Post by: onions! on June 19, 2007, 04:08:32 PM
I don't know if it's just that I'm seeing it in stores that I normally wouldn't or that more brands than I recall are available.
I just desire the stuff right now.
I am the only one,aren't I?
Post by: Mabs2 on June 19, 2007, 05:07:06 PM
When I decided to switch to diet sodas for my health, I was so upset over giving it up...
BUT THEN I DISCOVERED DIET A&W
And life has been good.
Post by: RocketMan on June 19, 2007, 05:09:58 PM
I've always loved root beer.
When I decided to switch to diet sodas for my health, I was so upset over giving it up...
BUT THEN I DISCOVERED DIET A&W
And life has been good.
When I decided to switch to diet sodas for my health, I was so upset over giving it up...
BUT THEN I DISCOVERED DIET A&W
And life has been good.
Diet A&W is good stuff! I don't miss the leaded variety at all, unlike other sodas.
Post by: Fly320s on June 19, 2007, 05:10:19 PM
I have had a desire for a root beer float. Mug or A&W over Blue Bell Vanilla Bean ice cream would really hit the spot.
As for the diet sodas, no thanks. I prefer real sugar and real fat in my food.
Post by: roo_ster on June 19, 2007, 05:12:52 PM
Homemade root beer with homemade ice cream
Post by: Balog on June 19, 2007, 05:24:51 PM
Post by: cosine on June 19, 2007, 05:59:50 PM
Post by: K Frame on June 19, 2007, 06:02:36 PM
No.
Never cared much for it.
Post by: MechAg94 on June 19, 2007, 06:34:03 PM
Post by: Ben on June 19, 2007, 06:50:45 PM
Post by: RocketMan on June 19, 2007, 07:07:18 PM
My Japanese friends told me it was because root beer tastes too much like medicine to them. I could never get them to try it when they were in the US, either.
Post by: Sindawe on June 19, 2007, 07:29:25 PM
Quark: "I want you to try something for me. Take a sip of this."
Garak: "What is it?"
Quark: "A Human drink, it's called Root Beer."
Garak: "Ahh, I don't know....."
Quark: "Come on....Aren't you in the least bit curious?"
Quark: "..........What d'you think?"
Garak: "It's vile!"
Quark: "I know. It's so bubbly and cloy, and happy."
Garak: "Just like the Federation....."
Quark: "But do you know what's really frightening? If you drink enough of it you begin to like it...."
Garak: "....It's insidious...."
Quark: "....Just like the Federation."
Post by: RadioFreeSeaLab on June 19, 2007, 07:47:51 PM
Post by: Ned Hamford on June 19, 2007, 11:44:11 PM
Post by: Manedwolf on June 20, 2007, 04:26:47 AM
Boylan's Bottle Works sodas are good in that regard. I can't drink any soda with corn syrup. The sickly, overwhelming oversweetness just makes me feel ill.
And I do prefer GOOD ginger beer to root beer. Mixed with dark rum.
Post by: Mabs2 on June 20, 2007, 05:03:51 AM
Go to the fountain and get mountain dew and I can barely taste it. But get diet mountain dew and, yay!, flavor!
Always wanted to try making me own root beer >:3
Post by: client32 on June 20, 2007, 06:19:48 AM
I read somewhere that some liquor stores can do that.
Post by: thebaldguy on June 20, 2007, 05:53:47 PM
I am starting a quest for a keg of root beer this week. Anyone have any suggestions?
I read somewhere that some liquor stores can do that.
I read somewhere that some liquor stores can do that.
Check with the manager of your local store. Chances are he can get what you need. I know 1919 Root Beer from Schell's brewery in New Ulm kegs their root beer.
I like root beer a lot. I've been trying different ones lately. IBC and Sprecher make some good ones in both regular and diet. I thought diet Barq's was pretty good too.
Post by: Moondoggie on June 20, 2007, 06:56:48 PM
I'll never understand what makes Famous Dave's think one is worth $4.50, when a beer is about $2.
I had a 44 oz Barq's today, free at the fuel stop with my $475 purchase of diesel.
Post by: S. Williamson on June 20, 2007, 09:17:56 PM
I think I like IBC best, since it still comes in glass bottles.
Post by: Laurent du Var on June 21, 2007, 02:48:56 AM
I never heard of it.
