[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Rootbeer Gurus (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 10/25/2010 11:20:06 AM EDT
| I love rootbeer, but around here it is hard to get anything other than IBC, A&W, Barqs, and Mug. So Im enlisting you guys to help me branch out and look for some kick ass root beer. Ill pretty much have to order it offline but whatever... What do ya got? |
| You might try Jones Soda; however, while their soda is generally pretty good, their politics are rather left-wing. I used to sometimes grab a couple of them to have with a nice meal once a week or so, but I gave them up after they made a soda to commemorate Obama's inauguration. |
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Rootbeer = fail.
Rootbeer used to be flavored primarily with sassafras root. Sassafras root contains a carcinogenic chemical called saffrole. Sassafras was outlawed, and modern "rootbeer" is primarily flavored with artificial wintergreen. I've made my own rootbeer from extract, (bleach and water to sterilize a 2 liter soda bottle... Extract, lots of sugar, water, and some champagne yeast. Cap firmly. Shake well. Leave on top of the fridge for 2 days or until bottle is very firm. If left for longer, it can explode, so be careful). The product, when made in that way, is not nearly as carbonated as modern sodas are, but it's about as traditional as one can legally get in a rootbeer. Birch beer is another branch of the same family though, and can be made without artificial flavors. Boylans makes the best birch beer around. They make a root beer too, but it's just sody-pop... Their birch beer is bottled art in comparison. You might find some good ones if you look for sarsaparilla too. |
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Rootbeer = fail. Rootbeer used to be flavored primarily with sassafras root. Sassafras root contains a carcinogenic chemical called saffrole. Sassafras was outlawed, and modern "rootbeer" is primarily flavored with artificial wintergreen.<...> Sassafras also cures ghonarea. |
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Quoted: Rootbeer = fail. Rootbeer used to be flavored primarily with sassafras root. Sassafras root contains a carcinogenic chemical called saffrole. Sassafras was outlawed, and modern "rootbeer" is primarily flavored with artificial wintergreen. I've made my own rootbeer from extract, (bleach and water to sterilize a 2 liter soda bottle... Extract, lots of sugar, water, and some champagne yeast. Cap firmly. Shake well. Leave on top of the fridge for 2 days or until bottle is very firm. If left for longer, it can explode, so be careful). The product, when made in that way, is not nearly as carbonated as modern sodas are, but it's about as traditional as one can legally get in a rootbeer. Birch beer is another branch of the same family though, and can be made without artificial flavors. Boylans makes the best birch beer around. They make a root beer too, but it's just sody-pop... Their birch beer is bottled art in comparison. You might find some good ones if you look for sarsaparilla too. BOYLANS BIRCH BEER! Thats one of the ones I grab when i can! Great stuff  Speed |
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Dads draft rootbeer was the best when I was growning up outside of Chicago. Big, foamy mug out of the wooden barrel. I haven't seen it in years...are they still around? I think? link |
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Dads draft rootbeer was the best when I was growning up outside of Chicago. Big, foamy mug out of the wooden barrel. I haven't seen it in years...are they still around? I think? link That would be them. 
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Boylans yielded a a nice find... beveragesdirect.com has alot of the beers you guys are talking about.... Will be trying to get some of these real soon... Might help to know what you look for in a root beer. Much like liquors there is a lot of variation out there. If you like Boylan's look into Bulldog and the aforementioned Zuberfizz. Both should be available off the shelf if you have a World Market in your area. Also give Stewart's a shot, should be available at the local non-Walmart grocery chain. |
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Henry Weinhard's FTW
This stuff is like liquid crack - I can't get enough... I force myself to buy only one 6 pack, once a month, and then savor it... I use a tall frosted glass that I keep in the freezer...   
link to review |
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Boylans yielded a a nice find... beveragesdirect.com has alot of the beers you guys are talking about.... Will be trying to get some of these real soon... Might help to know what you look for in a root beer. Much like liquors there is a lot of variation out there. If you like Boylan's look into Bulldog and the aforementioned Zuberfizz. Both should be available off the shelf if you have a World Market in your area. Also give Stewart's a shot, should be available at the local non-Walmart grocery chain. Unfortunately there is nothing around here other than a Wal Mart... and as far as knowing what I like, Ive never really tried anything outside of the major chain brands that I listed in my 1st post... |
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if you can get to Southern Wisconsin... 1919 RootBeer. They serve it on tap at many restaurants and it is ambrosia. Seriously, I am Rootbeer freak and this was the best I have ever had... Bar none! 1919 on tap is my first non-alcoholic chioce at a bar. Good stuff! |
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We went on vacation this year to the U.P.. One day we went to Houghton, and stopped in at the Keewenaw brewery. Mrs. Winmag doesn't partake of beer on the scale I do, so she had a root beer. It was fantastic. We ended up buying a growler of it to bring home.
You can make good/excellent root beer at home if you homebrew. |
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We went on vacation this year to the U.P.. One day we went to Houghton, and stopped in at the Keewenaw brewery. Mrs. Winmag doesn't partake of beer on the scale I do, so she had a root beer. It was fantastic. We ended up buying a growler of it to bring home. You can make good/excellent root beer at home if you homebrew. Heck yes you can, and it can be anything from ridiculously simple and easy to complex and insane. For under ten bucks, a bottle of Zatarains root beer extract can be the beginning of a fun set of experiments 
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Im having a bitch of a time finding where to buy these at online... I believe my cousin-in-law uses this site for his soda addiction. Soda Shop |