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From its humble beginnings as a Native American medicinal brew to its rise as a beloved soft drink during the dark days of Prohibition. The history of root beer is a fascinating story and will always be an American icon.
Root beer traces its origins to the indigenous peoples of North America, who crafted medicinal drinks using sassafras root and various herbs.
The tribes of the Eastern Woodlands would steep the bark and roots of the sassafras tree in boiling water. Creating a fragrant, reddish-brown tea believed to possess healing properties.
This herbal concoction was used to treat a variety of ailments, such as fever, stomach issues, and skin problems. It also supposedly helped purify the blood and promote overall well-being.
As colonist John Lawson noted in his 1709 book "A New Voyage to Carolina," the Native Americans:
"have a Root which they call Wighsacan, like Ginger or Liquorice, which they chew, and then put in a Bowl of Water, and stirring or straining it, drink the Liquor, which makes them vomit in a very violent Manner; this they continue to do every other Day, for three Weeks or a Month together, by which Means they not only purge their Bodies of peccant Humours, but consume the Superabundancy of Bile and Phlegm, which they frequently abound with."
The early European settlers quickly adopted this practice, incorporating sassafras and other native herbs into their own medicinal brews, which eventually evolved into the carbonated, sweetened root beer we know and love today.
In 1875, Charles Hires, a Philadelphia pharmacist, introduced the first commercially produced root beer.
Inspired by a delicious herbal tea he encountered during his honeymoon, Hires set out to create a healthier alternative to alcoholic drinks, which were prevalent at the time.
He first marketed his product as "Hires' Herb Tea," but soon realized that the name didn't resonate with his target audience. His first customers were coal miners of Pennsylvania.
Thinking outside the box, Hires rebranded his creation as "Root Beer”.
A name that evoked a sense of strength, masculinity and wholesome natural roots.
Hires' Root Beer made its grand debut at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition. It was promoted as "The Great Health Drink" and marketed for its supposed medicinal properties. Hires claimed it aided digestion and made you happy.
In 1893, Frank J. Wisner, the owner of the Cripple Creek Brewing Company in Colorado, invented the root beer float, or "Black Cow".
Basically, Wisner was inspired by the snow-capped peaks of the nearby Cow Mountain, which reminded him of ice cream floating in a dark beverage.
Sitting in his kitchen, he combined scoops of vanilla ice cream with his own root beer. Creating the first root beer dessert that gained popularity with the locals.
News of the new invention spread like wildfire, with one satisfied customer reportedly exclaiming, "I've never tasted anything so refreshing and delicious in all my life!"
The root beer float’s popularity soon spread across the nation, as evidenced by a 1920s advertisement proclaiming, "The Great American Beverage: Hires Root Beer and Ice Cream, a Combination that Satisfies the Craving for Something Cool and Delicious."
The now famous Barq’s root beer, was founded in 1898 by Edward Charles Edmond Barq Sr. near the swamps of Biloxi, Mississippi.
As a native of New Orleans, Edward Barq had been in the beverage business for years, bottling and selling all kinds of sodas.
According to legend, Barq began experimenting with different recipes, eventually settling on a unique blend of sassafras, vanilla, and other natural flavors.
Barq’s root beer was born.
The beverage became super popular and Barq quickly expanded and opened bottling plants in other southern cities—such as Mobile, Alabama, and New Orleans.
Over the years, Barq’s has had a reputation for producing a high-quality, distinctive root beer that stood out from its competitors.
In 1995, nearly a century after its founding, Barq's was acquired by Coca-Cola.
When most people think of American classic root beer, they think of A&W.
Founded in 1919 by Roy W. Allen and Frank Wright in Lodi, California. The buddies started by selling root beer at a parade honoring World War I veterans.
As the business grew, Allen bought out Wright's shares. He then partnered up with Allen Cadbury, establishing the first A&W drive-in restaurant in Sacramento, California, in 1923.
That same year A&W introduced its famous frosted mugs, which became a signature serving method for their root beer.
The frosty mugs kept the root beer cold as winter and created a creamy, ice-cold foam head. This created the ultimate root beer drinking experience since the invention of the root beer float.
By the 1950s, A&W had become a cultural icon, with its drive-in restaurants serving as popular hangouts for teenagers and families alike.
During the Prohibition era (1920-1933), root beer became a popular non-alcoholic alternative to beer.
Root beer found its way into the slurping mouths of Americans seeking a satisfying drink without the intoxicating effects of alcohol.
In a 1922 article from The New York Times, a journalist observed:
"The soda fountain has become the national bar, and root beer is the favorite tipple"
Prohibition begat root beer stands and barrel-shaped drive-ins, which became iconic symbols of the era.
A 1920s advertisement for Hires Root Beer capitalized on the drink's Prohibition-friendly status, proclaiming, "Hires Root Beer: The Temperance Drink that Cheers but does not Inebriate", showcasing root beer's appeal as a wholesome, family-friendly beverage.
In 1960, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the use of sassafras oil. The oil is a key ingredient in traditional root beer recipes,
It was banned due to its potential carcinogenic properties.
This was based on studies that revealed safrole, a compound found in sassafras oil, caused liver damage and cancer in laboratory animals.
The ban forced manufacturers to reformulate their recipes and seek alternative ingredients to replicate the distinct flavor of sassafras.
Many turned to artificial sassafras flavoring or a similar natural flavoring derived from sassafras albidum, a related plant species that contains significantly lower levels of safrole.
Sadly, some root beer purists have argued that these substitutes failed to capture the true essence and complexity of the original root beer flavor.
The FDA's decision, while well-intentioned and grounded in public health concerns, forever altered the landscape of root beer production and consumption, marking the end of an era and the beginning of a new chapter in the beverage's history.
In the modern era, the root beer market has exploded with variety and tons of brands to choose from.
Small-batch breweries like Sprecher Brewing Company and Virgil's Real Root Beer offer unique, high-quality interpretations of the classic beverage.
Modern craft root beers often emphasize natural ingredients, traditional brewing methods, and creative flavor profiles.
“Hard" root beer, an alcoholic version of the beloved soft drink, is also on the rise. Catering to adults looking for the flavor of root beer, but with a kick.
Some great examples include brands like Not Your Father's Root Beer and Coney Island Hard Root Beer.
As the root beer landscape continues to evolve and diversify, it is clear that this classic American beverage has not only endured but also thrived.
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