Root beer: why it thrives in the US but is almost unknown in Spain

Root beer: why does it thrive in the US and remain almost unknown in Spain?

In the US, root beer accounts for 5% of the soft drink market; in Spain, it barely exists. It isn't a beer (it contains no alcohol), but its name and its flavour of licorice, herbs and sarsaparilla extracts spark fascination or disgust. A look at the figures, perceptions and historical context of a drink that, despite its exotic profile, has never quite crossed the Atlantic.

A flavour that divides: medicinal syrup or old-fashioned treat?

Descriptions of root beer range from ecstasy to revulsion. Those who have tried it compare it to "sparkling water with a licorice flavour" or "Pectox cough syrup", while others describe it as "addictive" and "nostalgic". The consensus is that its profile is complex: sweet, bitter, spicy, with an herbal aftertaste reminiscent of tonic water, but more intense. In the US it is commonly served as a "root beer float" (with vanilla ice cream), a combination that evokes many Americans' childhood.

The historical baggage: Prohibition and its absence in Europe

Root beer's popularity in the US soared during Prohibition (1920-1933), when Americans sought non-alcoholic alternatives that mimicked the ritual of beer. In Europe, however, it never took root: neither the tradition of artisanal soft drinks nor the culture of tonic or ginger ale managed to make the licorice and sassafras flavour catch on. In Spain, some remember the "zarzaparrilla" of the Franco era, but it is not the same drink: modern root beer uses extracts from roots such as sassafras, ginseng or vanilla, and its industrial production (brands like A&W or Barq's) sets it far apart from anything artisanal.

Market figures: an untapped niche?

Root beer represents 5% of the US soft drink market, a modest but solid figure. In Russia, a similar drink, tarkhuna (made from tarragon), barely reaches 3%, although in Georgia, its birthplace, it accounts for 15%. In Spain, its presence is virtually nil: it can only be found in specialist shops such as Whole Foods (London) or in some supermarkets with an international section. Ginger beer is more common, but its flavour is very different.

---

The big open question is whether this cultural gap will close with the globalisation of flavours. For now, the Spanish palate seems to resist: for many, root beer remains that "weird" soft drink only Americans understand.

Related forum discussions

• The EU changes the rules: from July, all cars must come with a factory-fitted breathalyser · 108 replies
• The doctor tells me I have to take cholesterol pills for life because my own body produces it, wtf?? · 223 replies
• Cardio is a waste of time · 12 replies
• Eating less sugar and flour, the definitive solution to overweight/obesity? (II) · 12313 replies