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Root Beer: Nectar of the Gods?

Root beer is a controversial subject. I didn't know that when I first started writing this report on what seemed to be a relatively harmless alternative to more popular soft drinks. But I learned quickly.

First off, it seems that every maker of root beer has its own definition of what the drink really is, or should be. Some purists say that root beer gets its flavor solely from the sarsaparilla root. Others believe that the drink can contain any number of roots and even herbs, including Sarsaparilla, Sassafras, Licorice, Birch, Cinnamon, Clove, Anise, Vanilla, Wintergreen, and multiple other barks.

In any case, most root beer connoisseurs can agree that the sweetened, carbonated beverage was originally flavored with root of sassafras tree, a plant which is indigenous to Central America. (Sarsaparilla got its name from two Spanish words: "zarza," meaning bramble, and "parilla," meaning little vine; both refer to the thorny vines of the plant.)

Traditionally used as both a beverage and herbal medicine to cure coughs and mouth sores, the drink is naturally caffeine-free. (Although some brands have made the choice to add caffeine, such as Barq's, produced by Coca-Cola.) The drink was made commercially available and immensely popular by Charles Hires (yep, like the Hires brand of root beer) back in 1866.

According to Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia, root beer accounts for 3% of the American soft drink market. However, I was mildly surprised to discover that it is not any more "healthy" than other soft drinks. For some reason, I thought that a drink derived from a natural root was probably "better for you" than a nondescript sugary soda. Wrong - most root beers contain just about as much sugar as your average Coke or Pepsi.

But that didn't stop us from taste-testing! We've got some big root beer fans here, including four thirsty kids. We gave them each 8 bottles and asked them to tell us what they thought.

Most Healthy: Santa Cruz Organic Most Tasty: A&W Lowest Price: A&W

For taste and value, the classic A&W won, but lesser-known Berghoff came in a close second, with several tasters lauding its smooth, rich flavor. Also worth noting is the surprisingly tasty 365 (Whole Foods) brand, which is definitely worth a try if you're determined to switch to organic. Just stay away from the Santa Cruz Organic brand - even though it ranks high on the healthy charts, it's at the bottom for taste, according to our testers. (One even commented that it tasted like "vinegar and pears - YUK!") But if you're looking for a relatively healthy option, check out Virgil's or the 365 brand - they're also healthy, but ranked higher in our taste tests.

No matter what brand you choose, though, there's just something about sitting back with a frosty glass of root beer on a warm day that makes you truly appreciate the hazy, lazy days of summer. Happy Sipping!

Did you know?

"A&W" stands for the last names of the 2 founders of this particular brand: Roy Allen and Frank Wright. They started bottling the drink in California in the early 1900's.

And how about "IBC"? They're the Independent Breweries Companies of St. Louis, where this brand started, also back in the early 1900's.