Beer made from roots ?
I'll be off to Wikipedia....
Post by: The Rabbi on June 21, 2007, 03:22:43 AM
Goes great with tete de veaux.....
Post by: K Frame on June 21, 2007, 05:57:24 AM
Nothing like a couple of scoops of homemade vanilla ice cream in a big glass of birch beer on a hot summer evening.
Post by: Mabs2 on June 21, 2007, 06:56:15 AM
what is root beer ?
I never heard of it.
Beer made from roots ?
I'll be off to Wikipedia....
I never heard of it.
Beer made from roots ?
I'll be off to Wikipedia....
Post by: K Frame on June 21, 2007, 07:23:21 AM
I sincerely doubt that much root beer makes it to France.
Post by: The Rabbi on June 21, 2007, 08:06:59 AM
He's French, MBS.
I sincerely doubt that much root beer makes it to France.
I sincerely doubt that much root beer makes it to France.
It's because they dont have sassafras, which is, or used to be, the essential ingredient.
Yet another reason not to live there.
Post by: K Frame on June 21, 2007, 08:08:29 AM
Last summer I was walking along the tree line behind my house and boom, there's a small stand of about a half dozen sassafrass trees, each about 3 foot high.
Post by: Mabs2 on June 21, 2007, 08:35:07 AM
He's French, MBS.
I sincerely doubt that much root beer makes it to France.
Oh.I sincerely doubt that much root beer makes it to France.
I'm pretty sure I've seen Sassafras around here, I've just never looked for it.
One day I will have it in a garden.
Post by: mtnbkr on June 21, 2007, 09:37:01 AM
I'm pretty sure I've seen Sassafras around here, I've just never looked for it.
One day I will have it in a garden.
One day I will have it in a garden.
You do know it's a tree, right? And that the sap contains a carcinogen?
Chris
Post by: K Frame on June 21, 2007, 09:57:35 AM
Know it?
I'm COUNTING on it!
Actually, saffarole is listed as a possible carcinogen. Doesn't make much difference, though, as the FDA yanked it as a food additive. Suspected = guilty.
Biggest sassafrass tree I've ever seen was about 50 feet tall, but they apparently get much taller than that.
My Grandfather used to keep a small stand of the trees in a corner of his property to get the roots to make tea.
Nasty, nasty stuff.
Post by: mtnbkr on June 21, 2007, 10:03:42 AM
Chris
Post by: K Frame on June 21, 2007, 10:11:18 AM
Post by: mtnbkr on June 21, 2007, 10:37:05 AM
Chris
Post by: K Frame on June 21, 2007, 11:22:49 AM
Tell that to Louis XIV.
Post by: mtnbkr on June 21, 2007, 11:24:12 AM
Chris
Post by: K Frame on June 21, 2007, 11:38:49 AM
Just because you don't feel regal doesn't mean that we can't.
You ever grow rosemary in your garden?
It's a tree...
Post by: Tallpine on June 21, 2007, 12:43:30 PM
Quote
You ever grow rosemary in your garden?
No, but I have sage growing in my lawn.
The lawn is parsley mowed. I need to go finish it when I get the thyme.
Post by: Fly320s on June 21, 2007, 05:06:47 PM
You ever grow rosemary in your garden?
It's a tree...
Rosemary is a tree? Never knew that.It's a tree...
The stuff grows like a weed in Vegas.
Post by: Mabs2 on June 21, 2007, 05:38:35 PM
I'll burn your dog. O:<
Post by: K Frame on June 21, 2007, 06:18:13 PM
Don't tell me I can't have a tree garden.
I'll burn your dog. O:<
I'll burn your dog. O:<
Empty threat.
I just had my dog cremated.
Post by: Antibubba on June 21, 2007, 07:37:38 PM
I don't even have to quote you--that's exactly how I feel too. The real sugar stuff is hard to find. You know who has it? Whole Foods--their store brand.
And the same on the ginger beer. I also like the birch beer.
Does anyone have a good source for sarsparilla?
Post by: Manedwolf on June 22, 2007, 04:11:43 AM
ManedWolf,
I don't even have to quote you--that's exactly how I feel too. The real sugar stuff is hard to find. You know who has it? Whole Foods--their store brand.
