The SurprisingĀ OriginĀ ofĀ the Distinctively American BeverageĀ Root BeerĀ
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Imagine describingĀ the taste of root beer to someone who has never tried it before.Ā What would you say? Itās probably not easy to come up with an answer. If you're like most people, you don't know what exactly in the glass. Roots? Beer? Who's to say?Ā Ā
AĀ craft soda aficionado might say that aĀ sip ofĀ award-winning Sprecher Root BeerĀ has the sweet taste of honey, notes of wintergreenĀ and vanilla, and a creamy mouthfeel. This is all true, but whatĀ is Root Beer, really? Well, root beer is a beverage with surprisingly deepāand distinctly Americanāroots.Ā Ā
Indigenous Root MedicineĀ
The sweet, bubbly,Ā non-alcoholicĀ root beer we know today bears little resemblance to theĀ root beers of yesteryear.Ā The forbears ofĀ thisĀ beloved beverage were root beers in the literal senseābeersĀ made fromĀ roots.Ā Ā
Before the first root beer was brewed, root teas and medicines were the all the rage. Many of the indigenous peoplesĀ of North America brewed medicinalĀ teas andĀ tinctures out ofĀ roots, barks, berries, and flowers. Some of these medicinal drinksĀ used sassafras, wintergreen, andĀ sarsaparilla. These North and Central American plantsĀ were thought to boost immune function, reduce inflammation, combat allergies, and more.Ā

For indigenous people,Ā these root-based beveragesĀ were not for recreational consumption. These drinks didnātĀ alwaysĀ taste very good, and some of them had harmful side effects when overused. For example, while sassafras has analgesic and antiseptic properties, too much of it can cause liver damageĀ .[1]Ā Ā When European colonists came to the Americas, they learned of these health benefits and made their own root-based drinks.
Root Beer in Colonial America
European colonistsĀ broughtĀ their own traditions to the Americas, includingĀ the medieval tradition of āsmall beer.ā Small beers were low-alcohol beers (hovering at 1-2% ABV). Europeans brewed small beers because they were safer than water,Ā cheap, nutritious, and unlikely toĀ get you too drunkĀ during the day. Colonists made small beer by shortening the fermentation time of the brew or by re-using grain from a stronger beer.Ā [2]Ā
When European colonistsĀ observed indigenous people using sassafras,Ā sarsaparilla, wintergreen and other roots, barks, and berriesĀ for theirĀ health benefits, the colonists did what they knew bestāmadeĀ small beer. Colonists used Sassafras and Sarsaparilla rootsāamong other local plantsāto brew a type of small beerĀ they (unimaginatively) named root beer. Generally, colonists did not drink root beer to get drunk. Instead, they drank root beer to hydrate safely and get (real or perceived) medicinal benefits.
Families passed down their recipes for root beer like heirlooms. Countless varieties of root beersĀ made from differentĀ blends ofĀ American plants, water, sugar, and yeastĀ emerged.Ā This practice continued for many years. In the early days of the United States, merchants sold in small shops and drugstores throughout the country.Ā Still, the general public largely saw root beer as a niche health drink.Ā
Root Beer goes Commercial

In the 1870s,Ā this all changed thanks to aĀ Philadelphia pharmacist named Charles E. Hires. After tasting a particularly delicious root beerĀ at an inn during his honeymoon, Hires beggedĀ the innkeeperās wifeĀ forĀ herĀ recipe. Hires got it, and when he returned from his honeymoon, he took the recipeĀ to a couple of local college professors. He asked the professors to help him adjust the recipe for commercial production.Ā Ā
The professors did two great things for Hires. First, theyĀ came up with a way to turn the ingredients into a shelf-stableĀ powder. Root beer powder was easier to sell and distribute as the base for a tasty non-alcoholic drink.Ā Second, the professors eliminated (pun intended) the strongĀ laxative effect of the original recipe.Ā Ā
Hires was a Quaker, and he was deeply opposed to boozing. So, he wasted no time in fervently marketing his new āpowder root teaā to local minersāmenĀ known for their love of the sauce.Ā This didnāt go over well until a friend advised him to stop calling itĀ powder root teaĀ (duh!). In a bid to appeal to theĀ masculine sensibilities of the miners,Ā HiresĀ calledĀ his drinkĀ rootĀ beer, andĀ aĀ commercialĀ hitĀ was born.Ā Ā
Hiresā root beerĀ quickly took off and evolvedĀ as a product.Ā Soon,Ā Hires was selling it as a syrup and in kegs to soda fountains, who were pouring it as fast as Hires could make it. Hires died a rich man, and many sought to follow in his footsteps.Ā [3]Ā [4]Ā
Prohibition and the Birth of Big Root BeerĀ
Hiresā root beer is no longer with us, but itsĀ commercialĀ success inspired many competitors who are still around today.Ā TheseĀ early competitors ofĀ HiresĀ grew into big root beer companiesĀ that remain well-known throughout the country.Ā

