Best Rootbeer in Louisville

there is a Root Beer aficionado in San Fran that posts reviews and the like

http://wombat.san-francisco.ca.us/cachi ... rvws1.html

The lo-cal Sprechter is delicious

Please don't stone me, but health requires I drink sugar-free if at all possible. Right now, I'm addicted to Diet Dr. Pepper, as the only diet drink that really tastes decent.

Long time Diet Coke addiction here.

Please don't stone me, but health requires I drink sugar-free if at all possible. Right now, I'm addicted to Diet Dr. Pepper, as the only diet drink that really tastes decent.

Long time Diet Coke addiction here.

Blah... you know you could kill the best rootbeer recipe ever....

Please don't stone me, but health requires I drink sugar-free if at all possible. Right now, I'm addicted to Diet Dr. Pepper, as the only diet drink that really tastes decent.

Long time Diet Coke addiction here.

Blah... you know you could kill the best rootbeer recipe ever....

But I formulated the best rootbeer recipe ever in 1994.

Had to resurrect this thread. I bought a bottle of root beer the other day. Had never heard of it before. Anyone familiar with Boylan rootbeer? It was great! Very 'birchy' start with a nice round aftertaste that was very creamy.

This resurrected thread is inspiring me to make some more home brewed root beer. Maybe cherry soda.

Carla, have you tried Birch Beer? It's not the same as Root Beer, but of a similar vein. It's very popular in the New England states.

From Wikipedia:
"Birch beer is a carbonated soft drink made from herbal extracts, usually from birch bark. It has a taste similar to root beer. Various types of birch beer are available, distinguished by color. The color depends on the species of birch tree from which the sap is extracted (though enhancements via artificial coloring are not uncommon). Popular colors include brown, red, purple and clear (often called white birch beer), though others are possible. After the sap is collected, it is distilled to make birch oil. The oil is added to the carbonated drink to give it the distinctive flavor. Black birch is the most common source of extract."

I've tried a couple of different brands on our annual pilgrimages to Gettysburg but I think I've seen the Sioux City brand available locally.

Boylan makes a birch beer, I've seen it show up at Whole Foods. It's not my thing, but my dad loves the stuff. It's very minty.

I finally got to try Sprechter's and it may be one of my favorites. I've got to try their cream soda...they use honey as a sweetner and it really comes through in the root beer, can only imagine what that does in a cream soda!

Burgers was selling the Sioux City root beer, first found it at Huber's Orchard Store but never tried it.

Za's has Abita on their menu, absolutely kills Sprecher's. Still sad no one has Bulldog on their menu.

Comfy cow in Westport Village has Abita Root beer.... mmmmm floats anyone?

Carla, have you tried Birch Beer? It's not the same as Root Beer, but of a similar vein. It's very popular in the New England states.

From Wikipedia:
"Birch beer is a carbonated soft drink made from herbal extracts, usually from birch bark. It has a taste similar to root beer. Various types of birch beer are available, distinguished by color. The color depends on the species of birch tree from which the sap is extracted (though enhancements via artificial coloring are not uncommon). Popular colors include brown, red, purple and clear (often called white birch beer), though others are possible. After the sap is collected, it is distilled to make birch oil. The oil is added to the carbonated drink to give it the distinctive flavor. Black birch is the most common source of extract."

I've tried a couple of different brands on our annual pilgrimages to Gettysburg but I think I've seen the Sioux City brand available locally.

I like birch beer but it seems to miss the creamy finish that I like in root beer. I've bought Sioux City from the Kroger in St Matthews some time back. I liked the Boylan because it uses cane sugar as a sweetener.

I grew up drinking A&W Root Beer. There was an A&W stand six houses down the street from our home. When I turned 16, literally on my birthday, my mother said, "It's legal now. Go get a job." So I did! Walked to the end of the street and got a job as a Carhop at the A&W. Worked there till I graduated from high school.

Was a Carhop, ran the grill, washed the dishes, hired and fired workers, trained the staff, placed orders with vendors, did the bookkeeping, pretty much did everything under the sun. Was the assistant manager at age 17. BUT, the least favorite part of the job was mixing the secret concentrated syrup from A&W with huge bags of sugar and gallons of water is a giant stainless steel tub on a riser. Had to stir the concoction with a metal "boat oar" till the sugar dissolved and then we bottled that dilute product into gallon jugs. I believe we mixed this solution 1:4 with water in the carbonation tank.

To this day, no root beer I've tried lives up to my memory of the creamy, frothy concoction we pulled out of the tap there. I'll have to give some of these others you guys have mentioned a try!

Thanks for this thread and a walk down memory lane.

Lois

Man, I am going to have to head over to Rich O's for some Sprecher on tap (miss my weekend trips up to Milwaukee from Chicago).

Old Town has a whole bunch of good root beers available by the bottle: Sprecher, Abita, IBC, Boylan's and Fentiman's (if you like the slightly medicinal flavor of Fentiman's). They have all varieties of bottled Sprecher (including the excellent Ravin' Red cranberry soda) and other Fentiman's, plus a bunch of other varieties of interesting sodas (and mixers). I'm a sucker for birch beer or real sasparilla. You can get Lost Trail sasparilla at the Morris Deli (aka Karem Deeb's).

Boylan makes a birch beer, I've seen it show up at Whole Foods. It's not my thing, but my dad loves the stuff. It's very minty.

Also have it at Meijer, surprisingly. It's my current go-to when I need a root beer fix.