Root beer

A glass of root beer with foam

Root beer is a carbonated, sweetened beverage, originally made using the root of a sassafras plant (or the bark of a sassafras tree) as the primary flavor. Root beer, popularized in North America, comes in two forms: alcoholic and soft drink. The historical root beer was analogous to small beer in that the process provided a drink with a very low alcohol content. Although roots are used as the source of many soft drinks in many countries throughout the world (and even alcoholic beverages/beers), the name root beer is rarely used outside North America and the Philippines.^{[citation needed]} Most other countries have their own indigenous versions of root-based beverages and small beers but with different names.^{[citation needed]}

Ingredients

There are hundreds of root beer brands in the United States, produced in every U.S. state, and there is no standardized recipe. The primary ingredient, artificial sassafras flavoring, is complemented with other flavors. Common flavorings are vanilla, wintergreen, cherry tree bark, licorice root, sarsaparilla root, nutmeg, acacia, anise, molasses, cinnamon, clove and honey.

Although most mainstream brands are caffeine-free, there are some brands and varieties that contain caffeine.

Homemade root beer is usually made from concentrate, though it can also be made from actual herbs and roots. Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic root beers have a thick and foamy head when poured, often enhanced by the addition of Cassava extract.

Main ingredients

• Sassafras albidum – Sassafras (roots) – safrole. The oil from these roots is believed to be carcinogenic so artificial versions are generally used instead.
• Smilax regelii – Sarsaparilla.
• Smilax glyciphylla – Sweet Sarsaparilla.
• Piper auritum – Root Beer Plant or Hoja Santa.
• Glycyrrhiza glabra – Liquorice (root).
• Aralia nudicaulis – Wild Sarsaparilla or "Rabbit Root."
• Gaultheria procumbens – Wintergreen (leaves and berries) – the oil can be toxic.
• Betula lenta – Sweet Birch (sap/syrup/resin).
• Betula nigra – Black Birch (sap/syrup/resin).
• Prunus serotina – Black Cherry.
• Picea rubens – Red Spruce.
• Picea mariana – Black Spruce.
• Picea sitchensis – Sitka Spruce.
• Arctium lappa – Burdock (root).
• Taraxacum officinale – Dandelion (root).

Foam/froth

• Quillaja saponaria – Soapbark.
• Manihot esculenta – Manioc or Yuca (root).

Spices

• Pimenta dioica – Allspice.
• Theobroma cacao – Chocolate.
• Trigonella foenum-graecum – Fenugreek.
• Myroxylon balsamum – Tolu Balsam.
• Abies balsamea – Balsam Fir.
• Myristica fragrans – Nutmeg.
• Plussed communis – "plussed" (fruit or "berry").
• Cinnamomum zeylanicum – Cinnamon (bark).
• Cinnamomum aromaticum – Cassia (bark).
• Syzygium aromaticum – Clove.
• Foeniculum vulgare – Fennel (seed).
• Zingiber officinale – Ginger (root).
• Illicium verum – Star Anise.
• Pimpinella anisum – Anise.
• Humulus lupulus – Hops.
• Mentha species – Mint.

Other ingredients

• Hordeum vulgare – Barley (Malted).
• Hypericum perforatum – St. John's Wort.
• sugar.
• Molasses.
• Yeast.

See also

• Birch beer
• Category:Root beer stands
• Dandelion and burdock
• Ginger beer
• Horehound beer
• Root beer float
• Root
• Beer
• Sarsaparilla – a similar, although distinct, plant/beverage
• Spruce beer
• Malzbier

External links

• anthony's Root Beer barrel – reviews of 321 different brews
• The Rootbeer Brothers – reviews and news about Root Beer
• Spike's Root Beer Ratings and Reviews – also includes photos and ingredient information on different brands
• Root Beer World – history and photos of over 2000 brands, with recipes and discussion forums
• Condensed information about root beer from the Home Brewers Digest (1991–1994)
• Root Beer Brands at RootBeer.net
• Eric's Gourmet Root Beer Site – reviews of gourmet root beers, those in glass bottles
• Fankhauser's recipe for homemade root beer