Friday

for the love of root beer


help!!!  well not really help in its dramatic emergency sense, but in the can you help a friend out.  we have been on the search for the perfect bottle or can of root beer.  we dont even really have a deep life long obsession for the drink, but we have always loved it.  i think the desire to find our favorite came from a thought at hadleys in cabazon, ca on a road trip stop.  we were looking in the drink case and I wondered why out of all the soda like drinks we consume in the world, why root beer has so many more varieties than all the others.  there is only really coke and pepsi, 7-up and sprite and all the others with their limits.  but root beer has so many more.  so, in pure indulgent fashion, we bought all the different kinds they had(and a date shake, when at hadleys, you have to).  

so that gets us to here, we have had about 12 different ones and are looking for help to find the worlds best root beer.  we would love your suggestions.  it has to be in a bottle or can, as we have a hard time traveling to drink it out of a tap.  I know that some people like it sweet and some with more of a bite, but being husband and wife, we already have our his and hers favorites.  I love the sprecher the best and she loves the virgil's, each lovely in their different ways.  please leave a comment and we will try and track it down.  we will keep you updated as we go.

18 comments:

  1. JulieMarch 27, 2009 at 3:42 PM

    stewart's. stewart's stewart's stewart's. i don't know what else to say. if you can locate one of the original road-side hamburger joints, that's where you'll find the best rootbeer, but the bottle is just as good (you just don't get car service with it). and if you really want the full experience, add some vanilla ice cream for the original "brown cow."

    please try a bottle! i can't even tell you how good it is.

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  2. the localMarch 27, 2009 at 5:23 PM

    what?!? IBC is totally the best! in the brown bottle...a texas classic. add some vanilla ice cream...mmm and you're in heaven.

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  3. LisaMarch 27, 2009 at 5:53 PM

    I wouldn't be a true Portlander if I didn't recommend Henry Weinhards.

    Lovely blog, btw.

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  4. CallyMarch 27, 2009 at 7:47 PM

    My boyfriend and I love Dad's Rootbeer. I definitely recommend it.

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  5. Alisha StamperMarch 27, 2009 at 10:16 PM

    thomas kemper's.

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  6. seanMarch 28, 2009 at 3:35 PM

    try BOYLAN'S! it's an all natural company with amazing root beer, birch bear and cream soda.

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  7. Charlie BarleyMarch 28, 2009 at 7:43 PM

    Sprecher is the cat's meow. BUT I have to say Henry Weinhards is my fave. It just has that awesome draft taste like no other and is readily available across the country. Boylans is OK, definitely unique. IBC is a classic, but nothing to call home about. AND Stewarts...well, is just crap.

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  8. josephMarch 28, 2009 at 8:50 PM

    try abita root beer - from louisiana.
    http://abita.com/brews/root_beer.php
    add some ice cream for me!

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  9. kristarMarch 29, 2009 at 6:10 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  10. JonMarch 30, 2009 at 11:17 AM

    I'm a Stewarts fan myself. But you should also try Moxie - which isn't technically root beer, but it's my favorite non-mainstream soft drink.

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  11. h.March 30, 2009 at 7:02 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  12. h.March 30, 2009 at 7:04 PM

    Thomas Kemper and Henry Weinhardt were the two favorites of a blind root beer tasting test my husband and I did in the fall (birthday party theme).

    However stay away from "Natural" and "Hansens" they were deemed awful (the latter universally so).

    If you're in the Portland, OR area Deschutes Brewery has a tasty root beer.

    By the bye, came across your website from a link on "my polaroid blog".

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  13. nikkole!March 30, 2009 at 10:55 PM

    hands down virgil's
    it s made in heaven is nt it?

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  14. meganMarch 31, 2009 at 1:11 PM

    i love an iced cold maine root. thats the brand name and it also has like sasparilla and ginger root, so good.

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  15. kitchen momApril 5, 2009 at 9:58 PM

    We just received as a gift a six pack of Chowning's Tavern Root Beer. This is the root beer they serve in Colonial Willamsburg taverns. Every member of our family that is root beer obsessed said it's the best root beer they ever had.

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  16. dkimbApril 15, 2009 at 2:15 PM

    In Los Angeles, Galco's Soda Pop Stop Store, on York has 45 - that's FORTY FIVE kinds of root beer - many you've never heard of, regional classics, newer artisan varieties, as well as hundred of other drinks & sodas from around the world. If you are on the hunt for root beer, sportsfans, you may not skip this place, you're research will not be complete!

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  17. BuckJuly 28, 2010 at 5:34 PM

    Apparently none of you have ever had a Triple X (xXx) Root Beer. If I could go back and time and have one I would. Texas best.

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  18. BryanFebruary 3, 2011 at 6:53 PM

    You should definitely try the root beer from Maine Root. It's handcrafted, all natural, and organically sweetened.

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