BarqāsĀ root beer appeared on the scene in 1898Ā in Mississippi. After a slow start, itĀ exploded in popularity during prohibition,Ā andĀ leveraged its newfound popularity to grow throughout the 1900s.Ā Barqās cemented its statusĀ as a big root beer companyĀ when the Coca-Cola company purchaed it in 1995.Ā [5]Ā Ā
A&WĀ also jumped on the root beer bandwagon in the wake of Hires, in 1919. A&W lays claim to a major innovation:Ā sellingĀ root beerĀ cold in frosted mugs. The ice-cold root beerĀ wasĀ a revelation to people used to room-temperature root beer (I shudder to imagine), and with this innovation, A&W grewĀ rapidlyĀ during prohibition just likeĀ Barqās.Ā These big root beer brands rose to dominate the industry, leaving little room for competition from smaller root beer producers.Ā [6]Ā
The Banning of Traditional Root BeerĀ
However, small root beer producers soon found an angle into the craft root beer market: better ingredients and technique. This became possible in part because traditional root beer recipes were effectively outlawed in the 1960s.Ā Ā
In the early days,Ā root beersĀ like Hiresā,Ā Barqās, and A&WĀ were made with sassafras, calling back toĀ the drinkāsĀ indigenous origins. However, as indigenous people knew, sassafras is not without its side effectsāit may have some health benefits, but too much sassafrasĀ can cause liver damage.Ā This is rather ironic, since marketers initially touted root beer as a healthy alternative to alcohol.Ā Ā

In 1960, the FDA recognized the liver-damaging effects of Sassafras oil and banned its use as a food additive in the United States.Ā [7]Ā Now, commercially produced root beer is made with a variety of extracts that imitate the flavor of Sassafras. This is no easy feat, and extractĀ makersĀ closely guard their recipes.Ā [8]Ā Ā
The Origins of Sprecher Craft Root Beer
SinceĀ it is illegal in the United States toĀ commercially produceĀ root beer withĀ all ofĀ its traditionalĀ ingredients, the quality of ingredients and brewing process used to make root beer make a big difference for the authenticity and flavor of the final product.Ā Ā
The Fire-Brewing Process
Randy Sprecher knew this when he opened up Sprecher Brewing Company in 1985.Ā Thatās why he decided to make Sprecher root beer with extracts produced by trusted local suppliers andĀ raw Wisconsin honey. Itās also whyĀ RandyĀ decided to use a traditional fire-brewing process. In fire-brewing, the ingredients are brewed in a kettle under a flame until theĀ sugars in the honeyĀ areĀ caramelized. The result is a uniquely rich flavor that cannot be replicated by a cold-mix brewing process.Ā Ā