And the same on the ginger beer. I also like the birch beer.
Does anyone have a good source for sarsparilla?
I don't even have to quote you--that's exactly how I feel too. The real sugar stuff is hard to find. You know who has it? Whole Foods--their store brand.
And the same on the ginger beer. I also like the birch beer.
Does anyone have a good source for sarsparilla?
I patronize Whole Foods whenever possible. Their CEO is a pro-2A libertarian capitalist who believes that Americans have a Constitutional right to keep and bear arms, that capitalism is good, profit is compatible with environmentalism in a big-picture sense, there's nothing wrong with your own hard work generating wealth, and that leftism is a "morally bankrupt" philosophy that's installed the bloodiest dictators of the 20th century.
I like when someone like that runs a company.
Post by: mtnbkr on June 22, 2007, 04:16:54 AM
ManedWolf,
I don't even have to quote you--that's exactly how I feel too. The real sugar stuff is hard to find. You know who has it? Whole Foods--their store brand.
And the same on the ginger beer. I also like the birch beer.
Does anyone have a good source for sarsparilla?
I don't even have to quote you--that's exactly how I feel too. The real sugar stuff is hard to find. You know who has it? Whole Foods--their store brand.
And the same on the ginger beer. I also like the birch beer.
Does anyone have a good source for sarsparilla?
I patronize Whole Foods whenever possible. Their CEO is a pro-2A libertarian capitalist who believes that Americans have a Constitutional right to keep and bear arms, that capitalism is good, profit is compatible with environmentalism in a big-picture sense, there's nothing wrong with your own hard work generating wealth, and that leftism is a "morally bankrupt" philosophy that's installed the bloodiest dictators of the 20th century.
I like when someone like that runs a company.
Cites? Seriously, there are a lot of them around here. I'd love to have another reason to shop there.
Chris
Post by: Manedwolf on June 22, 2007, 04:25:41 AM
http://www.wholefoods.com/blogs/jm/archives/2006/02/
Quote
At the time I started my business, the Left had taught me that business and capitalism were based on exploitation: exploitation of consumers, workers, society and the environment. I believed that "profit" was a necessary evil at best, and certainly not a desirable goal for society as a whole. However, becoming an entrepreneur completely changed my life. Everything I believed about business was proven to be wrong. The most important thing I learned about business in my first year was that business wasn't based on exploitation or coercion at all. Instead I realized that business is based on voluntary cooperation. No one is forced to trade with a business; customers have competitive alternatives in the market place; employees have competitive alternatives for their labor; investors have different alternatives and places to invest their capital. Investors, labor, management, suppliersthey all need to cooperate to create value for their customers. If they do, then any realized profit can be divided amongst the creators of the value through competitive market dynamics. In other words, business is not a zero sum game with a winner and loser. It is a win, win, win, win gameand I really like that.
However, I discovered despite my idealism that our customers thought our prices were too high, our employees thought they were underpaid, the vendors would not give us large discounts, the community was forever clamoring for donations, and the government was slapping us with endless fees, licenses, fines and taxes.
Were we profitable? Not at first. Safer Way managed to lose half of its capital in the first year$23,000. Despite the loss, we were still accused of exploiting our customers with high prices and our employees with lower wages. The investors weren't making a profit and we had no money to donate. Plus, with our losses, we paid no taxes. I had somehow joined the "dark side" I was now one of the bad guys. According to the perspective of the Left, I had become a greedy and selfish businessman.
Abandoning Leftist Philosophy
At this point, I rationally chose to abandon the Leftist philosophy of my youth, because it no longer adequately explained how the world really worked. With my Leftist interpretation of the world now shattered, I looked around for alternative explanations for making sense of the world.
I stumbled into reading Milton Friedman, Friedrich Hayek, Ludwig von Mises, Ayn RandI read all of them. I said to myself, "Wow, this all makes sense. This is how the world really works. This is incredible." Then I became Laissez Faire Books best customer for the next five years. I think I read every book in their catalog. If any of you in the audience have written books, I have probably read them.
I identify myself as a Libertarian. I am one of those people who actually votes Libertarian. I have voted strictly Libertarian since 1980. You sometimes hear that argument, "Why do you vote Libertarian? You're just throwing your vote away." I always say, "Gosh, if everybody had that attitude toward their vote, then the Libertarian candidate would get elected."
