Top 10 Best Root Beers

The Top Ten
1 A&W Root Beer

Whilst the mighty, heavily-funded Barq's Root Beer capitulates to society's ever-growing obsession with sugar, and others mistakenly see it as a challenge to perform a 180 degree turn, A&W has been able to grow in its own right, fast becoming the greatest brand of Root Beer to grace us with its presence. Fall to the floor and weep at the sight of this great brand. Viva la A&W, viva la root beer!

When I think of root beer, A&W comes to mind. Don't get me wrong, I like almost every root beer I have had, but A&W is just the best. Whether it's in a root beer float or all by itself, you just can't go wrong with A&W. We even picked out a name that begins with 'A' so A&W could be her initials. If you can get to one of their restaurants and can have it on tap, it's even better! I think I'll have one right now.

2 IBC Root Beer

IBC is by far my favorite root beer. I started drinking it about 10 years ago. Initially it was raised letters on the bottle that attracted me to give it a try. Now I have my local store order it by the case. I mostly drink diet root beer as I feel regular root beers are too sweet and creamy (go figure). IBC has a great balance of flavors with a strong bite. If I had to break it down I would say anise, molasses and vanilla. Unfortunately they've gone from 6 pack to 4 pack. One benefit was going from corn syrup to real sugar, but as for the diet they've said at IBC they've made no change. I can taste a change, it is a little more mild than the previous version. One question for IBC, if they've made no change to the diet version then why are the sodium numbers on the back lower than the 6 pack version of the IBC Diet? It is still my favorite with Boylan diet being second. I know lots of people say Virgil's is has the best flavor with its dominant nutmeg. Although I do agree it has a great flavor their diet is made with Stevia which really ruins the diet version.

3 Barq's Root Beer

My mom's family is from the Gulf Coast, Gulfport, Mississippi to be exact, and where Barq's was made for many years. I can still remember everyone being upset when the formula changed. If you ever talk to someone around during then they will tell you that it hasn't been the same since they quit using the "dirty river water", referring to the water from the Big Biloxi river. It was years before it regained the cultish following it had before it was made with filtered city water and finally figured out how to get the "bite" back. It's still my favorite root beer and I've been so happy that it's available everywhere now. It used to be just during trips to see the family that I got to have it.

4 Mug Root Beer

I think this is my favorite tied with Barqs (The only other brand I've had is A&W, but it's my least favorite of the three, I find the flavor too strong). It has a very interesting flavor. The flavor is mild, but not too mild. It's kind of like a mix of cola and root beer. I also really like the foamy bubbles at the top of it. it is. When I open a can, The bubbles of fizz rise to the top of the can, which I find really cool. This root beer is probably the best one for ice cream floats, and a good drink to accompany your pizza. I used to live in this small city called Covina in California, but I moved out recently. And there was this pizza place called "Santa's Pizza". They have great pizza, so if you live in or near Covina, CA, you should go check it out. Their prices are good, too. You can get two large slices of pizza and a can of soda for 2.29 (plus tax and CRV). Unfortunately, they used to have cans of Mug Root Beer, but I guess they were getting too expensive for them, because they got removed. They still have Mug Root Beer 2-Liter Bottles, which is good, but I just settle for the Pepsi cans.

5 Barrelhead Root Beer

Drank this brand in the 70's and early 80's and then it just went poof and disappeared. I stopped drinking root beer because after being spoiled by Barrel Head nothing else would do. NO other root beer I was able to get at the grocery store kept a head on it like this stuff did. It was like drinking Guinness Stout for kids.

Was the best when it was manufactured by cadbury and in my mind still the best root beer ever made. Sorry they discontinued it..

Excited to hear that Barrelhead Root Beer is being relaunched at the Atlantic City Seafood Festival on September 10, 2016!

6 Dad's Root Beer

The first root beer I had was A&W. It was my favourite. That was until I had this. I have never had another root beer like this. I love drinking it and it's a special treat, mostly because it's hard to find in my area. Now, A&W doesn't even come close to this. People don't even try to trick me with this because I taste the difference between Dad's and A&W. This is by far my favourite thing to drink. You can't top the classics.

I made prefer Dad's over all other root beers because I grew up with it and reminds me of the good times in the 90s. But I also love its smooth but barky flavor - and I also love the design of the can itself and that it hasn't changed over time: very simple, old school looking, and classic!

7 Hires Root Beer

A&W's rootbeer purchased the rights to Hires and has produced a similar tasting product that is just slightly off from the original Hires. If you look at the label on A&W's bottles/cans, you will see that they have used Hires design in part as well. To me, Hires ( made with real sugar and not corn syrup) will always be the best, followed by A&W and the old Frosty's in third spot.

Nice "rounded" sensation as you taste it. Not too sweet, good bold taste, with good carbonation. A great product for a tasty root beer float (the taste and carbonation cut through the butterfat and sweet content of the ice cream to give a good, overall combination). A&W, by comparison, is too sweet and has a burnt taste. Stewarts is very good as a stand-alone drink (not in a float), as is Mug, and Virgils, IBC and Dominion are high in my tests. Jones, Bulldog and Boylands are poor to.despicable. (Boylands' birch beer, on the other hand, is pretty decent.)

