Taste – Birch beer has a minty flavor similar to wintergreen. It also has creamy, sweet, and earthy undertones. You may also taste peppery hints. The overall taste varies depending on what spices it contains. It can have flavors of vanilla, cloves, cinnamon, or nutmeg.
Contents
- 1 Why does birch beer taste different?
- 2 Does Fanta make birch beer?
- 3 Why does birch beer taste like mint?
- 4 What flavors go well with birch beer?
- 5 Why was sarsaparilla banned?
- 6 Is birch beer minty?
- 7 What flavor is white birch beer?
What is birch beer similar to?
Birch Beer: The Best Soda You’ve Never Tried A strange earthy, minty soft drink is the preferred soda of millions of Pennsylvanians. What is birch beer, and what makes it so good? Perhaps the defining quality of the cuisine of southeastern Pennsylvania, where I grew up, is a fierce opinion about small differences. An Italian hoagie must not, under any circumstances, contain mayonnaise; it must have olive oil. An Italian hoagie with mayo is incorrect.
Also incorrect: a soft pretzel in a traditional pretzel shape. Philadelphia soft pretzels have a unique thin, rectangular, symmetrical shape with the knot right in the middle. A regular round soft pretzel is wrong — or worse, from New York. And so it is with the soda preferred by Pennsylvanians, including a strange reddish herbal soda I grew up drinking and didn’t realize was odd until I left.
Birch beer is made using a similar process to root beer or sarsaparilla. Traditionally, it’s made from the bark of the birch tree, specifically the black birch, which is also known as the spice birch or sweet birch. The bark would be boiled in water for a long time, softening it and releasing its essential oils.
- The solids would be strained out and the solution fermented with yeast, usually resulting in what’s called a “small beer,” meaning a beer with only 2-3% alcohol.
- I called Andy Schlegel, the manager of in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, which, under various owners, has been making and selling birch beer for decades.
“We started making birch beer during Prohibition,” he says. “They used to bottle beer here in Kutztown, and with Prohibition they had to do something, so they started making their own line of sodas and birch beer happened to be the most popular one.” Birch beer isn’t unheard of in neighboring states like Maryland and New York, but it certainly isn’t common there the way it is in eastern Pennsylvania.
- Around here, birch beer’s more popular than root beer,” he said.
- The process of making it these days is a little different.
- Utztown gets from a supplier in Maryland.
- The oils are usually made from the sap rather than the bark of the birch tree.
- They’re then mixed with simple syrup and some standard preservatives, and caramel color is added right at the end.
“Naturally it would be a clear birch beer,” he says, but adding coloring is common. There are three colors of birch beer, which may or may not vary in flavor: red, brown, and clear. I grew up with the red kind, though there certainly were clear birch beers available in a non-gimmicky way (Crystal Pepsi it is not).
- The Wikipedia entry for birch beer says “It has a taste similar to root beer.” This is offensive to me, as a southeastern Pennsylvania.
- Birch beer is significantly more complex and tastier than root beer.
- There is a lightness and freshness to it, an almost wintergreen or teaberry herbiness that leaves it tasting clean and crisp.
There are compounds in the birch that give it a minty, spicy flavor, like the smell of the birch trees from which it came; the soda feels natural and primal, like it came from the earth and not from dudes in hairnets stirring vats. Root beer, made in a similar way but from the root of the unrelated sassafras tree (or, more often, synthetic extracts designed to taste like sassafras), tastes heavy, leaden, artificial, and cloyingly sweet in comparison.
- I can’t remember the last time I saw birch beer in a grocery store in New York City, but that’s kind of the way I want it.
- Birch beer tastes like Pennsylvania; it’s familiar but a little weird.
- Pennsylvanians have a firm preference for a slightly different version of a standard something the rest of the country is perfectly happy with.
And like in so many cases in which a food veers from the norm, birch beer is great, Better than the norm, by a long shot. Try it, if you can get it. (Image via Meghanw) Sign up for your Modern Farmer Weekly Newsletter © Modern Farmer Media, 2023. : Birch Beer: The Best Soda You’ve Never Tried
How would you describe the taste of birch beer?
