Believe it or not, root beer has been around for hundreds of years, dating all the way back to the 16th century. At its core, it's a sweet, caffeine-free soft drink with flavors that typically include vanilla, licorice, wintergreen, and sarsaparilla. Suffice it to say, root beer is a pretty polarizing beverage: you either love it or you hate it. Today, there are a number of brands making some version of root beer, but not all of them are created equal. Thankfully, we've gone ahead and ranked them for you. These are the most popular root beer brands, ranked worst to best.
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00:00There are countless root beer brands on soda shelves nowadays,
00:03and the ingredients used in them aren't uniform, so we've gone ahead and ranked them for you.
00:08Not every brand made the cut, but we've made sure to include all of the most popular ones.
00:13The long and storied history of mug root beer dates all the way back to the 1940s,
00:17when it was known as Belfast Root Beer. While this variety is one of the most ubiquitous brands
00:22in the United States, the unfortunate truth is that it's not very good. The problem that
00:26sinks mug is its inescapable sweetness. Root beer is supposed to be somewhat sweet,
00:30but mug just goes way too far in that direction. Instead of a rich, complex flavor profile,
00:35it tastes like carbonated sugar water. When it first hits your taste buds,
00:39the sweetness is immediately off-putting. And tragically, the aftertaste manages to somehow
00:43be even sweeter. Unless you have a truly battle-hardened sweet tooth,
00:47you'll be ready to move on after only your first sip of this sugary disaster.
00:51The best thing about Xebia's root beer is that it contains no calories.
00:55Sadly, that's about the one and only positive thing we can say about it.
00:58There are two options with Xebia, but both of them are really bad. The creamy root beer
01:02tastes like it's been watered down, while the ginger root beer has a harsh bite. That will
01:06leave you immediately regretting your decision to crack open a can. If you're desperate for
01:10root beer that has zero sugar and zero calories, there are much better options on the market.
01:14Simply look for diet versions of the root beer brands at the top of this list,
01:18and you'll be much happier with your selection.
01:20Xebia
01:22Aesthetically, there's a lot to love about Frosty root beer. Not only does it share a name with the
01:26legendary dessert from Wendy's, but Santa Claus, or someone who looks like him, appears on the
01:31label. He even has a giant smile on his face, even though he appears to be in the middle of a blizzard.
01:35Unfortunately, any jolliness you may feel while looking at that holiday scene will soon evaporate
01:40once you take a swig of this root beer. As with mug, the first thing you'll notice with Frosty
01:44is an overbearing amount of sweetness. Instead of root beer, it tastes like nothing more than
01:49liquefied candy. Once you survive the sweetness, you're met with a minty aftertaste that has an
01:53odd toothpaste-like flavor. That at least offers a little bit of a reprieve from the sweetness
01:57onslaught, but it'll get old quickly. Even if it's Christmas time, ignore the Saint Nick on
02:01the label and pick a better brand. Dad's Root Beer has an instantly recognizable label that
02:07features blue letters outlined in red on a yellow background. This beverage was created in the 1930s
02:12in Illinois, and it didn't take long for Dad's to become one of the most popular root beer brands
02:16in the country. To this day, you can find it from coast to coast, and even internationally.
02:20If you sample the aroma of Dad's before you take a sip, you'll be thoroughly impressed.
02:24It smells like the perfect combination of licorice and vanilla with just a hint of wintergreen.
02:29But once it enters your mouth, you'll be disappointed. That's simply because the
02:32flavor is underwhelming. Within a few mouthfuls, your taste buds will be bored stiff. To make
02:37matters even worse, Dad's also has an unsatisfactory amount of carbonation,
02:41lending it a certain flatness that renders it even more yawn-inducing.
02:45Of all the root beer brands on this list, Bundaberg is far and away the most unique.
02:49First of all, it comes in what appears to be an old-fashioned medicine bottle.
02:52That's actually not surprising, as root beer was originally used as a medicine.
02:56So you can pretend to be an old-timey apothecary as you drink this brand.
03:00Additionally, the bottle says that you need to turn it upside down before you open it to
03:04ensure that the liquid is properly mixed. Bundaberg's taste is unlike that of any
03:07other root beer you've ever tried. While it's not hard to find it in America,
03:11it was actually created by a family-owned business in Australia back in 1960.
03:15It's a story that started with mom, dad, my wife and I, now up to its fourth generation.
03:22Compared to American root beer, this stuff has almost no sweetness and instead tastes
03:25more like a combination of licorice and cough syrup, although it does have a molasses-infused
03:30aftertaste. If you think that every root beer you've ever tried is too sweet, try Bundaberg.
03:34Otherwise, opt for something else.
03:37While WBC Chicago-style root beer has its pluses, it's not quite tasty enough to be
03:41worthy of a full-throated recommendation. On one hand, you're very likely to enjoy its strong
03:46vanilla aroma, its creamy texture, and the fact that it's made with real sugar instead
03:50of high-fructose corn syrup. But alas, the more sips you take, the less you'll enjoy the experience.
03:55First of all, the carbonation is almost overpowering. Even if you drink it slowly,
03:59each sip will feel more and more like a nose-invading chore. There's also a slightly
04:03bitter aftertaste to contend with that will eventually become impossible to ignore.
04:07Overall, WBC Chicago-style is okay in small doses,
04:10but you should think twice before reaching out for a second bottle.
04:14Once upon a time, Stewart's Root Beer was one of the most flavorful beverages of its kind.