8 Route 66 Root Beer
9 Henry Weinhard's Root Beer

I absolutely love Henry Weinhard's Root Beer. It causes an explosion of delicious creamy bitter-sweetness on my taste buds, and I have not yet found a better root beer. A&W used to be my favorite, but then I went and found almost a dozen new brands and this was easily my favorite (coming from a guy who has trouble deciding on just one). I recommend this root beer to anyone who hasn't had a gourmet root beer. Although beware of the head. It often overflows if the pack isn't chilled properly. But the head is probably the best part, so just guzzle it anywau

10 Stewart's Root Beer

My favorite. Has the strongest flavor yet is smooth. Some of the major brands taste just a little watered down compared to Stewart's.

Ever since I've had my first bottle of Stewarts root beer, it's been my favorite.

I agree Stewarts Root Beer is the best. The flavor is smooth and awesome!

The Contenders
11 Junior Johnson

Best root beer ever. Stores in western North Carolina cannot keep it in stock.

12 Sparky's

Sparks is delicious. Not your typical root beer taste. Definitely more robust and sharp.

Very strong pleasant tasting root beer. Smell it all over the room when you open the lid...

Great root beer. Impossible to find in NC.

13 Sprecher

Sprecher is currently the tastiest root beer in production. I have had over 100 different root beers, and every single one on this list. The best root beer I have ever had was Flavor 8, but they are out of business. The fact that IBC is #1 is embarrassing. IBC is a mediocre root beer at best, and those who think it is the best have certainly never had a good brew.

If you like A&W or IBC Root Beer, give Sprecher's a try. Similar to two of the other best Root Beers around, Sprecher's has a little extra flavor, is a little darker, slightly creamier, and pulls back on the sweetness just the right amount. If you haven't tried this root beer you are doing yourself a great disservice.

14 Abita Root Beer

Made in Louisiana by Abita Brewing Co., LLC, Abita Springs. Some of the best root beer I've ever tasted.

It has a very specific calorie number.

The best root beer by far! It's amazing!

15 Frostie Root Beer

My all time favorite root beer. great memories of enjoying a bottle back when I was kind growing up in the 60's. Once in awhile I can find it in bottles here in Michigan but usually only around Christmas time, though other products are available year round. Thankfully I live just over the border from Indiana where I purchase it regularly in the South Bend area. For the record I have to say that I can find Frosty here in Michigan but only in plastic bottles and honestly it just does not taste the same.

16 Hank's Gourmet Root Beer

There are some great root beers on here, but I voted for Hank's because it is an almost perfect all-around root beer. A fantastic, long lasting head, a wonderful body, and great aftertaste is hard to beat. And that's exactly what you get with this root beer. Also, I'm getting sick and tired of seeing Barq's rated so highly. It is flat out awful to anyone with a distinguished root beer palate. Therefore, if barqs is truly the favorite root beer of those who voted for it, they are likely to only be familiar with flavors in our mainstream bubble such as barqs, mug, and A&W and thus, should try some amazing root beer that you cannot just get at WalMart, but rather go hunt for some gourmet goodness. With that said, I'm done ranting.

17 Jackson Hole Buckin' Root Beer
18 1919

I love 1919. It has just the right amount of carbonation, it's creamy, and when first poured, the head is deliciously frothy. I've had several different brands, such as IBC, Stewart's, Abita, Mug, A&W, Johnnie Ryan's, Boylan's, and many other. But 1919 is by far the best. I recommend trying it to everyone I know that likes root beer.

This is true old fashioned root beer. So much better than the sickeningly sweet brand name sodas. There's one problem though...unless you are ordering it online, it's only available in retail stores in the Midwest.

19 Sioux City Root Beer

Best root beer I have had, great sarsaparilla taste to it I could barely savor it and not drink it all!

This root beer has a taste unlike any other. It truly is the best out there.

Awesome root beer. Also got a good Sarsaparilla.

20 Virgil's

The most complex, yet drinkable, root beer on the market today. One swig and you taste vanilla, licorice, nutmeg, etc.. flavors that come together in your mouth with just the right amount of carbonation to please the palate. Enjoy a cold refreshing Virgils root beer in a nice cold, frosty mug! --- What a treat!

It "was" the best root beer hands down on the market about a year ago, I drank it regularly however in the past year they have managed to change recipe/where product is manufactured and it no longer is worth drinking.

21 Dog n Suds

I grew up in IL too and used to pick up Dog 'n Suds root beer by the jug. I've tried a lot of root beers over the decades but nothing comes close to the frothy awesomeness of Dog 'n Suds.

Just the right balance of creamy goodness, but best draft!

22 Lost Trail Root Beer

Regional, and an excellent root beer, very smooth.

23 Boylan

Most beautiful and traditional root beer, absolutely delicious.

Well rounded. Nothing to dislike.

Smooth. Lasting flavor. I like it.

24 Berghoff Root Beer

Love it! Reminds me of my Grandfathers homemade rooter.

25 Bundaberg Root Beer

Loved this Root Beer! Gorgeous syrupy flavour and I love the medicinal kind of taste it makes me think that there's a taste explosion in there!

First time trying this. It is delicious! I am just savoring the flavors. I love Virgil's but Bundaberg might be my new favorite.

There's entirely too much licorice used in this root beer. Tastes very medicinal. Has next to no head.

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