Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY -- At the back of Red Rock Brewing Company are the big vats where root beer is brewed. It's caffeine-free and made with cane sugar, and they sell 100 gallons a week between their two locations.
"Between the comfort, the sweetness, everybody seems to have that sweet tooth," said Mike Brown, the marketing manager for Red Rock.
He says Utahns' love of root beer probably goes back to the days of Sarsaparilla in the Old West. Many Utahns also do not drink alcohol, and others even shun caffeine, making root beer a drink of choice here for years.
Now the nation is catching up. A food magazine and a spice company each named it a flavor trend. Others are talking about "craft" root beer and "premium" root beer.
Brown says while there can be preferences for different brand, it's never like the Coke vs. Pepsi debate.
"By and large you won't hear someone say, ‘I won't drink that one,' but, ‘I'll have a root beer, sure.'"
E-mail: mrichards@ksl.com
