Home > Blogs > The Lounge Lizards > Archives > 2008 > December > 05 > Entry
Shared history: Root Beer and Prohibition
Friday, December 5th marks the 75th anniversary of the repeal of prohibition.
You could toast the event with a cocktail of the adult variety, but you could also choose to toast it with a frosty mug of root beer … Why root beer? A surprising little bit of trivia that I did not know until a few days ago: Root beer was a product of the prohibition.
On the history tab on the IBC Root Beer Web site, it says that the brand was developed as an alternative to alcoholic beverages during the prohibition. 1919 Root Beer was named after the year in American history when hundreds of breweries were looking at shutting their doors due to prohibition which lasted from 1919 to 1933. Several brewmasters in the States chose to try and stay afloat (couldn’t resist that — sorry!) by making near beer and different sodas.
Earlier this summer we blogged on the Three Olives root beer vodka that they had launched which is surprisingly good. Here’s the blog entry and some recipes if that interests you at all. After sampling it I can say that I am a big fan and would recommend it should you like the flavor profile that root beer offers.
If you’re interested in a list of former speakeasies that emerged during the prohibition, a guide to hosting a prohibition party or cocktails from the era click here.
One last thing: If you plan on celebrating, what will you be toasting with?
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment | Categories: Bar talk
Comments
By Dave
December 5, 2008 4:56 PM | Link to this
No. Root beer, like ginger beer and near beer, existed long before Prohibition.