Subtle flavor differences – Maksim Safaniuk/Shutterstock As noted, the main difference between birch beer and root beer is that birch beer is made with birch while root beer is more of a mix of unique flavors, including a prominent taste of sassafras. These days, however, Renegade Brewing notes that flavor is achieved artificially, since sassafras root has been discovered to have carcinogenic properties.
- Similarly, Modern Farmer notes that birch beer is now made with oils from the sap of birch trees instead of from boiled bark, though this has less impact on the taste.
- Modern Farmer describes the taste of birch beer as light, refreshing, and less sweet than root beer, with a natural spicy mint flavor.
Though if you’re thinking you’ve tasted mint in your root beer, you’re not wrong. According to Renegade Brewing an extra layer of confusion has been added to this conundrum by the fact that several types of root include birch in their ingredients, along with flavors like cinnamon, licorice, clove, and honey, though obviously in much smaller amounts.
What’s the difference between birch beer and sarsaparilla and root beer?
What’s The Difference Between Root Beer, Sarsaparilla, and Birch Beer? Root beer is a carbonated soft drink which was originally made using the root of the sassafras plant. Safrole, the oily liquid extracted from the root-bark of sassafras plants has been banned by the FDA as a likely carcinogen and is no longer used in U.S.
based root beer. In addition to sassafras, other root beer flavorings include vanilla, wintergreen, licorice root, sarsaparilla root, nutmeg, acacia, anise, molasses, cinnamon, clove, and honey. Sarsaparilla is a carbonated soft drink originally made from the native Central American plant smilax ornata.
In Spanish the plant is known as zarzaparrilla. Associated with the Old West, sarsaparilla was popular in the United States in the 19th century. Sarsaparilla is now generally made with artificial flavors and is considered a type of root beer. Birch beer is a carbonated soft drink made from herbal extracts of birch bark and birch sap.
- Birch beer comes in a variety of colors based on the species of birch tree.
- Colors include brown, red, blue, and clear (white).
- Birch beer is most common in the Northeastern United States.
- I had never tasted birch beer until I began my quest in search of the best root soda.
- I am very glad I discovered birch beer.
: What’s The Difference Between Root Beer, Sarsaparilla, and Birch Beer?
Why does birch beer taste different?
After the bark is collected, it is distilled to make birch oil. The oil is added to the carbonated drink to give it the distinctive flavor, reminiscent of wintergreen and methyl salicylate.
Does birch beer taste good?
Taste – Birch beer has a minty flavor similar to wintergreen. It also has creamy, sweet, and earthy undertones. You may also taste peppery hints. The overall taste varies depending on what spices it contains. It can have flavors of vanilla, cloves, cinnamon, or nutmeg.
Does Fanta make birch beer?
Fanta Birch Beer 2.5 Gallon Bag in Box Get the latest news delivered daily! Give us your email and you will be daily updated with the latest events, in detail © 2017-2018 Somerset Foods Store. All Rights Reserved. : Fanta Birch Beer 2.5 Gallon Bag in Box
Why does birch beer taste like mint?
The Minty-Fresh Soda Made From Trees Minty-sweet birch beer—a quencher unique to the Northeastern United States—predates Coca-Cola by hundreds of years. And that means it has lived many lives through multiple soda eras. Early birch beer, made by the English and later by American colonists, was a low-alcohol “small beer” brewed from birch sap, sugar, and yeast.
Agriculturalist John Mortimer’s 1707 book notes that birch beer was usually made by poor people. He describes this recipe: “To every Gallon whereof add a pound of refined Sugar, and boil it about a quarter, or Half an hour, then set it to cool, and add a very little Yeast to it, and it will ferment.” Many American colonists were poor, and birch beer was an affordable alternative to imported beer and spirits.
