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IBC Root Beer’s history began in St. Louis, Missouri during Prohibition and grew into a national brand.
For over 100 years, its history has mirrored key shifts in American life, commerce, and culture.
The Griesedieck family invented IBC Root Beer in St. Louis during 1919, when Prohibition banned brewers from making alcoholic beverages.
The law forced them to make alternative products or beverages.
Independent Breweries Company, united several established breweries: National Brewery (owned by the Griesediecks), Columbia (makers of Alpen Brau), Gast, A.B.C., and Wagner.
Via this consolidation, the Griesediecks adapted to survive in an era without alcohol.
During Prohibition, when federal law banned alcohol sales and consumption, Americans turned to root beer as a wholesome alternative.
The Griesedieck family seized this opportunity, producing a root beer that satisfied the public in both taste and quality.
IBC Root Beer's rich, creamy flavor gained widespread appeal, attracting customers across social classes during this period of enforced sobriety.
The new company didn’t last long once hard financial hard times hit.
The Great Depression forced IBC to close its doors.
The Northwestern Bottling Company, owned by the Kranzberg family, acquired the IBC trademark.
The brand continued to struggle.
By the late 1930s, the Kranzbergs sold IBC to the Shucart family's National Bottling Company.
It was a period of instability for IBC root beer.
But it survived.
IBC continued to change hands several times as the American beverage market evolved.
Taylor Beverages bought the brand in 1976, followed by Seven-Up Company's purchase in 1980.
In 2008, IBC joined the Dr Pepper Snapple Group, where it remains today.
IBC switched from high-fructose corn syrup to cane sugar in its drinks in July 2016.
The new formulation altered the taste and aligned with consumers' growing preference for natural ingredients.
At the same time, the company redesigned its packaging to blend traditional brand elements with contemporary style.
IBC entered the 2020s with a focused product line that served its core customers.
Their standard offerings included:
In its long history, IBC had also created and later discontinued several distinctive flavors:
These discontinued products demonstrate IBC's willingness to experiment while maintaining its established place in American soft drink manufacturing.
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