What does Root Beer taste like?

[TrustMe]

I've always wanted to try it.

[Ssnake]

Sweetish, malty.

[Tim Sielbeck]

Sarsaparilla.

[Murph]

Nasty

[arcweasel]

Seems like people either love it because it's creamy sweet vanilla hinted goodness (me, and much of North America and some bits of china) or hate it (everyone else).  Most people who did not drink it as a kid seem to hate it.  The few people from the UK I've forced it on seem to describe it as tasting like hospital antiseptic cleaner.  

[TrustMe]

I'll try it out then.

[DKTanker]

Best drank from a frosty A&W mug.  Second best way, poured over a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  I give you the root beer float.  The ultimate, a root beer float in an A&W mug.

[DKTanker]

3 hours ago, Murph said:

Nasty

No, no.  This is about root beer, not Dr. Pepper.

[Ssnake]

16 minutes ago, DKTanker said:

As if root beer needed any more calories.

[Tim Sielbeck]

3 hours ago, arcweasel said:

Seems like people either love it because it's creamy sweet vanilla hinted goodness (me, and much of North America and some bits of china) or hate it (everyone else).  Most people who did not drink it as a kid seem to hate it.  The few people from the UK I've forced it on seem to describe it as tasting like hospital antiseptic cleaner.  

I hated root beer until after we went on a vacation through New Mexico.  We stopped at A&W stands and my parents bought it by the gallon jug (many of them).  I couldn't stand the stuff but they wouold fill up an empty jug with water for me.  Of course the water tasted of it but when it's hot out and you're in a desert you can't really complain too much about it.  This was when A&W was still mostly in the southwest.  When we could get it in crntral Texas I thought it was pretty good.

[DKTanker]

2 hours ago, Tim Sielbeck said:

  This was when A&W was still mostly in the southwest.  When we could get it in crntral Texas I thought it was pretty good.

How old are you?  Reason, because my introduction to A&W and A&W Root Beer was about 1965 in Michigan.

[Tim Sielbeck]

Almost 61.  No A&W in the San Antonio area until mid '70s.  My parents told me they had A&W stand in Roswell, NM, when my dad was stationed there in the early '50s which is why they bought it by the gallons in the early '70s when we were vacationing.

[Leo Niehorster]

A&W was also present in Mexico, at least in the 60s.

And I resemble the anti-Dr-Pepper comment — although, frankly, it only tastes good out of a can or mixed with Southern Comfort.

The soda fountain, watered-down stuff, on the other hand, is horrible. 🤮

 

[Ivanhoe]

1 hour ago, Leo Niehorster said:

And I resemble the anti-Dr-Pepper comment — although, frankly, it only tastes good out of a can or mixed with Southern Comfort.

You must be from the Deep South of Germany!

Having grown up in SoCal, A&W standards were around, and it was the standard root beer in supermarkets. As strange as it sounds, a root beer float with vanilla ice cream is surprisingly good.

Keep in mind that root beer is as varied as beer. A lot of the cheap knock-off brands are bland and watery. Every blue moon I'll get Barq's at a fast-food restaurant. Over-carbonated, but less sugary than most.

 

[Murph]

On 10/30/2022 at 4:40 PM, DKTanker said:

No, no.  This is about root beer, not Dr. Pepper.

No, Dr. Pepper is the fluid of the gods, Root Beer is just nasty, tasting like medicine.  Hot Dr. Pepper with a thin slice of lemon is a nice winter drink.  Or a Dr. Pepper float...

[sunday]

I had a can of Dr. Pepper in Fort Nelson, UK.

I concluded that I am not a fan of strawberry chewing-gum flavored sweet beverages.

[DB]

So Murph likes iced tea and boiled soda, and presumably insists that this isn't weird?

On the other hand, I like dandelion and burdock soda.

[bojan]

Burdock syrup + sparkling water is great thing. Dandelion syrup is also nice, but total PITA to make, since you need so much flowers, my whole family house yard has enough for maybe 1/2 liter.  Elderberry flower syrup is IMO top of those "almost forgotten" rural folk recipes. Super simple to make since you need so few flowers, and single tree/shrub can provide you enough for 10+l of syrup easily. Ever tried beetroot syrup with sparkling water?

[DB]

I've not tried either elderflower or beetroot syrups, but I have made elderberry and blackberry wine, with fruit from my own garden. I made three batches over years, with respectively 2:1, 1:1 and 1:2 ratios by weight of elder:blackberry. The first was extremely tannic, the second balanced, the third was like drinking vodka and blackcurrant juice.

I never failed to get over 13% alcohol content (recipe included additional sugar to make sure!), and the last of those three blends was simply falling down water, giving no hint of the alcohol content until you couldn't stand. Far too sweet, it reminded me of the "fruit punch" recipe that you're supposed to feed to college girls when they aren't used to alcohol, according to myth and legend.

As for beetroot, mine comes in a jar, pickled, for accompaniment to cold cuts and salad.

[Harold Jones]

There is a local winery that sells several fruit type wines, including Dandelion, Elderberry, and Rhubarb wine.  Mostly I think they sell to tourists, but my uncle gave us a sampler pack for Christmas one year.  Of the three the dandelion was the best, probably because it was the least sweet. I think most of all three bottles went down the sink in the end.

 

[Sardaukar]

Sometimes people mistake root beer with ginger ale.

Not that I like either, unless they have alcohol...

[bojan]

1 hour ago, DB said:

I've not tried either elderflower or beetroot syrups...

Both are basically flavored simple syrup, hence usable in various cocktails or dissolved in water to make juice.

Elderberry - put ~15 flowers into 1.5l of boiled water, keep for 8 hours. Strain, add 1kg of sugar, ~10-15g of citric acid, mix until dissolves (might require some heating). Can be kept in the fridge for 2-3 weeks. If you want more permanent one, heat up the mix until just before boiling and pour it into well warmed up bottles. Can keep for year+ this way, no preservatives required. You can experiment with amount of flowers/sugar/citric acid for a best combo. Burdock syrup is made same way through it requires a lot of work to gather flowers.

Beetroot - grate 0.7-0.8kg of beetroot, put into 1l of water, boil while removing foam. Once it has boiled remove from heat and let it stand for 10-15 minutes. Add 1kg of sugar and 10-20g of citric acid. Heat up again until it is just about to boil, then pour into well warmed up bottles. Again, sugar/citric acid ratio can be adjusted. Vanilla extract is also popular add on.

 

[Murph]

On 11/7/2022 at 4:53 AM, DB said:

So Murph likes iced tea and boiled soda, and presumably insists that this isn't weird?

On the other hand, I like dandelion and burdock soda.

That sounds.... interesting.  Iced Tea is the fluid of heaven, and you do not boil the Dr. Pepper, you gently warm it then put it in a mug with a thin slice of lemon.  

[Murph]

9 hours ago, Sardaukar said:

Sometimes people mistake root beer with ginger ale.

Not that I like either, unless they have alcohol...

Ginger ale is good for upset stomachs.

[Sardaukar]

7 minutes ago, Murph said:

Ginger ale is good for upset stomachs.

Vomiting after alcohol is good...

It is you body telling that..hey, you can have few more...