04:18The brand can trace its roots back to 1924, when founder Frank Stewart decided to make the world's
04:23finest root beer. After concocting a recipe to his liking, he opened Stewart's Drive-In,
04:27and his root beer was the star of the show. While you can still find Stewart's Drive-In
04:31restaurants in the United States if you look hard enough, these days, it's much easier to
04:35just buy bottles of Stewart's Root Beer. That's because it's now owned by the Keurig Dr. Pepper
04:39Company. Sadly, this means that the root beer no longer has the same distinctive flavor it had all
04:43those decades ago. The modern iteration of Stewart's just tastes like generic root beer that
04:47you can find at any supermarket. It's not terrible, but it's nothing special.
04:52Sioux City Root Beer has a deep, rich flavor and enough cane sugar to keep the party rocking.
04:56The aftertaste is a little bit lacking, but otherwise, this is a high-quality root beer
05:00that's worth a try. And if you like Sioux City Root Beer, you'll absolutely adore Sioux City
05:05Sarsaparilla, which tastes like it's made of 60 percent cream soda and 40 percent root beer.
05:09That may sound strange, but your taste buds will declare that it's yummy.
05:13You got a good sarsaparilla.
05:15Sioux City sarsaparilla?
05:17Yeah, it's a good one.
05:19Although sarsaparilla beverages have a history in the Americas dating back centuries,
05:23the FDA actually outlawed using real sarsaparilla in 1960,
05:27as the genuine stuff contains potentially carcinogenic compounds.
05:30Thankfully, there are now much safer alternatives that keep the flavor going strong,
05:34without the potential risk of poisoning, and Sioux City offers one of the best options out there.
05:39If you're in the mood for a complex root beer, opt for a bottle of Virgil's Handcrafted.
05:43This brand is supercharged with more than a dozen different roots, flavors, and spices,
05:47including sweet birch, nutmeg, cinnamon, and anise.
05:50If you find typical root beer to be too bland, then opt for Virgil's to add some real spice
05:54to your life. And as the name suggests, this root beer is created in small batches to help
05:59ensure its quality.
06:00We are all Virgil.
06:02While all root beer tastes better when it's cold, you need to make sure that Virgil's
06:05Handcrafted is as cold as ice before you take a sip. If it's room temperature, it can actually
06:09come off as somewhat gross, as all the competing flavors will instantaneously overwhelm your senses.
06:14But that's not an issue if it's served up cold. Virgil's also makes a zero-sugar root beer that's
06:19an excellent alternative if you want a sugar-free treat. It tastes very similar to the original,
06:23with the main difference being a somewhat more muted aftertaste.
06:27IBC root beer has been a favorite among soda aficionados since it first hit the market in
06:311919. It used to be among the very best, although it has slipped a little bit in recent years,
06:36as it's gotten sweeter and sweeter recently. The best characteristic of IBC is its delicious
06:41combination of vanilla and licorice flavor. The added sweetness somewhat interferes,
06:45but both flavors are still strong enough to make you grin from ear to ear.
06:48If you've never taken a sip of IBC, you should do so as soon as you can. If it keeps getting sweeter,
06:53it could eventually be ruined as the more complex flavors get drowned in all that sugar.
06:58But right now, it's still worth recommending.
07:00Sprecher Brewing Company is a Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based craft brewery that was
07:04founded in 1985. It makes a variety of beers and sodas, including its marvelous root beer.
07:09Even if you have to travel a long distance to get your hands on the soft drink,
07:12it's well worth the effort. All it will take is one swig for you to be a fan for the rest of your
07:17life. Two aspects of Sprecher root beer will catch your attention. First, the creaminess
07:21makes it a joy to drink and sets it well apart from the competition. Second, the subtle yet
07:25unmistakable flavor of honey takes it to the next level. Once you drink a couple of bottles,
07:29you'll wonder why more root beer brands don't add honey to their recipes.
07:33Sprecher also makes a maple root beer that exchanges the honey for maple syrup.
07:36It tastes good and has a distinct flavor that you might enjoy,
07:39but it's not quite as wonderful as the original.
07:42We treat the soda process the same as we treat the beer process.
07:46What's the best part about Bark's root beer? Its bite, of course.
07:49"...Bark's root beer. The one with bite."
07:52That bite comes in many forms, but primarily, it's clear in the sharp yet clean aftertaste
07:56that provides a jolt of happiness in your mouth. Bark's also has a smidgen of black
08:00licorice flavor, which adds an indisputable bite to the flavor profile. Furthermore,
08:04it has the optimal amount of carbonation. It's strong enough to keep things exciting,
08:08yet loving and gentle enough to make sure you continue to have fun.
08:11Bark's is also famous for being one of the few mass-produced root beers to include caffeine
08:15in the mix. If you need an extra amount of pep in your step, this delicious brand of
08:18root beer is up to the task. While Bark's didn't quite land in first place in our ranking,
08:23it was really close. All told, you can't go wrong with either of the top two choices.
08:28When you want to drink the best root beer money can buy, A&W is what you should go with.
08:32Its smooth flavor promises to make it a hit for people of all ages.
08:36It's complex enough to satisfy a true root beer connoisseur,
08:39yet it's serene and velvety enough for kids to enjoy it just as much.
08:42The legend of A&W began when a man named Roy Allen sold root beer at a stand in California
08:47in 1919. A few years later, Frank Wright was brought on board and the pair started
08:51opening multiple root beer places in the state. Taking a cue from their initials,
08:54the two men named their chain A&W, and the rest is history. More than 100 years later,
08:59this root beer is still as beloved as it was when it first caught on.
09:02No matter how you drink A&W root beer, you can't go wrong. If you drink it out of a can,
09:07you'll love it. If you go to an A&W restaurant and drink it out of a frosty mug, you'll also love it.
09:12Or if you have a root beer float for dessert, nothing tastes as great as mixing the ice cream
09:16with A&W root beer. Simply put, A&W is a big hit in any situation, for any crowd.