Review: Dad’s Root Beer

Please tell me you all love root beer? It is a popular American carbonated soda (fizzy pop!) originally made using the root of a sassafras plant (not anymore as that’s been banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration), along with other flavourings. I love the stuff. I tried it for the first time on my first holiday in Florida back in 2004, there is something quite dandelion and burdock about it – it’s not the same taste, of course, but it’s one of those love or hate drinks and for me, it’s love.

I was sent a couple of bottles of Dad’s Old Fashioned Root Beer by Just Root Beer, who have recently launched a website selling the stuff here in the UK. This particular brand of root beer first went on sale in Chicago in 1937 – and the brand celebrated its 75th anniversary last year. Apparently this was the first drink you could buy in a six-pack!

Dad’s Old Fashioned Root Beer is made using a mix of wintergreen, liquorice, and vanilla, and it has a really lovely sweet but aniseed-like flavour. It is caffeine free so is perfect for any time of day, and is simply lovely when served chilled over ice. Think Florida, heat, sunshine, barbecue, palm trees, outdoor pool, and root beer.

To be honest I would normally choose a diet or light root beer, for the simple reason that it has much less sugar, but I do love a full fat soda when I get the opportunity.