Root Beer Float

Root Beer Float

Deep Dive into Root Beer Float Ingredients

Charles Elmer Hires (8/19/1851-7/31/1937), was an American pharmacist and founder of the Charles Hires Company. He was said to be the first to mass market the drink at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition of 1876. This also happens to be the Temperance Movement Era where social groups pushed for the abstinence of alcohol. Root beer was consumed as a non-alcoholic alternative to beer. His spark for the idea emerged from root tea (herbal tea brewed from bark/roots) served to him in a New Jersey establishment. And so, the forceful rise of root beer drink rose during the late 1800s to mid-1900s through vigorous promotion by Charles Hire.

Experts have proved through animal testing that the ingredient safrole causes liver damage. Usage of this aromatic clear oil in Sassafras plants was banned in 1960 by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This ingredient produces the pronounced flavor of root beer. No worries the carcinogenic stuff was switched out for safrole-free (artificial) sassafras flavoring so you still get to enjoy that great taste.

Origin of the Root Beer Float

It amazes me that people can create beverages from what they envision through imagination. The local nighttime beauty of Cow Mountain’s white snow peaks in Colorado inspired Frank J Wisner. Wisner owner of Cripple Creek Brewing Company crafted the root beer float beverage on August 19, 1893. The nighttime sky gives way to dark mountains representing the dark color of the root beer. The soft snowy white peaks represent decadent fluffy vanilla ice cream. Weirdly enough instead of it being called a root beer float, Wisner named the Myers Avenue Red Root Beer topped with vanilla ice cream “Black Cow Mountain.”

Root Beer Float Recipe

The rich creaminess from the ice cream with the extra pop from the vanilla bean flavor. The carbonated bubbles tickle your nose when trying to drink it, making this beverage hard to pass up.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 4 minutes
Total Time 4 minutes
Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Servings 1

Ingredients
  

  • 8 fl. oz A&W root beer soda
  • 3 scoops vanilla bean ice cream

Instructions
 

  • Add ice cream scoops in a chilled tall glass or mug.
  • Slowly pour root beer soda into the glass with ice cream halfway. Allow the fizz to go down then pour in the remaining soda.
  • Enjoy this classic in its simple form or add your topping.

Notes

Tips
To keep all ingredients from melting too quickly
  • Place glass or mug in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. If the glass or mug is not freezer-friendly place it in the refrigerator for 30-35 minutes.
  • Make sure your root beer soda is cold (below 41 degrees Fahrenheit)

Toppings

Now, I see most classic root beer floats with no toppings. But who says you can’t add your preferred toppings?

So, try adding to your root beer float …

  • A maraschino cherry
  • A drizzle of magic shell chocolate fudge
  • A squeeze of whipped cream

It can be considered a treat diving into the ingredients used to create this non-alcoholic beverage. Especially when discovering the first successful mass market of the star ingredient, root beer soda. The imagination of one and inspiration from snowy mountains create a decadent creamy dessert. Funny enough to find that the original name of the drink is nowhere close to the current. Try out the Root Beer Float recipe above and add your favorite topping. Better yet just enjoy it in its classical twisted form. Notably due to vanilla bean ice cream being used instead of plain vanilla ice cream.