Interesting Ideas: Root beer

mugs

The results

Panel 1

Sioux City Sarsaparilla (N.Y.)
2. Canfield's (Chicago)
3. IBC (Dallas)
4. Barq's (New Orleans)
5. Dad's (Atlanta)
6. Dominick's (Chicago
7. R.J. Corr (Chicago)
8. Sprecher (Milwaukee)
9. Baumeister (Kewaunee, Wis.)
10. A&W (L.A.)
11. Dr. Brown's (N.Y.)
12. Filbert's (Chicago)
13. Naturale 90
14. Best Health

Panel 2*

1. Frostie (Baltimore)
2. Faygo (Detroit)
3. C&C (N.Y.)
4. Canfield's
5. (tie) Soho (N.Y.) and Mug (San Francisco)
6. (tie) Dog n Suds (Lafeyette, Ind.) and Hires (L.A.)*
7. Stewart's (Denver)
8. Blue Sky
9 . Crystal
10. Old Keg
11. Barq's
12. Shur Fine (Portland, Ore.)
13. (tie) Country's Delight and Jewel (Chicago)
14. Snapple (N.Y.)
15. Polar
16. 76
17. Hoffman
18. Top Pop

Panel 3**

1. Canfield's
2. Faygo
3. (tie) Clover Club (Chicago) and IBC
4. Dog n Suds
5. A&W
6. Hires
7. Filbert's
8. Dad's
9. Barq's
10. R.J. Corr
11. Snapple

Panel 4

1. Sioux City
2. Canfield's
3. Thomas Kemper (Seattle)
4. Dr. McGillicuddy's (New Orleans)
5. Lost Trail (Kansas)
6. Ritz (Miami)
7. Peninsula (Mich.)
8. Filbert's
9. Kansas City Sarsaparilla
10. Urge Rowdy (LaCrosse, Wis.)
11. Virgil's (Wayland, Mass.)
12. Henry Weinhard's (Portland, Ore.)
13. Briar's Six Gun Sarsaparilla (New Brunswick, N.J.)
14. (tie) Pop City (Mich.) and Wind River (Cincinnati)
15. Chug's Choice (Bozeman, Montana)

*Note that the tongue-numbing quantity of brands tasted by this pantel -- 21 -- discounts its results somewhat.
**Panel 3 was an "expert panel." The test was conducted under the auspices of the Chicago Tribune, in its test kitchen. Tasters included a brewmaster for a local root beer maker (not in competition), a professional flavor tester, a beverage industry journalist and several Tribune food writers.

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