Nothing beats an ice cold root beer…except a root beer float.

[3] I am with [9]…go make a float right now.

I’ve always liked Stewarts and Dr. Browns, but am not ashamed to say A&W is very good too. I like all root beers to be honest, but Barqs wouldn’t top my list, especially not if you are making a float.

The one thing about root beer is it needs to be cold and carbonated. When it gets warm and flat, it kind of tastes “chewy”, so you really can’t buy a big bottle. Cans are probably the best way to go because they retain the carbonation, but there is something about a root beer in glass bottle.

I love root beer, birch beer, and cream soda, though all only in moderation. Birch beer is my favorite of the bunch,though. There’s a diner up on Rt. 17 that serves birch beer floats. My gods, they’re amazing.

I’ll admit I like my root beer on the creamy side (thus my fondness for floats), so while I get why Barqs is the choice, I often prefer the creamier alternatives. Cream soda is more of a once-in-a-blue-moon craving type of thing. I can’t buy a 2-liter of it and expect to finish it, but I’ll tear through a two-liter of Pennsylvania Dutch birch beer. We get those whenever we’re having folks over and they usually disappear rather quickly.

i do remember Ramblin’ Root Beer.

but, yeah, Barq’s is the best soda on the planet. hands down, no contest. period, end of.

i am a HUGE root beer fan. it’s really the only soda i drink. of course, i’ve never actually had a root beer float. go figure.

i followed the link. i never thought Barq’s would be #1. i figured the serious foodies types would dismiss this as minor league crap and go with some of the popular fancy root beers in bottles. i was pleasantly surprised they called Barq’s the best. it most certainly IS and it’s easily my favorite! in fact, i always stock it in the fridge, buying 12-packs at the supermarket. when i go out to eat, the places that carry Barq’s are generally my spots. that’s the dealbreaker.

Mug is good, but i don’t like A&W at all, it tastes ‘smoky’ to me, and i don’t dig that. if i’m somewhere and they only have the fancy brands in bottles, i try it, somewhat reluctantly. they’re usually expensive, but usually okay, though nowhere nearly as good as Barq’s.

Barq’s does indeed have the ‘bite’. i’m surprised this wasn’t mentioned in the article, but root beer generally does not have caffeine – like sprite – but Barq’s does, hence their slogan. i’m not a coffee guy, so this is the only time i ever have caffeine. sure, i’d prefer it if it weren’t in Barq’s, but i wonder how it would affect the taste…

Just let me say this, though, about the brew: I think it is so good that I would rather have it straight, than with VT made vanilla ice cream. I also drink it without the ice. At the farmers market, they sell it with DANGEROUS BROWNIES. Makes your teeth hurt, in a good way.