In honor and remembrance, I’m having a Dad’s tonight.
Last week I popped into my local Bevmo and came across this collection. 
It’s ten root beers, two of each brand. Why they couldn’t just make it a twelve pack? I don’t know. But seeing it reminded me of the time I once had my own root beer taste test in Hawaii. So I picked up the pack and took it home. Got carded by the way – someone wasn’t paying attention.
I was impressed by Dad’s. It had been a while. And I was new to the bottle variety. I grew up with cans. And now that I have much more appreciation for root beer, I gotta say they make a nice product. It’s smooth, it’s a made with cane sugar, and it even even has it’s own iPhone app. No lie.
But none of them could unseat my all-tine favorite: Virgil’s Special Edition Bavarian Nutmeg.
Virgil’s is still number one (and number two with it’s regular root beer). In fact what originally attracted me to the root beer display was this Virgil’s Keg. 
I mean just look at that mother… father.
One day friend. One day.
Further Dispatches 
I’d love to try the Bavarian style. I’ll have to check World Market.
I haven’t had root beer in so long. I’ll have to check these out. There’s nothing like bottled beverages. They taste so much better than from a can or plastic.
HAPPY Doggy Daddy’s Day to YOU! There was a place in New Hampshire where I spent my summers that had the BEST birch beer and root beer in glass bottles. You could bring bottles back, watch them go through the lave, see them get flash chilled, then refilled with more nectar of the mug. That stuff and fresh fried clams (with the bellies and beachy gritty sand), made my summers so wonderful. Thanks for the memory flash back!
I got carded last time I was in Bevmo too, and I’m older than you are. Now, of course, I gotta go back and get this root beer sampler. I used to drink that sarsparilla all the time.
Have you tried Henry Weinhard’s? That’s where it’s at. I love Virgil’s. It really is great, but Henry’s has a vanilla flavor to it that makes it absolutely amazing.
i highly recommend the keg. also, you should definitely check out this place (if you haven’t already):
Consider it a compliment that you were carded.
Wow! I want that root beer collection! But that last one in the keg…. what a doozy! Must find one in my local stores and serve at a party. Thanks for the recommendation!
I didn’t know they made fancy root beer…I always have a 12 pack of good old A&W in my fridge. I remember going to the root beer stand when we were kids and my dad rolling down the car window so the root beer girl could hang a tray and bring us frosty, glass mugs of icy cold, root beer…so yummy…I miss those!!!
I’ve always loved Dad’s Root Beer, and A& W Root Beer. Would love to try the Virgil’s!
Always makes me feel young to get carded, lol!
I don’t even know if they have them any more but A&W Root Beer Stands used to have the best root beer and I don’t even like root beer and I liked it..and they served it in frosted mugs…also served a orange drink in the frosted glass too…sigh*..stuff just tasted better back before they started putting fruitose in everything..bring back cane sugar I say. Which is why my favorite drink is still Dublin Dr Pepper in the 81/2 oz. bottle..still use cane sugar and tastes just like it did when I was a kid..sigh(
Sioux City Sarsparilla is so good!! I grew up with Mug Root Beer (in those tiny brown bottles), though we do have tiny A&W mugs from long long ago, too. Lately I’ve been buying IBC Root Beer and Cream Soda for my daughter and her fiance when he comes to visit. Sodas don’t sit well with me anymore–too many bubbles. I do try to get those with cane sugar instead of corn syrup because it tastes like I remember sodas tasting when I was younger (dare I say like when Coke tasted like Coke in the late 70’s–can’t describe it but today’s Coke is NOT the same).
Ahh you gave me a giggle! I too love Dads Root Beer. I seem to recall the Frostie one too. My Delta Zeta BSU student had an event this year w/ her Sorority Sisters & a Fraternity & I love the DADS clothing they are dressed in.. She’s big on beers…not just the Root Beers, Im afraid…
I’ll have to try Virgil’s!
and you know you got carded ’cause the BevMo guy (or girl) recognized you and just wanted to see if it was REALLY you :)~
I loved Dad’s. But if you want some of the best out there…next time you and Beth hit Wisconsin, find 1919 rootbeer. Brewed and bottled in New Ulm, MN. Soooo good!
Hilarious! I thought I was the only person who said :motherfather!!
