Thursday 19 September 2013

Thirsty Thursday - My Love Affair With Root Beer

Ah root beer, root beer gets a post all of its very own because we are in love. I first tried root beer by accident and it was not love at first taste. 

Nick and I were at DunWell Donuts in Brooklyn and I decided to order a soda, they all came on tap and had strange names so I had no idea what any of them were. For no particular reason I picked a sarsaparilla soda. At first I was unsure but slowly the drink grew on me and days later I found myself thinking about it. I turned to google, effectively the matchmaker in this burgeoning relationship, firstly to find out what on earth a sarsaparilla was and secondly to work out where and how we could meet again. 

Once I discovered that this mysterious ingredient was the main flavour in Root Beer I set about trying as many kinds as possible and our NYC to Chicago road trip was peppered with meetings like this one at Veggie Grill in Cambridge...



...this one on a bench in Salem...


...and this one at Evolution Cafe on our way out of Northampton.


I picked up many bottles and cans along the way, some micro brewed...


...some very definitely not.


Some accompanied cupcakes in Cleveland...


...and some were paired with pizza in Chicago.


I'm lucky enough to live around the corner from Cybercandy, a US import store, who sell Gale's root beer which is one of my favourites.

In Austin I tried a Root Beer Snow Cone which wasn't a winner in my eyes. Apparently I prefer my root beer chilled rather than frozen.


I did however offset this troubling experience with another root beer and all was well with the world again!


In Portland I was even lucky enough to try my first ever root beer float which, amidst the excitement, sadly went unphotographed. I am currently in Santa Cruz and I'm sure that there will be more root beers in the not too distant future.

21 comments:

  1. I was afraid you wouldn't get to the root beer float; I don't know why I doubted you. That's the best way to enjoy a root beer; a certain ice cream shop in the L.E.S. makes the best one in the universe.

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  2. Hah, I came to mention the root beer float too! I didn't see it at the end. Root beer floats are the BEST!

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  3. I love Root beer as well and a root beer float just pushes it over the edge... in a fantastic way.

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  4. mmm...root beer <3 My parents (who were married for nearly 56 years) had their first date at an A&W drive in. KNowing my mama, there was a root beer float involved.

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  5. Yuuumm! This love affair is very similar to mine with Ginger Ale. But I do love a good Root Beer! Especially Maine Root's.

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  6. Those bottles are pretty funky! I've never tried root beer but you've got me intrigued. Does it taste like coke? I've had a coke float before...

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  7. I had a root beer float at Back To Eden once. While I liked the flavour, sadly I had neglected to remember that I can't drink fizzy drinks because they give me horrible indigestion! Anyway, no more root beer for me.
    You certainly have sampled a wider variety!

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  8. You do love your root beer! Oh man I want a root beer float SO badly! Where in Portland did you have it and why didn't I??

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  9. I like Maine Root a lot. Abita is my favorite root beer.

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  10. Suddenly, I want a root beer :-) Even though the snow cone root beer wasn't your favorite, it looks fun!

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  11. Root beer was my favorite soda as a child and it was best enjoyed as a root beer float. Good to see so many different ones available nowadays...

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  12. Cynthia (Amey's mom)20 September 2013 at 08:09

    Hi Jojo - Welcome to Santa Cruz! Sounds like you guys had an amazing day out on the bay. And, on the dual subjects of root beer floats + noshtalgia, ask Amey about stopping for root beer floats at the A&W in Oakdale. Ah, so many good mofo themes!

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  13. I know you love this stuff but I still think it smells/tastes like germoline!

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  14. i review root beers if you ever want to see just a sample of what is out there. been at it 17 years and i am still not done. =)
    rootbeerbarrel.com

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  15. i like root beer flavored candy but when comes to soda...i like grape! odd right?

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  16. I love that you love root beer jojo!

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  17. I would love a root beer float right about now! My aunt used to always make them for me when I was little when I slept over her house. We have a vegan ice cream truck here in RI that does floats, I think... I might need to catch them before they close up for the Summer! ^_^

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  18. How fun! I very rarely get root beer, but I don't know why because I've always enjoyed it. I've had root beer floats on the brain ever since Ketty from Luminous Vegans posted one on her blog... Your post cinches it. I need a bottle ASAP.

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  19. You know, I always say I hate soft drinks, but I do like root beer, but for some reason, always forget it exists. I also like Verner's Ginger Ale, which is so incredibly dry, and impossible to find outside of a few areas of the US and Canada.)

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  20. I love root beer. Have you ever tried bundaberg rootbeer from Australia? I lamentedtit's loss when I came home (england) and then randomly found that the tiny corner shop next door occasionally stock it and their ginger beer. I was very happy!

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