National Root Beer Float Day

National Root Beer Float Day - Tuesday, August 6, 2024

Food & Beverage American Canadian Dessert Ice Cream

Diet? Not on August 6. It’s National Root Beer Float Day, after all — a time to enjoy one of the best beverage/dessert combos on the planet. On that day, some even compete for root beer float greatness. It all started in Colorado back in 1893. Frank J. Wisner was inspired. Surrounded by Cow Mountain where his Cripple Creek Brewing Company was located, Wisner came up with a novel idea. While mountain gazing, he didn’t see snow-covered peaks. Instead, Wisner envisioned scoops of ice cream floating in root beer.  Crazy, right? So, today, enjoy the tallest, fizziest root beer float you can find!

Note: Read on to find out how you can get a free A&W root beer today!

National Root Beer Float Day timeline

1876

A pharmacist sells root beer commercially

Pharmacist Charles Elmer Hires debuts a commercial version of root beer at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition.

1919

A&W has humble beginnings at a root beer stand

Ray Allen opens a root beer stand in Lodi, California, which would eventually become the A&W restaurant chain.

The 1920s

Root beer turns into a fad

The popularity of non-alcoholic root beer explodes during Prohibition.

1960

The FDA bans a key root beer ingredient

The FDA bans safrole, the aromatic oil that initially gave root beer its distinctive flavor. The ingredient caused liver damage during animal testing.

August 6, 2019

Float for free today only!

A&W Restaurants throw a party by filling small frosty mugs with their classic mix of vanilla soft serve and root beer — and giving them away free!

5 Reasons We Need A Root Beer Float, Like Right Now

  1. Root root

    Jeni's ice cream shops can double your pleasure with root beer floats made with root beer ice cream and Boylan root beer.

  2. The Philly float

    The Franklin Fountain in Philadelphia creates authentic root beer floats made with their own brand of root beer syrup and ice cream.

  3. The custard float is a definite thing

    Scooter's Frozen Custard in Chicago offers a root beer float made with vanilla custard, a refreshing twist on the standard float.

  4. Why float when you can freeze?

    Instead of floating the ice cream on top of a glass of root beer, blend the two together to make a root beer freeze.

  5. The root beer float with a kick

    SpringHouse restaurant in Alexander City, Alabama, serves up a bourbon float made with Buffalo Trace bourbon, bourbon ice cream and a house-made root beer syrup.

National Root Beer Float Day Activities

  1. Whip up your own root beer float

    There's no better way to celebrate National Root Beer Float Day than by concocting your own root beer float. Grab a bottle of your favorite brand of root beer, pour into a chilled glass and top off with a fresh scoop of vanilla ice cream. Nice!

  2. Conduct some root beer research

    Now, this is the kind of research you can appreciate! The Root Beer Store sells more than 100 brands and flavors of root beer. You can check out customer reviews of all the root beers for sale and even order mix-and-match bottles. Your local specialty liquor store may also have a pretty good selection, so drink up!

  3. Throw a root beer party for adults

    Hard root beer is blowing up! Clever brewers have come up with root beers that include varying levels of alcohol. Invite the neighbors over for a dessert party and imbibe on some root beer floats. But be careful, while the root beer goes down fast and smooth, it'll eventually catch up with you.

Why We Love National Root Beer Float Day

  1. It's a perfect combination

    It seems like such a simple recipe — root beer in a tall, iced glass and two scoops of vanilla ice cream. But if you're trying to get beyond the ordinary, then use extraordinary ingredients. Select a frothy root beer with a high sarsparilla content and loads of sweetness. Add rich, vanilla bean ice cream and get creative with your toppings.

  2. Floats come in many varieties

    The Boston Cooler was invented in Detroit, of all places, and is made with Vernor's ginger ale and vanilla ice cream. In many Asian eateries you can order a Snow White, which is composed of vanilla ice cream and 7-Up or Sprite. In Mexico, you can grab a Holado flotante, a combination of cola and lemon sherbet.

  3. It generates donations for a good charity

    On National Root Beer Float Day, A&W Restaurants collects donations for Disabled American Veterans, a charity that fights for better health care benefits for America's injured heroes. What a sweet idea!

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