But the modern era of soda began, ironically, as a health trend. In the 19th century, mass-produced tonics and tinctures claimed to treat everything from indigestion to cancer. Bubbly mineral water was thought to have curative properties, and early soda fountains, located inside pharmacies, dispensed artificially carbonated drinks sweetened with flavored syrup.
- These “medicinal” sodas were touted as pick-me-ups that could address exhaustion, high blood pressure, headaches, and upset stomachs.
- They were often laced with narcotics and alcohol.
- However, as temperance movements gained steam in the 1880s and 90s, it became important that these fizzy refreshments not contain booze.
Birch beer, along with root beer, ginger ale, and a host of other sweet, herbal beverages, were marketed to the public as healthy, wholesome “family drinks.” Nonalcoholic birch beer is easily made with the same ingredients as the boozy variety, but must be immediately bottled rather than allowed to sit over several days.
- The simplest version is a combination of birch extract, a sweetener, and carbonated water.
- Birch sap is colorless, and the beer can be clear, but brown sugar or coloring is often used to turn it brown or red.
- American birch beer is unique due to the particular kind of birch available for tapping.
- Betula lenta, the sweet birch tree, grows in a territory that begins in Canada and ends in northern Alabama and Georgia.
The sweet birch is also called “spice birch” because of its fragrant sap and bark. Sweet birch sap has a distinct minty scent and flavor, which it imparts to birch beer. Though birch beer remains relatively unknown to Americans outside the Northeast, it’s produced by several much-loved regional brands.
- New Jersey’s century-old Boylan’s Birch Beer comes in original and a vanilla-flavored, red variety.
- Connecticut’s Foxon Park White Birch is clear-colored and minty.
- Pennsylvania Dutch Birch Beer, the nation’s most popular brand, makes both regular and diet versions.
- Most of these companies have been around since the early 20th century, a testimony to birch beer’s enduring appeal.
: The Minty-Fresh Soda Made From Trees
What flavors go well with birch beer?
A perfectly refreshing drink for summer! Birch Beer is a nonalcoholic staple of the Northeast, specifically Pennsylvania — with slightly rustic flavors. Pairing it with a Hendricks Gin and a touch of lemon makes one sweet sippin’ cocktail.
Is there caffeine in birch beer?
Contains: carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, caramel coloring, natural and artificial flavoring, preserved with sodium benzoate. contains no caffeine.
Why was sarsaparilla banned?
Unless you’re participating in a spelling bee or playing Fallout New Vegas, you probably don’t think about sassafras much, but you might still ingest it regularly. It is, or at least once was, the main flavourful ingredient in root beer, Sassafras (a tree) and sarsaparilla (a vine) were traditionally used-along with other substances like licorice root, mint, nutmeg, and more-to flavour root beer.
Recipes for root beer similar to what we know today date back to 1860, and sassafras root beverages date back even further, made by indigenous peoples for medicinal and culinary purposes. But modern root beer doesn’t contain any real sassafras root anymore, why not? Well, sassafras and sarsaparilla both contain safrole, a compound recently banned by the FDA due to its carcinogenic effects.
Safrole was found to contribute to liver cancer in rats when given in high doses, and thus it and sassafras or sarsaparilla-containing products were banned. But more recent studies have actually failed to find evidence that the effects seen in rats occur in humans.
This, and the fact that several other (still legal) foods, like the aforementioned nutmeg, also contain safrole, makes the ban seem less science based and more the result of fear. So, modern root beer is flavoured most often with artificial sassafras, though sometimes with safrole-free sassafras too.
More important than checking the safrole content of your beverage, though, might be checking the alcohol content. Traditional root beer was usually alcoholic, whereas modern root beer is rarely fortified with ethanol and is a favourite of kids everywhere.
When was sarsaparilla banned?
Sarsaparilla – While they can appear similar and often be confused, there has always been a difference between the beverages, traditionally Sarsaparilla was made from the sarsaparilla root alone. The extract made from sarsaparilla root has a slightly bitter flavour profile, which is why most producers now include ingredients like liquorice to try and reduce the bold flavour.
