Root beer is a classic American soda that has been around since the colonial days. It has a distinct sweet yet spicy flavor profile. So what gives root beer its signature taste? Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients in root beer and find out if vanilla is one of them.
The Origins of Root Beer
Root beer originated from homemade “small beers” that colonists brewed using sassafras roots, birch bark, and other wild herbs and spices. These crude sodas were believed to have medicinal properties and were sometimes called “root tea.” The term “root beer” eventually came about in the late 1700s.
Back then, root beer was brewed like actual beer, going through a fermentation process. It had a very low alcohol content. Modern root beers are not fermented and do not contain any alcohol.
Primary Ingredients in Root Beer
While traditional root beers contained sassafras as the main ingredient, most modern root beers use artificial sassafras flavoring or eliminate it altogether due to a ban by the FDA. Other key ingredients in root beer include:
- Sugar – Usually in the form of high fructose corn syrup, which helps sweeten the soda.
- Carbonated water – Gives root beer its bubbly, effervescent quality.
- Caramel coloring – Provides the dark color.
- Spices and extracts – Such as cinnamon, anise, vanilla, and wintergreen which supply the spicy-sweet taste.
Does Root Beer Contain Vanilla?
Vanilla is one of the key flavoring agents used in most root beers. While the exact recipe varies by brand, vanilla extract or natural vanilla flavoring is commonly added to root beer:
- A&W Root Beer uses both vanilla and vanilla bean extracts for flavoring.
- Barq’s Root Beer contains natural and artificial flavors, including vanilla.
- IBC Root Beer relies on aged vanilla among other spices and flavors.
- Mug Root Beer draws its vanilla notes from vanilla extracts.
So even though the original colonial root beers were not made with vanilla, most modern mass-produced root beer brands contain vanilla extract or vanilla flavoring as a major ingredient.
Other Common Root Beer Flavorings
In addition to vanilla, some other typical flavorings and spices used to make root beers include:
Flavoring/Spice | Flavor Profile |
---|---|
Wintergreen | Provides a cool, minty taste |
Anise | Adds a licorice flavor |
Cinnamon | Imparts a spicy, warm flavor |
Nutmeg | Adds a sweet, spicy aroma |
Honey | Contributes a rich, sweet flavor |
Molasses | Provides a robust, bittersweet taste |
Ginger | Gives a zesty, spicy kick |
Cloves | Supplies an aromatic, subtly spicy flavor |
Sarsaparilla | Adds a distinct, earthy flavor |
Making Your Own Root Beer with Vanilla
It’s easy to make homemade root beer and control the ingredients, including the amount of vanilla flavoring. Here is a simple DIY root beer recipe you can try at home:
Ingredients:
- 3-4 cups of sugar
- 5 gallons of water
- 1 oz sassafras root bark (optional)
- 1-2 Tbsp root beer extract
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp yeast (optional for fermentation)
Instructions:
- Bring water to a boil in a large pot.
- Remove from heat. Add sugar and stir until dissolved.
- Add sassafras bark if using and let steep 15 minutes.
- Remove sassafras bark.
- Stir in root beer extract, vanilla extract, and yeast if fermenting.
- Allow to cool fully before bottling.
- For best results, refrigerate 1-2 days before drinking to allow flavors to meld.
This will produce an old-fashioned vanilla-infused root beer. You can adjust vanilla amounts to your liking. More extract will result in a more prominent vanilla taste.
Conclusion
Vanilla is a key ingredient that provides its sweet, fragrant flavor to most modern commercial root beers. Even though early root beer recipes did not include vanilla, today it is one of the primary flavorings and completes the spicy-sweet taste profile that makes root beer distinctively delicious. So if you savor those vanilla notes in a frosty mug of root beer, now you know why they’re there!