National Stewart’s Root Beer Day

Root beer offers a classic flavor that some might argue is part of the fabric of American culture. Take some time today to honor this iconic beverage because it’s time for National Stewart’s Root Beer Day!

Late 1700s
From medicinal root drinks to early American “root beer”
Home brewers in the young United States adapt Indigenous and European small‑beer traditions, making low‑alcohol, medicinal drinks from sassafras, sarsaparilla, and other roots that evolve into early forms of root beer.
1876
Hires introduces commercial root beer in Philadelphia
Pharmacist Charles E. Hires unveils his reformulated “root beer” to crowds at the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, helping transform homemade root drinks into a nationally marketed soft drink.
1893
Bottled root beer enters mass distribution
The Charles E. Hires Company begins selling bottled root beer, moving the drink out of soda fountains and home brew kettles and into a packaged product that can be shipped and sold widely.
1898
Barq’s brings Gulf Coast flair to root beer
Edward C. Edmond Barq Sr. starts bottling what becomes Barq’s Famous Olde Tyme Root Beer in Biloxi, Mississippi, creating a regional competitor known for a crisper, often caffeinated style.
1919–1922
A&W and the rise of the root beer stand
Roy W. Allen begins selling root beer at a stand in Lodi, California in 1919 and soon partners with Frank Wright, forming A&W and helping popularize the drive‑in root beer stand model.
1924
Frank Stewart launches his root beer stand in Ohio
Schoolteacher Frank Stewart opens a root beer stand in Mansfield, Ohio, serving his own recipe and laying the groundwork for the Stewart’s drive‑in chain and its future “Fountain Classics” sodas.
1960
FDA bans safrole in food and drink
After studies link safrole, a compound in natural sassafras oil, to cancer in lab animals, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration prohibits its use in foods, prompting root beer makers to switch to safrole‑free or artificial flavorings.

How to Celebrate National Stewart’s Root Beer Day

Get ready to raise a glass because it’s time to celebrate National Stewart’s Root Beer Day! Try out some of these ideas for celebrating:

Drink Some Stewart’s Root Beer

Certainly the best way to enjoy a warm summer afternoon on National Stewart’s Root Beer Day is to pop open a chilled bottle and enjoy!

Drink it straight from the bottle or pour it into a frosty, chilled mug for the best enjoyment. The folks over at Stewart’s say that their root beer tastes like it is “straight from the barrel”, boasting a sweet, creamy flavor with hints of sarsaparilla, molasses and vanilla.

And those who want to get serious about sharing the day should be sure to buy a four-pack, six-pack or even a twelve-pack of Stewart’s Root Beer and share it with friends, family or coworkers in honor of the day!

Visit a Stewart’s Root Beer Stand

Since Stewart’s Root Beer began with its iconic fountain drinks from a root beer stand, a great way to celebrate National Stewart’s Root Beer Day might be to visit one of the remaining restaurant locations.

Although the classic drive-thru style diner restaurants from the 1950s and 1960s have mostly gone by the wayside, a few of them still remain.

To visit one of more than twenty Stewart’s Root Beer Stands, look for them mostly in New Jersey or a few others in Ohio, West Virginia and New York.

Try a Root Beer Taste Test

Not sure which root beer is the best? In honor of National Stewart’s Root Beer Day, gather around a group of friends or family members and host a little blind taste test to see which one is favored by the group.

Of course, it would be appropriate to start with Stewart’s and then add in some other brands such as Barq’s, Dad’s or A&W. Check it out and celebrate not only Stewart’s, but all of the root beers on this day!

History of National Stewart’s Root Beer Day

Stewart’s Root Beer has a history that dates back to around a century ago, when soda fountains were all the rage in the United States.

Frank Stewart, a teacher in Mansfield, Ohio, founded the company as a small business when he opened a root beer stand during the summer months that would eventually become a chain.

By the 1950’s, Stewart’s drive-thru style restaurants became super popular and several of these remain, still serving root beer, popcorn, hot dogs and more.

Stewart’s didn’t begin bottling their root beer until 1990, but it has been found on grocery store shelves ever since. The brown glass bottle and vintage orange logo design bring a bit of nostalgia to this sweet, caramely beverage.

National Stewart’s Root Beer Day offers a super opportunity to enjoy and show appreciation for the unique and memorable flavors that come from this time-honored soft drink!

National Stewart’s Root Beer Day FAQs

Is root beer actually made from roots today?

Modern commercial root beer is usually not made by boiling whole roots the way early homemade versions were.

Historically, people in North America brewed root beer by simmering roots and barks such as sassafras and sarsaparilla, then lightly fermenting the sweetened liquid.

Today, most large brands use blends of natural and artificial flavorings that imitate those botanicals, and the drink is carbonated with injected carbon dioxide rather than fermentation.

Why is sassafras no longer a standard ingredient in commercial root beer?

Sassafras root and bark once defined classic root beer flavor, but in 1960 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned safrole, a major component of sassafras oil, as a food additive after animal studies showed it could cause liver cancer.

As a result, mainstream producers reformulated root beer with safrole‑free extracts and other flavorings to mimic the traditional taste without using safrole itself.

Does root beer usually contain caffeine or alcohol?

Is root beer better for teeth than cola?

Dentists group root beer with other sugary sodas because it still bathes teeth in sugar and acid, both of which can damage enamel and promote cavities.

Some formulations of root beer may be less acidic than many colas, which could make them slightly less erosive, but health organizations emphasize that frequent intake of any sugar‑sweetened soft drink, including root beer, increases the risk of tooth decay and should be limited.

How did root beer become associated with American soda fountains and drive‑ins?

Root beer grew popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as pharmacists and soda fountains sold it as a refreshing alternative to alcoholic drinks.

When car culture and drive‑in restaurants expanded in the 1920s and 1930s, many stands built their identity around frosty mugs of root beer, which helped tie the drink to images of cruising, carhops, and family outings in mid‑century American life.

Why do some people outside North America think root beer tastes “medicinal”?

Outside the United States and Canada, many people encounter root beer’s flavor only in products like mouthwash, toothpaste, or cough syrup, which often use wintergreen‑like aromas similar to traditional root beer flavorings.

When they later try the soda, the taste can be strongly associated with medicine rather than with a sweet treat, so the drink may seem unfamiliar or off‑putting even though it is popular in North America.

What is the difference between root beer and sarsaparilla?

Historically, sarsaparilla referred to drinks flavored primarily with the Smilax ornata vine, while root beer used a broader mix of roots and barks such as sassafras, sarsaparilla, wintergreen, and birch.

In modern practice the lines are blurry: many “sarsaparilla” sodas and root beers share similar flavoring compounds, and the names often reflect branding and regional tradition more than strict ingredient differences.