Is birch beer minty?
Original Birch Beer › Original Birch Beer Distinctively minty and sharp, with strong notes of sweet birch and wintergreen oil. (12 Bottles – *Does not include 4 pack carrier* ) : Original Birch Beer
Who drinks birch beer?
Pennsylvania Birch Beer Cocktail – Explore the cultural heritage of the Keystone State with this unique, tasty, and refreshing birch-flavored cocktail that’s perfect for the transition to fall! For those of us that grew up in Pennsylvania, a common sight at parties, family reunions, and other such gatherings was a reddish-brown (and sometimes clear), fizzy soft drink known as birch beer. Served alongside the more common staples of Coke, Pepsi, and Sprite, the birch-flavored soda was ubiquitous, especially in the Appalachian Mountain region running between the northeastern and southwestern corners of the state. Range of the American Black Birch As a child, I remember taking walks with my family through our wooded property. We would often cut small twigs off birch trees, carve away the bark with a pocket knife to expose the white flesh inside, and chew on them. I know, it sounds weird But the fresh birch had a wonderful, sweet, wintergreen flavor that was incredibly unique. Birch beer – of both the alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties – has been produced in PA since the 1600’s, notably popular among the Pennsylvania Dutch and German populations. Although it isn’t always made from birch trees (many Colonial-era recipes called for oak sap), it is a strong part of our cultural heritage and conjures up fond memories for those who have migrated from the Commonwealth to other parts of the country. As with many cocktails, the quality of your ingredients is what will make all the difference here. After some taste tests, I decided on Kutztown Birch Beer, produced by Kutztown Soda Works in (you guessed it) Kuztown, PA. It’s made with 100% cane sugar and no high fructose corn syrup. As a native Pennsylvanian, it’s my hope that this drink will bring back memories for some, and maybe open up a window into our unique culture for others. For me, it will take me back to those walks through the forest on a cool September day Whatever your experience, however, I wish you good health with a raised glass.
- 4 oz Kutztown birch beer
- 1.5 oz Bluecoat gin*
- ¼ oz lemon juice
- Fill a copper mug or highball glass with ice.
- Combine the gin and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice.
- Stir to chill, then strain into the copper mug.
- Top with birch beer and give it a stir.
- Garnish with a lemon wheel.
*If you prefer your cocktails slightly more boozy, add 2 oz gin instead of 1.5 oz.
Is birch beer safe during pregnancy?
Special Precautions and Warnings – When taken by mouth : Birch is POSSIBLY SAFE for most adults when taken by mouth for short periods of time. It can cause allergic reactions in some people. When applied to the skin : Birch is POSSIBLY SAFE for most adults when applied to the skin for short periods of time.
It can cause allergic reactions in some people. Pregnancy and breast -feeding : There isn’t enough reliable information to know if birch is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use. Allergy to wild carrot, mugwort, celery, and other spices : Birch pollen might cause allergies in people who are sensitive to wild carrot, mugwort, and celery.
This has been called the “celery-carrot-mugwort-spice syndrome.” Birch pollen might also cause allergies in people who are sensitive to certain other plants, including apples, soybeans, hazelnuts, and peanuts. High blood pressure : There is some concern that birch leaf might increase the amount of salt (sodium) that the body retains.
What flavor is white birch beer?
CRAFT BREWED / LEGENDARY FLAVOR – Our tremendously flavorful, handcrafted Birch Beer is brewed with pure cane sugar, a touch of honey and an essence of birch extracts giving this soda a smooth distinctive flavor. Appalachian Birch Beer is a caffeine and gluten-free craft soda with no artificial flavors or colors to ensure the highest quality possible.
Is birch beer a New England thing?
Photo: All photos by Eric Medsker June 19, 2022 June 19, 2022 Mugs of birch beer with hot dogs and fries at Hot Dog Johnny’s, a roadside landmark in western New Jersey. If you’re in a store and bottles of birch beer are for sale alongside Coke and Pepsi, or if you walk into a restaurant and birch beer is a fountain soda option, chances are high you’re in New England, Pennsylvania, or New Jersey.
