# New soft drink thread: Fentimans Dandelion and Burdock
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-soft-drink-thread-fentimans-dandelion-and-burdock/266354
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [September 27, 2004, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-soft-drink-thread-fentimans-dandelion-and-burdock/266354 "2004-09-27T20:52:37Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2004, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-soft-drink-thread-fentimans-dandelion-and-burdock/266354/1 "2004-09-27T20:52:37Z")
Over the weekend I found Fentimans Dandelion and Burdock soft drink at a store in Chicago. Naturally, I had to try it and figured “how bad can it be?”
I was surprised to find it wasn’t that bad. It had a strong licorice flavor with a fruity aftertaste. Sort of like cough syrup but not as strong. I probably won’t buy it again, but it wasn’t too bad. Not like Kvas, which I tried a couple of months ago. Bleech. The bottle is still sitting there with only a couple of sips gone. I should probably get rid of it one of these days.
Has anybody else ever tried this drink, or a similar one? Or any others you’d like to talk about here?
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### Author:  [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2004, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-soft-drink-thread-fentimans-dandelion-and-burdock/266354/2 "2004-09-27T22:15:58Z")
Dandelion and burdock drinks are fairly common in commonwealth countries.
FYI, we drink them because they make you pee a lot, and sometimes that’s a good thing.
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### Author:  [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2004, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-soft-drink-thread-fentimans-dandelion-and-burdock/266354/3 "2004-09-27T22:23:06Z")
No argument there Larry. Do they all contain aniseed, or are there variations?
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2004, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-soft-drink-thread-fentimans-dandelion-and-burdock/266354/4 "2004-09-27T23:26:08Z")
I luuuuurve Dandelion & Burdock; AFAIK, they don’t contain aniseed - the aniseed/licorice flavour is from the burdock root.
I suppose it’s the cultural equivalent of rootbeer.
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### Author:  [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2004, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-soft-drink-thread-fentimans-dandelion-and-burdock/266354/5 "2004-09-27T23:37:45Z")
Some D&B drinks up here contain fennel for extra licoriciousness.
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### Author:  [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)
#### Post date: [September 28, 2004, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-soft-drink-thread-fentimans-dandelion-and-burdock/266354/6 "2004-09-28T01:28:59Z")
I may be wrong, because I don’t have the bottle in front of me, but I’m pretty sure aniseed was listed among the ingredients.
I _loooooove_ root beer. Right now I’m drinking a **Boylan’s**. Excellent brand. Slightly licorice, with a subtle maple aftertaste.
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### Author:  [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)
#### Post date: [September 28, 2004, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-soft-drink-thread-fentimans-dandelion-and-burdock/266354/7 "2004-09-28T05:37:55Z")
_blinks_
It’s not just a booby prize from the Tombola Man, on Neopets? It’s real?
I have learned something today.
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### Author:  [@Galanthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Galanthus)
#### Post date: [September 28, 2004, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-soft-drink-thread-fentimans-dandelion-and-burdock/266354/8 "2004-09-28T10:10:11Z")
Fentimans D&B does contain a small amout of aniseed, it’s listed as the last ingrediant. But **Mangetout** is correct, the main flavour comes from the root of the Burdock plant.
I think it’s yummy, I’m really glad that Fentimans have re-introduced it!