Why Barq’s Root Beer Isn’t Technically a Root Beer At All

Tom Blank of Weird History Food explains the history of Barq’s Root Beer, noting how, with the addition of caffeine and the use of sarsaparilla instead of sassafras, is considered more a soda than a true root beer. Despite this technical detail, Barq’s became one of the most popular root beer flavored beverages around and was particularly known for its bite.

Bizarrely, one of the reasons it became a popular root beer is also the reason it technically isn’t root beer at all. By containing caffeine barks is actually closer to a soda. But since the taste is more akin to root beer that’s what it became known as to the general public. 

An Original Barq’s Bite Commercial