Tag: Root beer history

Modern root beer, a descendant of herbal teas, typically contains a significant amount of added sugar. For many years, high-fructose corn syrup has been the sweetener of choice for most mainstream brands, but the question of what kind of sugar is in root beer has become more complex with the rise of craft sodas and diet options.

In 1960, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the use of sassafras and its volatile oil, safrole, as a food additive due to significant safety concerns. This action effectively makes consuming the sassafras root, which contains concentrated levels of safrole, a serious health risk and therefore not safely edible.

While most major colas contain caffeine as a standard ingredient, a striking majority of root beer brands do not. This divergence stems from root beer's unique origins as a herbal, non-alcoholic drink, which never traditionally included caffeine in its core recipe.

The original, historical root beer was a fermented drink containing a small amount of alcohol. This historical context is why many people question, **Does A&W caffeine free root beer have alcohol in it?** However, modern commercial A&W root beer is a soft drink that is completely alcohol-free.

Since its founding in 1919, the A&W brand has been known for its classic, creamy root beer. This longevity often raises questions among health-conscious consumers, with a primary one being: 'Has A&W root beer always been caffeine free?'