As we plan our summer vacations, there are a few things we all feel like we have to do before the season ends. Whether that’s spending a day at the beach, taking a camping trip, or enjoying an outdoor concert, we all have at least one thing we have to do before we consider our summer complete. In Seabrook, summer just isn’t summer until you enjoy some delicious fried seafood from Jasmine’s at least once. Preferably more than once. But you need the right cold drink to go with your tasty fried seafood, which is where root beer, the original American soda, comes in.
Why do we call root beer the original American soda? Let’s take a look at the history of this classic soft drink.
Medicinal Roots
Before anyone made anything even called root beer, the indigenous tribes of North America brewed teas from the roots and leaves of medicinal plants. These plants included sassafras—the most prominent flavor in root beer—wintergreen, and sasparilla. When European colonists arrived, they brought the European tradition of brewing “small beer” with them. Small beer was beer with a very low alcohol content, usually between 1 and 2% ABV. This practice came from the need for something that was safe to drink (the water was often contaminated) and that wouldn’t get you drunk during the day. When the Europeans learned of the medicinal properties of certain plants, they brewed small beers from them that they called “root beers.”
Commercialism, Prohibition, and Health Bans
In the 1800s, business-minded Americans realized the financial opportunities root beer offered. Multiple companies, including Barq’s and A&W, made flavored syrups and sold them to soda fountains as a non-alcoholic beverage. Even though these soft drinks were not brewed like beer, the name root beer stuck and the drink was a commercial hit. When Prohibition rolled around, root beer became even more popular as there was no way to obtain alcohol and stay on the right side of the law.
After Prohibition ended, however, there was a different kind of ban. While the sassafras root does have medicinal properties, it can cause liver damage in large amounts. When root beer producers realized this, they started to search out other ingredients to copy the flavor. By the 1960s, the USDA banned sassafras oil as a food additive, so all root beer makers were forced to change their recipes.
Seafood, Root Beer, and Jasmine’s
Today, root beer remains popular as a soft drink among people of all ages. Served ice cold, its sweet yet complex flavor is the perfect accompaniment to your favorite summer meals. Whether that’s fried seafood, a juicy burger, or a classic roast beef sandwich, you’ll find it all at Jasmine’s. Call us at 603-474-8181 or order online!
