# Why does A&W root beer taste like that? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** soda-softdrinks\ **Created:** [May 16, 2011, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-w-root-beer-taste-like-that/582063 "2011-05-16T03:51:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-w-root-beer-taste-like-that/582063/1 "2011-05-16T03:51:03Z")
I love root beer. I’ve tried zillions of them. Name brands, micro brands, even store brands from all over the [USA](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=495577). Yet I’ve never had one that tasted even close to the A&W brand. Like it or hate it, you have to admit it’s flavor is unique. What is it that makes it taste “like that?” ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-w-root-beer-taste-like-that/582063/2 "2011-05-16T03:56:43Z")
I think it tastes a bit like vanilla. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-w-root-beer-taste-like-that/582063/3 "2011-05-16T04:20:09Z")
I don’t know, but I recently discovered that if you mix one part diet A&W root beer with one part Fresca, the resulting mix has a flavor reminiscent of bubble gum. Try it. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-w-root-beer-taste-like-that/582063/4 "2011-05-16T04:31:19Z")
I think the syrup was actually better at one time. The real draft A&W used to be the best. When they sold it at the old-fashioned Drive-ins, you were able to buy jugs of it there like a growler of beer. It tastes like it was a certain acidic and more “sasparilla” nuance. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-w-root-beer-taste-like-that/582063/5 "2011-05-16T04:32:00Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > I think it tastes a bit like vanilla. It claims to have aged vanilla in it. But many root beers do so that can’t be it. > [@Max\_the\_Immortal](#): > > I don’t know, but I recently discovered that if you mix one part diet A&W root beer with one part Fresca, the resulting mix has a flavor reminiscent of bubble gum. Try it. On the surface this sounds freaking gross. But I’m still going to try it!😉 ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-w-root-beer-taste-like-that/582063/6 "2011-05-16T04:57:17Z")
Bubblegum flavor is usually a mixture if wintergreen, vanilla, and citrus oil flavors (simplified here of course, as it’s a little more complex than that). Artificial root beer flavor is heavy in artificial wintergreen flavor, and A&W has a strong vanilla component. So, mixing with Fresca, which has a strong citrus oil bite could yield a drink with a flavor similarity to bubblegum. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-w-root-beer-taste-like-that/582063/7 "2011-05-16T05:17:25Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > I think the syrup was actually better at one time. The real draft A&W used to be the best. When they sold it at the old-fashioned Drive-ins, you were able to buy jugs of it there like a growler of beer. It tastes like it was a certain acidic and more “sasparilla” nuance. We had an A&W drive in where I grew up in the very early 60’s and 70’s (in fact I think the place still existed until the late 90’s or beyond.). I don’t recall it tasting any different regardless of what package it came in. Although soda “from the tap” can be easily manipulated by adjusting the water supply to the bag-in-the-box syrup. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-w-root-beer-taste-like-that/582063/8 "2011-05-16T05:18:39Z")
> [@Student\_Driver](#): > > Bubblegum flavor is usually a mixture if wintergreen, vanilla, and citrus oil flavors (simplified here of course, as it’s a little more complex than that). Artificial root beer flavor is heavy in artificial wintergreen flavor, and A&W has a strong vanilla component. So, mixing with Fresca, which has a strong citrus oil bite could yield a drink with a flavor similarity to bubblegum. I’ll find out later. It’s after 12 and making a midnight run for a can of Fresca seems kind of g\*\*. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-w-root-beer-taste-like-that/582063/9 "2011-05-16T05:26:46Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > We had an A&W drive in where I grew up in the very early 60’s and 70’s (in fact I think the place still existed until the late 90’s or beyond.). I don’t recall it tasting any different regardless of what package it came in. Although soda “from the tap” can be easily manipulated by adjusting the water supply to the bag-in-the-box syrup. You mean, you can’t tell the difference between canned, or even bottled coke, and fountain Coke? Same for Rootbeer. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-w-root-beer-taste-like-that/582063/10 "2011-05-16T05:29:43Z")
