Why Root Beer Is Such A Beloved Beverage In Utah

Root beer conjures up old-timey feelings. It's hard to think about an old-fashioned soda fountain without envisioning a cloudy, creamy, deep-brown root beer float, and in fact, the phrase old-fashioned is often used in the drink's marketing jargon. Buzzwords aside, root beer has been a staple in the soda world since the mid-1800s when it was still made from the root of the sassafras tree. When in 1960 the FDA banned sassafras root as an ingredient, root beer joined the ranks of other popular sodas made primarily with high fructose corn syrup. Despite this change in ingredients, its flavor is still beloved by many, and it's a particularly prized commodity in Utah.

Utahns love root beer for multiple reasons. In a state that up until the last two decades had significantly strict alcohol laws, residents turned to soft drinks, tea, and other beverages. At the time, the lack of accessible alcoholic beverages was due to the state's widespread association with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and its health code dictating that its members abstain from alcohol and caffeine. LDS parties and gatherings often include root beer as a substitute for regular beer, and you can even find a keg or two of root beer at bigger gatherings.

Utah has relaxed its liquor laws these days, but root beer still reigns as one the most popular drinks in the state, most likely because of its distinct taste and candy-like sweetness. With flavors of vanilla, molasses, cinnamon, allspice, and sarsparilla, the complexity of root beer is reminiscent of processed brew. Because root beer was initially made with yeast to yield a foamy pour, the latter word stuck, and craft brews are popular across the state. 

In addition to its IPAs and Stouts, Moab Brewery turns out small-batch, seasonal root beer, and Wasatch Brewery's Brigham's Brew is a nod to religious leader Brigham Young. Utah brewery SodaBeers Brewing Co. boasts a brewed, gluten-free vanilla root beer among the many soda-beers (apple, ginger, butterscotch) it produces. The popular pizzeria The Pie, near the University of Utah's campus in Salt Lake City, produces a well-loved, micro-brewed root beer from a cold keg.

Further south in Sandy, Utah, you'll find the mecca. The Root Beer Store is just as its name suggests — an entire shop devoted mostly to root beer. While they do carry other specialty sodas, the variety of root beer found here is close to complete, with more than 100 brands stocked. If you're looking for a deviation from the traditional root beer flavor, you can surely find it online here. If it becomes overwhelming, you can check out our ranking of the best brands of root beer, or ask a friendly Utahn for a recommendation.