelion and burdock. Root Beer is such a non product in the UK that even MacDonald’s doesn’t sell it. We only know the name from US TV. What does it taste like? ---
**Author:** ![GreedySmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a698b9/32.png) [@GreedySmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreedySmurf)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-root-beer-an-american-canadian-thing/667459/11 "2013-08-29T06:55:05Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Root Beer is such a non product in the UK that even MacDonald’s doesn’t sell it. We only know the name from US TV. What does it taste like? Tastes a lot like Sarsaparilla. Root Beer is pretty much non-existent in Australia apart from the occasional shop that carries a few American lines. As I mentioned above though, there is an Australian soft drink called Sarsaparilla, or in typical Aussie fashion just shortened to ‘Sars’, has a very similar taste to Root Beer. Presumably the similarity comes from the origin of the drink with Sars originally coming from brewing up the Sarsaparilla root. While I have no idea what plant is used, but presumably Root Beer started off being brewed up from a root of some kind as well. ---
**Author:** ![ticker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-root-beer-an-american-canadian-thing/667459/12 "2013-08-29T07:03:38Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Irn Bru is definitely an acquired taste. > > I have not yet acquired it. Strangely I used to love it as a child, now I hate it. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-root-beer-an-american-canadian-thing/667459/13 "2013-08-29T07:06:57Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > You forgot dandelion and burdock. > > Root Beer is such a non product in the UK that even MacDonald’s doesn’t sell it. We only know the name from US TV. What does it taste like? McDonalds used to sell it in the UK back in the 80s/90s - it tasted medicinal - imagine dandelion and burdock with a teaspoonful of TCP stirred in. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-root-beer-an-american-canadian-thing/667459/14 "2013-08-29T07:35:55Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > McDonalds used to sell it in the UK back in the 80s/90s - it tasted medicinal - imagine dandelion and burdock with a teaspoonful of TCP stirred in. It’s more Germolene than TCP, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-root-beer-an-american-canadian-thing/667459/15 "2013-08-29T08:15:55Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Irn Bru is definitely an acquired taste. > > I have not yet acquired it. I have tried it two times: The first and the last. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-root-beer-an-american-canadian-thing/667459/16 "2013-08-29T08:17:16Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > You forgot dandelion and burdock. > > Root Beer is such a non product in the UK that even MacDonald’s doesn’t sell it. We only know the name from US TV. What does it taste like? Hmm, not so sure about this. Agreed, it’s not ubiquitous like Coke or 7-Up, but I can get Bundaberg root beer (Australian I believe, and bloody delicious) in two places within walking distance of me; the petrol station outside Battersea Park, and a convenience store down the Queenstown Road. I can also find it on the shelves in most Waitrose stores and I get a regular delivery from them. So I think it’s a case of being something that one only realises is fairly readily available in the UK if one seeks it. BTW, to me it tastes of Germolene and liquorice! ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-root-beer-an-american-canadian-thing/667459/17 "2013-08-29T08:29:46Z")
Yes, the only local (Oz) root beer I know of is Bundaberg. Come from the town of the same name in Queensland in the centre of the sugar cane growing. They make one of the best generally available ginger beers in Oz. They are mainly known for their rum - which tastes like a mixture of treacle and petrol. But is curiously popular amongst certain classes. Ginger grows like a weed in Queensland, so making ginger beer up there is an obvious step. Bundaberg also make a pre-mixed drink called Dark and Stormy - rum and ginger beer. The ginger beer nearly but not quite manages to mask the petrol taste. I will confess to having a couple of cans of Irn Bru in my fridge. It is basically a cream soda flavour. I cannot stand sarsaparilla, or the Bundaberg root beer. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-root-beer-an-american-canadian-thing/667459/18 "2013-08-29T08:43:23Z")
Ooh yeah, their Ginger Beer is very good. I also like their Lemon & Lime and Blood Orange flavours which I can get locally. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-root-beer-an-american-canadian-thing/667459/19 "2013-08-29T10:19:04Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > You forgot dandelion and burdock. > > Root Beer is such a non product in the UK that even MacDonald’s doesn’t sell it. We only know the name from US TV. What does it taste like? McDonald’s doesn’t sell root beer here, either. Or at least not in the south. Root beer is probably on tap at about a third, maybe a half, of food places. Describing the taste of root beer is like describing the taste of cola. And like cola, there is a very small range of “delicious” and a very wide range of “Ugh”. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-root-beer-an-american-canadian-thing/667459/20 "2013-08-29T13:35:27Z")
I have always understood root beer to be a basically American acquired taste, although it seems to also sell well in Montreal (don’t know about the rest of Canada). But Europeans always seem to dislike it, so I guess you have to experience it in childhood. I love it. The only soft drink I ever drink is A & W Diet and only in the summer. But it is readily available in Montreal supermarkets. I really became aware of these acquired tastes when I tried the Barbadian national drink called mauby. Neither my wife nor I could get it past our lips after one taste, but the Bajans love it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-root-beer-an-american-canadian-thing/667459.md?page=2)