Iron Brew is a caramel-colored carbonated soft drink that has been sold in South Africa since 1975. It is currently marketed as part of the Sparletta range and is described as having a pink vanilla, fruity flavor. Other manufacturers also offer Iron Brew soft drinks. In the UK, root beer can be found in big stores such as Asda and Tesco. It was originally brewed in Bundaberg, Australia, using the same recipe.
Root beer was first discovered by a pharmacist who was experimenting with various roots, herbs and bark to create an infusion that could treat any disease. Some root beer brands have unique foaming behaviors that have become part of their identity. In 1876, root beer was made available to the public and was flavored with more than 25 herbs, berries and roots. However, the FDA banned the use of Safrol, the aromatic oil found in sassafras roots and bark that gave traditional root beer its distinctive flavor, in 1960 for mass-produced food and drugs.
Natural root beer is made from the root bark of the Sassafras tree and has a sweet and creamy taste. Root beer is usually alcohol-free, caffeine-free, sweet and carbonated. The difference between Bundaberg root beer and Bundaberg sarsaparilla is simply the label - apart from that there is no difference. Some people believe that sarsaparilla has been around for much longer than Root Beer and that people's aversion to its strong taste led to the creation of Root Beer.
Root beer belongs to a secondary classification of beer, not one made with traditional cereal grains such as wheat and barley, but with real vegetable roots. Stewart's Fountain Classics is one of the most popular American brands of root beer and soft drinks.