The "Why" of Sprecher Root Beer
But why did Randy make root beer in the first place? Sprecher Brewing Co. was founded as a brewery focused on making traditional European beers. What could be less like European beer than an all-American soda popularized by a teetotaling pharmacist? That story begins withĀ Sprecher Brewery Tours.Ā Ā
The Brewery Tour is aĀ peculiarĀ traditionĀ with its own unique history.Ā Sprecher beganĀ giving toursĀ toĀ give beer geeks an opportunity to marvel at the inner workings of theĀ firstĀ post-prohibitionĀ craftĀ brewery in Milwaukee.Ā Legend has it that these tours were all-you-can-drink, which was appealing to adults, but not so much to the children who would sometimes tag along with them. Not wanting to leave the kids out, Randy brewed small batches of root beer forĀ underage visitorsĀ to enjoy on the tour, applying the tools and techniques of his craft to make the best soda he knew how.Ā Ā
Randy, living up to his reputation of brewing good things,Ā wowedĀ everybodyĀ with his root beer, and manyĀ tourgoersĀ were quick open their wallets for a chanceĀ to takeĀ some home with them. Ever the shrewd businessman, RandyĀ started to sell his root beer outside of the four walls of his brewery. ItĀ was a hit! Sprecher Root Beer quickly became a favorite in Wisconsin andĀ the Midwest,Ā far outselling Sprecherās original craftĀ beer.Ā Root beer has since become central to Sprecherās identityĀ andĀ even inspired theĀ name ofĀ Sprecherās official mascot,Ā Rooty.Ā
The Future of Root Beer
Now, Sprecher Brewing Co. hopes to takeĀ SprecherĀ Root Beer to every corner of the country, and one day, all around the world!Ā Root beer has a long history as a uniquely American brew that appeals to all kinds of people. Sprecher is both a part of that history, and part of the future of the storied drink called root beer. We on the Sprecher Brewing team think that future is in good hands.Ā
Always stay in the know by joining ourĀ Sprecher Squad email list, and get the first access to our new craft sodas, craft beer and deals on apparel and gift shop items.Ā Sign up today.
Sources
[1] Burrows, Jillian Ada. "Root Beer's Indigenous Roots." Medium, July 21, 2019, https://medium.com/jill-burrows/root-beers-indigenous-roots-bfd6e8ba8de4.
[2] Anchor Brewing, "Small Beer, Big Flavor." Anchor Brewing, July 5, 2012, https://www.anchorbrewing.com/blog/small-beer-big-flavor/.
[3] Funderburg, Anne Cooper. Sundae Best: A History of Soda Fountains. Bowling Green State University Popular Press, 2002, pp. 92-5.
[4] Smith, Andrew F. Encyclopedia of Junk Food and Fast Food. Greenwood Press, 2006, pp. 231-2.
[5] Barq's.com. "Barq's History." https://www.barqs.com/history.
[6] Allen, Molly. "The Untold Truth Of A&W." mashed, Dec 10, 2020, https://www.mashed.com/161394/the-untold-truth-of-aw/.
[7] Dietz, Brigit and Judy L. Bolton. "Botanical Dietary Supplements Gone Bad." Chem Res Toxicol., vol. 20, no. 4, Apr. 2007, pp. 586-590. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2504026/
[8] Delfino, Jessica. "The Root In Root Beer: Behind This Soda's Toxic Ingredient." Allrecipies.com, Aug 17 2020, https://www.allrecipes.com/article/root-beer-sassafras-safrole/.
Image Attribution
[Header Image] Sprecher Media Library
[2] "Sassafras albidum - Kƶhlerās Medizinal-Pflanzen-260," uploaded to Wikimedia Commons from Author Franz Eugen Kƶhler under the public domain. No changes made to the original image.
[3] "Charles E. Hires Co. (3092723475)," uploaded to Wikimedia Commons from the Miami U. Libraries - Digital Collections under the public domain. No changes made to the original image.
[4] "Barqs Building," uploaded to Wikimedia Commons by author Woodlot under the CC BY-SA 3.0 License. No changes made to the original image.
[5] "Bryant's Root Beer (1897) (ADVERT 279),"uploaded to Wikimedia Commons from an unidentified author under the public domain. No changes made to the original image.
[6] Sprecher Media Library
4 comments
Just read your article, where can I purchase your product in the Buffalo, NY. 14221 area?
Need to be available in Oklahoma
Tulsa
Is there any stores near Panama City beach that sells your root beer.
If not ,is it possible that you ship it
Is there any stores near Panama City beach that sells your root beer.
If not ,is it possible that you ship it