Also – love root beer and Dad’s imparticular. I”ll keep an eye out for Virgil’s – sounds yummy!
ME ENCANTARIA PROBARLA.
You can’t beat Virgil’s. Simply the best!
Hilarious!!! como està la cerveza americana?? de momento me quedo con la cerveza española y alemana. mmmmmmmm like a beer!!! cool beer!!! have a good week.
No es cerveza. Root beer es una gaseosa.
Virgil’s also makes a pretty darn good cream soda!
Jorge
While still in LA you need to go over to Galco’s Soda Pop Shop (http://www.sodapopstop.com/home.cfm in) on York Blvd. in LA – sort of Atwater area. Largest selection of Soda Pop from the US and around the world…most in bottles, most with cane sugar, including tons of different Root Beer choices. Man, I sound like a commercial for them… you’ll get a kick out of this place. They specialize in carrying soda’s people grew up with whether its from Georgia or California.
Maybe before you and Beth move up to Vancouver, you can go there and get the drinks for your Bon Voyage party there!
I love Mason’s when I can get it. After that any will do… as long as there’s a scoop of vanilla ice cream involved!
Me gusta la cerveza…. me encataría probar esa VIRGIL’S, por aqui en España no la he visto.
I LOVE Virgil’s! Some people think it’s too sweet but it’s just perfect. But my favorite is Sioux City Sarsaparilla.
Ok. Found Virgil’s on Amazon. I also have a bottle for a personal brewer of root beer here that appears at local markets. You can buy the large bottle for a pretty penny, but return with it for a decent priced refill. So I’m keeping the bottle for the next market hoping for a cheap refill. It’s about a liter.
But I’ll be buying Virgil’s party keg for the next get together!
When are you moving to Vancouver???
Sioux City Sarsparilla, Made right here in Iowa. Yummy.
You got carded, Jorge? I’m jealous! Especially since we are almost exactly the same age.
I have to think, though, that it wasn’t that the person who carded you wasn’t paying attention. It was probably more like he was thinking, “Oh boy! I get to see ‘Hurley’s’ ID!” heheh 😉
The Silver Gulch Brewery here in Fairbanks has a great root beer; as well as some GREAT “other” beers. Lemme know if you want to some; they ship, and I could too. Have a great week!
J~
Ooh, haven’t tried the Bavarian Nutmeg yet, but it’s sitting at home waiting for us. My husband catalogs and rates every rootbeer we drink http://starkravingblog.blogspot.com/ Kind of a convenient little reference point when I want a good rootbeer. Personally, my favorite rootbeer of all time is the homebrewed stuff at Anacapa Brewing Company in Ventura. I highly recommend it if you’re ever heading up that way.
I bought 4 Virgil bottles at Whole Foods about a month ago. I met someone in the store a few months before that who’s eyes sparkled at the mention. So I thought I would give it a try. I’m saving them for when my son comes home for a visit.
Jorge – if you get a chance, the best root beer I’ve ever had in my life is http://losttrailsoda.com/lost-trail-root-beer/. They also have delicious sarsaparilla, and it’s all made at a local (for me) cider mill in Louisberg, Kansas. It’s awesome! 🙂
While I was growing up, we had floats made with Dad’s root beer almost every Sunday. I haven’t had Dad’s for more years than I can remember, or even seen it. I didn’t realize that Sioux City beverages were distributed outside of the Midwest area. I haven’t tried the sarsaparilla, but my son loves their cream soda. I’ll have to pick up a carton next time I go shopping and give it a try.
We just tried Virgil’s Cream Soda and it was amazing! we definitely plan on trying the root beer soon!
Sioux City Sarsaparilla, oh man I miss that! I swear no one in the entirety of Canada sells it! As ginger ale is to ginger beer, so root beer is to sarsaparilla…
Henry Weinhards (which you’ll find an abundance of in Canada) is super great. If you ever make it out to Wisconsin–or want order it online– try Sprecher’s. It’s brewed locally and is sweetened with local honey. It’s AMAZING!!! I find Dad’s to taste a lot more like sarsaparilla root than most root beers.
I’ve had Sprecher. And as I remember according to the label it was sweetened with corn. And honey doesn’t show up until further down the list. And Weinhard’s has high fructose corn syrup so I’ll pass on that. Although I will admit there’s an A&W close to where we’re staying. And the thought of it kinda brings me back.