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The root beer float emerged in 1893 when a Colorado vendor combined ice cream and a new type of soda: root beer.
The drink gained popularity during Prohibition as a non-alcoholic alternative and remains beloved in American households to this day.
In 1893, Frank J. Wisner, owner of Cripple Creek Brewing in Colorado, looked up at the snow covering Cow Mountain.
The white peaks sparked an idea: he would create a drink that captured their appearance.
That evening, he poured root beer over a scoop of vanilla ice cream, inventing what we now call the root beer float.
In 1893, Frank Wisner called his first root beer float the "Black Cow Mountain."
This name was quickly shortened to "Black Cow."
Midwesterners stuck firmly to "black cow" or "brown cow," while other regions adopted "root beer float."
As soda fountains experimented with the ice cream and carbonation formula, new variations took hold: the "Coke Float" used Coca-Cola instead of root beer, while Detroit's "Boston Cooler" combined ginger ale with vanilla ice cream.
During Prohibition (1920-1933), the root beer float emerged as a legal substitute for alcohol.
The drink combined vanilla ice cream with carbonated root beer, creating a foamy head that mimicked the appearance of beer.
Unlike bootlegged alcohol sold in speakeasies, root beer floats could be served openly in drugstores and soda fountains, where families gathered to enjoy them.
The drink's combination of familiar beer-like qualities and wholesome ingredients made it ubiquitous in that period.
In 1950, A&W Restaurants added root beer floats to their menu, responding to America's post-war economic boom.
Vanilla ice cream in a frosty mug of root beer, aligned perfectly with the rise of drive-in dining culture.
A&W's 450 locations across America introduced this treat to suburban families who embraced both its sweet taste and its $0.25 price tag.
On August 6, 2005, Sheboygan, Wisconsin set the record for the world's largest root beer float.
Local volunteers filled a custom vat with 2,562.5 gallons of root beer and 1,425.31 gallons of ice cream.
Root beer floats remain a fixture of American desserts, appearing in pivotal scenes across popular media.
In "The Iron Giant," the drink marks a tender moment between Hogarth and Dean at the diner, while "Dazed and Confused" features teenagers sharing floats at the local drive-in.
Modern shows like "Riverdale" place root beer floats at Pop's Diner, where they serve as both refreshment and plot device.
Each August 6th, Americans celebrate National Root Beer Float Day, often recreating the classic recipe.
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