I think its hightones are acidic (probably a citrus oil… maybe lime and some kind of specific acid addition?), vanilla, and a pronounced sarsparilla… moreso than others. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-w-root-beer-taste-like-that/582063/11 "2011-05-16T05:50:05Z")
Is it just me or is it also one of the “sweeter” rootbeers? Maybe a bit more sugar than most? ---
**Author:** ![Suse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Suse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suse)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-w-root-beer-taste-like-that/582063/12 "2011-05-16T05:51:28Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > I think the syrup was actually better at one time. The real draft A&W used to be the best. When they sold it at the old-fashioned Drive-ins, you were able to buy jugs of it there like a growler of beer. It tastes like it was a certain acidic and more “sasparilla” nuance. We still have the old-fashioned drive-in and you can still buy jugs of it. Haven’t done that in a while but in my memory the jug/mug root beer was a stronger, not as sweet taste as the canned A&W root beer. I might have to do some experimenting this week. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-w-root-beer-taste-like-that/582063/13 "2011-05-16T07:15:27Z")
> [@Student\_Driver](#): > > Bubblegum flavor is usually a mixture if wintergreen, vanilla, and citrus oil flavors (simplified here of course, as it’s a little more complex than that). Artificial root beer flavor is heavy in artificial wintergreen flavor, and A&W has a strong vanilla component. So, mixing with Fresca, which has a strong citrus oil bite could yield a drink with a flavor similarity to bubblegum. Bit of a hijack, but since we’re talking about bubblegum and soda…the Peruvian standby Inka Kola tastes like bubblegum to me, but I think it’s trying to have (artificial) banana flavor. So, maybe artificial banana (and perhaps, to a lesser degree, the real thing) has something of that “wintergreen, vanilla, and citrus oil” melange? Or maybe not. ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-w-root-beer-taste-like-that/582063/14 "2011-05-16T07:38:23Z")
Been a while since I’ve had Inca Kola, but it did remind me of Juicy Fruit, a banana/gum flavor. I might be misremembering the citrus component of bubblegum now that I think back, and it could be an ester flavor (a typical artificial banana/fruit flavor) instead… Fresca has ester components as well, which might be the contributing factor to “A&W/Fresca = bubblegum” rather than the citrus component. Been too long since I had that flavor chemistry lab… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-w-root-beer-taste-like-that/582063/15 "2011-05-16T08:08:01Z")
While other root beers have vanilla, I think A&W has more. It always tastes like I should be drinking a float. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-w-root-beer-taste-like-that/582063/16 "2011-05-16T12:59:34Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > While other root beers have vanilla, I think A&W has more. It always tastes like I should be drinking a float. You should be. Mmmmmmmm. Root Beer floats. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-w-root-beer-taste-like-that/582063/17 "2011-05-16T13:06:22Z")
The “draught” A&W root beer is syrup, sugar and water mixed up in a big barrel. The fact that it’s made that way makes it unique compared to other root beers. [QUOTE=Suse] We still have the old-fashioned drive-in and you can still buy jugs of it. [/QUOTE] Based on your location, I may have worked at that very A&W. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-w-root-beer-taste-like-that/582063/18 "2011-05-16T13:55:37Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > I’ll find out later. It’s after 12 and making a midnight run for a can of Fresca seems kind of g\*\*. G\*\*? ---
**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:** [May 16, 2011, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-w-root-beer-taste-like-that/582063/19 "2011-05-16T13:56:43Z")
I’ve always thought A&W was kind of midway on the root beer spectrum, with Hires on the warm, broad end and stuff like Barq’s on the sharper, bitier end. ---
**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:** [May 16, 2011, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-w-root-beer-taste-like-that/582063/20 "2011-05-16T13:58:38Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > G\*\*? Maybe it ends in ‘gry’… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-w-root-beer-taste-like-that/582063.md?page=2)