The Bundaberg website uses cookies to improve your experience. Review our cookie policy here. Accept Policy. It looks like you are outside the USA. Over the years, we have received a lot of questions about the difference between Root Beer and Sarsaparilla and even more questions about the difference between Bundaberg Root Beer and Bundaberg Sarsaparilla. The Bundaberg Brewniverse stretches far and wide, meaning some members of the brew crew will see their brews a little differently to others.
Even though these brews do not share a name, they are the same — both crafted over three days using real liquorice root, sarsaparilla root, molasses and vanilla beans. In fact, no matter what the brew is called, it was brewed right here in our hometown of Bundaberg, Australia to the exact same recipe.
While Root Beer and Sarsaparilla might be alternate names for the same Bundaberg brew, traditionally speaking, they are two different drinks that have a separate and distinct history. So, we decided to have a look back through the history books…. These cookies do not store any personal information. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and are used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies.
By Dan Nosowitz on December 26, Dan Nosowitz. Sign up for your Modern Farmer Weekly Newsletter. Notify of. Most Voted Newest Oldest. Inline Feedbacks. View Replies 3. Bob Eklund. View Replies 2. John Ryder. View Replies 1. Jeremy Schwartz. Chip Millard. Lynette M. Red Dog.
Load More Comments. Explore Modern Farmer. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Sarsaparilla Zarzaparilla is a soft drink initially produced from the sarsaparilla zarzaparrilla vine Smilax ornata. Indigenous peoples of Central and South America used its roots for treating rheumatism, colds, cough, skin issues, but also in the prevention of sexual impotence and cancer.
Spanish soldiers imported the plant to Europe in the 16th century as a cure for syphilis. The beverage became popular in the US in the 19th century as a medicine for curing blood problems. It is possible to make this beverage with a few sarsaparilla species.
It includes plants from the Smilax family or wild sarsaparilla belonging to the Aralia family. It contains A, C, D, and B-complex vitamins and many minerals, including iron, iodine, manganese, copper, zinc, and silicon.
Scientists have also discovered that this plant features active chemical properties, including anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory compounds and antioxidants:. The beverage use is restricted for pregnant and nursing women and patients suffering from a sensitive stomach and kidney or prostate disorders. Root beer is an essential part of American culture since the 19th century.
The consumption started in the s, but the first documented recipes dated to the s. It was the first root beer commercial brand. Nowadays, manufacturers use different mixes to get unique flavors of this sweet and foamy drink. They produce different beverage types, including:.
Unfortunately, it was discovered that volatile oils in this plant could cause cancer. Nowadays, manufacturers flavor the modern beverage variation with sassafras oils and birch without adding the original plant. This drink often contains a tasty combination of sarsaparilla roots and ingredients like cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, anise, honey, juniper, aspartame, burdock, and wintergreen.
That is a reason why some experts consider it adulterated sarsaparilla. Believe it or not, there is also a variation with added caffeine. These ingredients change the beverage taste, which is an excellent choice for people disliking original sarsaparilla bitterness.
Most root beer production is centered in America, but you can also find some versions in Thailand and the Philippines. You can make your own beverage at home, as well. You should start by boiling molasses syrup and water. The preservative used in almost all brands is sodium benzoate. The modern root beers are flavored with artificial sassafras and are usually sweet, foamy, carbonated, and nonalcoholic. In addition to sassafras, other flavors of root beers are anise, burdock, cinnamon, dandelion, ginger, juniper, sarsaparilla, vanilla, wintergreen, etc.
For sweetening, the ingredients used are aspartame, corn syrup, honey, maple syrup, molasses, and sugar. Even though production of root beer is centered in America, countries like the Philippines and Thailand also produce their versions of root beer.
The tradition of brewing root beer might have originated from the fact that fermented drinks with low alcohol content added to medicinal and nutritional ingredients would improve health.
The recipe for making root beer is by boiling molasses syrup and water. The cooked syrup is allowed to cool for three hours, and ingredients such as sassafras root, sassafras bark, and wintergreen are added to it, along with yeast.
Subsequent fermenting may lead to getting a higher percentage of alcoholic content. It is believed that people started using it long before root beer, and the dislike of sarsaparilla by some people led to the original creation of root beer. However, sarsaparilla has continued its journey as a drink to the present time.
Varieties of the plant can be seen in tropical and temperate parts of the Western hemisphere. The sarsaparilla vine has small, greenish, and dark purplish red berries.
The extract made from its root tastes slightly bitter.
0コメント