If that birch beer is clear in color, you’re definitely in Connecticut or Rhode Island. If it’s red, you’re probably in New Jersey, or maybe Pennsylvania. If it’s blue, you’re in Pennsylvania. If it’s brown, well, you might need a few more clues, but the governor is probably a Democrat. In a world of sugary sodas with easily likable flavors, birch beer is too hard a sell.
In an era of increased homogenization, birch beer—a beverage derived from the bark of the black birch tree (sometimes called the cherry birch or sweet birch), with a history that stretches back to pre-Revolutionary times—remains stubbornly regional. It is made, and beloved, by citizens of the northeastern United States, where the necessary trees historically grow.
- And it is likely to remain there, since there isn’t—and probably never will be—a movement to take the drink national.
- In a world of sugary sodas with easily likable flavors, birch beer is too hard a sell.
- For one thing, you have to like the taste of wintergreen, which naturally occurs in black birch bark in the form of the compound methyl salicylate.
I mean, really like it. “That wintergreen is overpowering,” says Darcy O’Neil, author of Fix the Pumps and a scholar of soda-fountain history. “It dominates everything. It’s like garlic in a dish.” A mug deposit sign at Hot Dog Johnny’s. Another thing that has held birch beer back is it doesn’t mix. Unlike ginger ale, citrus sodas, colas, or even, say, Dr Pepper, birch beer never had a role behind the bar. Bourbon and Birch is not a thing. Finally, most people don’t know what it is.
- Birch beer is often confused with other old-fashioned sodas, mainly root beer, its vastly more popular and successful brother.
- I would tell you it’s root beer’s big brother, with a little extra bite,” says Chase Slepak, COO of Boylan Bottling Company, the New Jersey–born firm that makes some of the most visible birch beers on the market—including both a brown and a red version.
But Slepak admits that, in national terms, root beer, cream soda, black cherry, and ginger ale are Boylan’s top sellers. Birch beer is “nowhere near.” (The various colors of birch beer help to distinguish nuances found in the soda’s relatively wide flavor palette.
You’ll meet people who swear allegiance to one color.) “You either love it or hate it. I tend to hate it. It’s the wintergreen. It’s a very pungent taste. It’s like Aqua Velva.”—Chris Crowley, Polar Beverages Chris Crowley, a member of the family behind Polar Beverages, the Worcester, Massachusetts, company with a growing national presence and roots that go back to 1882, is even more blunt.
“I do know people love the stuff,” says Crowley. “You either love it or hate it. I tend to hate it. It’s the wintergreen. It’s a very pungent taste. It’s like Aqua Velva.” Birch beer is even a hassle to make. Crowley says it’s usually the last bottling run of the day because the birch oils stick to the machinery and require hot sanitations to dispel. Birch beer on tap at Hot Dog Johnny’s. But all of this doesn’t mean birch beer is on the brink of extinction. Like the Kennedys, birch beer will always be associated with the Northeast in some shape or fashion. To hear birch-beer makers talk, there would be blood on the New England streets if they ever took the soda out of production.
- Birch and cream soda are my two top sellers,” says Rob Metz, general manager of Avery’s Beverages, a 118-year-old firm in New Britain, Connecticut, and one of three independent bottlers that divvy up Connecticut’s lucrative birch beer market.
- We cannot be out of birch beer.” North Market Pop Shop, a soda-focused store near the Maryland-Pennsylvania border, has no trouble stocking its shelves with birch beer.
It carries 16 types, including Hank’s, Big Ben’s, Sioux City, Reading Draft, and Red Ribbon—an inventory that doesn’t even begin to cover the variety of brands. In March 2020, the store held a birch beer tasting event. It sold out. “Birch beer customers are not quite the same as the root beer customer,” says Michelle Schaffer, owner of Pop Shop.
- Usually, they have a favorite brand and come to see if we have it.” Obviously, birch beer has a strong pull on its fans.
- But what is the drink’s core appeal? Some will tell you they genuinely like the taste.
- But, basically, birch beer’s endurability boils down to one word: tradition.
- My grandfather drank it,'” says Polar’s Crowley, mimicking a typical customer.
“That’s what it is. It’s a shrinking market. But there’s that memory trigger. People identify with it.” Rare is the modern-day soda maker who wakes up and says, “I know. We’ll make birch beer!” If you look into the people that produce birch beer, certain patterns emerge. Furthermore, birch beer tends to be sold at eateries that are nearly as old as the bottlers. Frank Pepe, the renowned New Haven pizzeria founded in 1925, has a decades-long relationship with Foxon Park, a soda maker started in East Haven in 1922. At Rutt’s Hut, a nearly century-old hot dog temple that opened in Clifton, New Jersey, red birch beer is among the top-selling beverages.
And at Hot Dog Johnny’s, a roadside landmark in western New Jersey since 1944, a 10-foot-high sign announces that the franks are proudly served with frosty mugs of birch beer—or, uh, buttermilk. (Hot Dog Johnny’s house birch beer is so intrinsic to the stand’s identity that the owners will not reveal what brand they sell.) Fans, too, tend to be older.
But there’s hope the torch can be passed. “Younger people like the taste of it, but they’re unfamiliar with it,” says Bill Potvin, one of three brothers that run Hosmer Mountain Soda in Willimantic, Connecticut. “So, they have to be brought in.” When those young folks are ready to broaden their palates, birch beer will be waiting.
- They’ll just need to be in the right place.
- Robert Simonson Robert Simonson writes about bars, bartenders, cocktails, spirits and travel for The New York Times, where he has been a contributor since 2000.
- His work has also appeared in Imbibe, Food & Wine, Saveur, Bon Appetit, Punch and many other publications.
His books include The Old-Fashioned: The World’s First Classic Cocktail (2014); A Proper Drink (2016), the first history of the current cocktail renaissance; and 3-Ingredient Cocktails (2017), which was nominated for a 2018 James Beard Award. His latest book, The Martini Cocktail, was released in September 2019.
- His writings have been nominated for a total of eleven Spirited Awards; and two IACP Awards.
- He is the recipient of the 2019 Spirited Award for Best Cocktail and Spirits Writer.
- He is the co-author, with Martin Doudoroff, of two apps, “Modern Classics of the Cocktail Renaissance” and “The Martini Cocktail,” which makes an excellent companion to the book of the same name.
A native of Wisconsin, he lives in Brooklyn.
Does birch beer have sugar?
Carbonated Water, Sugar, Caramel Color, Potassium Benzoate (Preservative), Artificial Flavor, Citric Acid, Gum Acacia. Free from Does Not Contain Declaration Obligatory Allergens.
Is birch beer pink?
Crush – Birch Beer Pop, 355 Millilitre Straight off the boat from Newfoundland, this unique soda tastes similar to root beer with a twist. We were surprised to learn this pop is pink!
Is birch beer a PA thing?
Herbaceous, minty and a little bittersweet, birch beer is Pennsylvania’s soft drink of choice. An earthier, arguably more flavorful cousin of root beer, birch beer was originally brewed at home by Americans, including Pennsylvanians in Appalachia and PA Dutch country, in the 18th and 19th centuries.
They gathered sap and twigs and stripped the bark off the ubiquitous birch trees growing across the land, then boiled the sap mixed with some honey, steeped the bark and twigs, and let the mix ferment for awhile. Sometimes, yeast or scraps of bread were added to activate alcoholic fermentation, which we can only imagine made a tasty brew, indeed! During Prohibition, many beer companies pivoted to making soft drinks, and in Pennsylvania, birch beer became one of the most popular varieties.
Today, birch beer (which is now most commonly made with birch oil that’s been distilled from the sap) holds a small but firm place in the soda market, and is beloved by consumers who want something more complex than super-sweet colas and root beer. Currently, there are number of beverage companies, both big and small, producing birch beer. PA Dutch Birch Beer, in production since 1936, is the top-selling brand in the country, though many believe the mass-produced flavor is lacking authenticity.
And, guess what? The company is not actually even based in Pennsylvania, but in Pennsauken, New Jersey. We wanted to talk to someone in our state who’s making old-fashioned craft birch beer, so we reached out to Artie Tafoya, co-owner of Appalachian Brewing Co. (ABC), which has brew pub locations all over central and eastern PA, including Gettysburg, Harrisburg, West Chester and Collegeville.
In addition to brewing craft beer, ABC also produces a line of craft sodas, including Appalachian White Birch Beer. ABC sells its birch beer in its brew pubs, wholesale to restaurants and supermarkets, and straight to the consumer in six-packs. Tafoya says that when ABC first launched its soda line, it began with ginger beer and root beer, but wanted to add a product that was connected to Pennsylvania. “We’re very PA-based, and were looking for something that would fill out our line, and the idea of a birch beer came up,” he remembers.
“We did a lot of research on PA Dutch-style birch beers and from there, developed our own.” It took the team nearly a year to develop its birch beer, both doing research, finding the best ingredients to source. Because ABC isn’t worried about producing sodas on a mass scale, they don’t need to buy cheaper ingredients, Tafoya notes.
“Blue and red birch beers are just made with food coloring, because, of course there aren’t really blue or red trees,” says Tafoya. “White birch is the most-popular style of tree, so we thought, ‘Let’s keep this natural,’ and we worked hard to keep it all-natural.” ABC’s birch flavor comes from a proprietary mix of extracts and oils that lend refreshing spearmint and peppermint notes, which compliment the roundness of the birch oil.
Has a tea-type flavor to it, and the mint brightens it up and creates that balance,” he notes. ABC’s birch beer was added to its line in 2010. Tafoya knew they’d hit the mark with the flavor profile when he’d go to stores to sample to consumers. “People would say, ‘Yeah this is amazing, it reminds me of when I was a kid,’ or, ‘I remember this flavor from when from my grandmother made birch beer,'” he says.
“Ours has a unique flavor, but it was well received and it was a winner from the time that we started producing it.” Though ABC sells its products all over the U.S., Tafoya says that most of the sales of birch beer are in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey. What are your earliest memories of birch beer? Do you have a favorite brand? Let us know in the comments or on the PA Eats Facebook page ! Appalachian Brewing Company is located at 50 North Cameron St. in Harrisburg; phone: (717) 221-1080.
Feature photo and glasses photo: Dish Works ABC birch beer photo: Appalachian Brewing Company
Thank you to our donor — Dish Works — for your support of PA Eats’ programming and mission!
Is birch beer cream soda and root beer?
Root Beer and Cream Soda Mixed Together – Plenty of soda drinkers describe Crush Birch Beer as a cross between root beer and cream soda. Some people even think that that is literally what the drink is: root beer and cream soda mixed together! That’s pretty unlikely, but we still think describing the taste like this makes sense.
Is birch beer mint?
Original Birch Beer › Original Birch Beer Distinctively minty and sharp, with strong notes of sweet birch and wintergreen oil. (12 Bottles – *Does not include 4 pack carrier* ) : Original Birch Beer
What’s similar to root beer?
The history of Root Beer and Sarsaparilla – Sarsaparilla and Root Beer were founded by the Native Americans before arriving in Europe. Both beverages are named after their distinct differences in ingredients when they were first made. Sarsaparilla was made from the Sarsaparilla vine, while Root Beer, roots of the sassafras tree.
What flavor is white birch beer?
CRAFT BREWED / LEGENDARY FLAVOR – Our tremendously flavorful, handcrafted Birch Beer is brewed with pure cane sugar, a touch of honey and an essence of birch extracts giving this soda a smooth distinctive flavor. Appalachian Birch Beer is a caffeine and gluten-free craft soda with no artificial flavors or colors to ensure the highest quality possible.