What I love most about the freedom movement are the ideas of voluntary cooperation and spontaneous order when channeled through free markets, leading to the continuous evolution and progress of humanity. I believe that individual freedom in free markets when combined with property rights through rule of law and ethical democratic government results in societies that maximize prosperity and establish conditions that promote human happiness and well being.
Unfortunately, despite of all my enthusiasm and formidable debating skills, I have had little success converting people to the freedom movement. Has that been your experience as well? The freedom movement remains a small, relatively unimportant movement in the United States today. The question is, "Why?" I want the freedom movement to sweep the world. So how can we make the freedom movement a more vital and dominant intellectual and cultural movement in the United States?
However, I discovered despite my idealism that our customers thought our prices were too high, our employees thought they were underpaid, the vendors would not give us large discounts, the community was forever clamoring for donations, and the government was slapping us with endless fees, licenses, fines and taxes.
Were we profitable? Not at first. Safer Way managed to lose half of its capital in the first year$23,000. Despite the loss, we were still accused of exploiting our customers with high prices and our employees with lower wages. The investors weren't making a profit and we had no money to donate. Plus, with our losses, we paid no taxes. I had somehow joined the "dark side" I was now one of the bad guys. According to the perspective of the Left, I had become a greedy and selfish businessman.
Abandoning Leftist Philosophy
At this point, I rationally chose to abandon the Leftist philosophy of my youth, because it no longer adequately explained how the world really worked. With my Leftist interpretation of the world now shattered, I looked around for alternative explanations for making sense of the world.
I stumbled into reading Milton Friedman, Friedrich Hayek, Ludwig von Mises, Ayn RandI read all of them. I said to myself, "Wow, this all makes sense. This is how the world really works. This is incredible." Then I became Laissez Faire Books best customer for the next five years. I think I read every book in their catalog. If any of you in the audience have written books, I have probably read them.
I identify myself as a Libertarian. I am one of those people who actually votes Libertarian. I have voted strictly Libertarian since 1980. You sometimes hear that argument, "Why do you vote Libertarian? You're just throwing your vote away." I always say, "Gosh, if everybody had that attitude toward their vote, then the Libertarian candidate would get elected."
What I love most about the freedom movement are the ideas of voluntary cooperation and spontaneous order when channeled through free markets, leading to the continuous evolution and progress of humanity. I believe that individual freedom in free markets when combined with property rights through rule of law and ethical democratic government results in societies that maximize prosperity and establish conditions that promote human happiness and well being.
Unfortunately, despite of all my enthusiasm and formidable debating skills, I have had little success converting people to the freedom movement. Has that been your experience as well? The freedom movement remains a small, relatively unimportant movement in the United States today. The question is, "Why?" I want the freedom movement to sweep the world. So how can we make the freedom movement a more vital and dominant intellectual and cultural movement in the United States?
On why socialized healthcare is bad:
Quote
Now let us discuss some of the ideals and goals that I think we should embrace as a movement. Who among you believes that socialized medicine is the answer to the health care crisis in America? The Left believes this is the answer: equal access to the health care system for all Americansno one denied for financial reasons, in a single-payer system. Socialized health care seems very idealistic, and as such, appeals to many people. However, as Milton Friedman taught us, there is no such thing as a free lunchin health care or anywhere else. We know the single-payer system means health care rationing through queuing up in long lines for expensive treatments and denial of some services to many of the elderly as too expensive. We know that uncaring government bureaucrats will run a single-payer system and without the discipline of competitive markets won't provide quality customer/patient service. We know that health care innovation and progress will slow down tremendously, because much less money will be dedicated to medical research since such research is long-term by nature and easily sacrificed to current budget limitations.
Not bad for a CEO.
And here's the quote that impressed me the most:
Quote
When I was a naive (some people in the audience by this time probably think I'm still naive) and idealistic young man, I migrated to the Left for my value system. Why did I do that? Because the Left provided an idealistic vision of the way the world could be. However, the reality of the Left's vision proved to be terribly flawed. Its socialist economic system not only didn't work very well, but in its communist manifestation it justified monstrous governments directly responsible for the murders of over 100 million people in the 20th century. Despite the horrible track record of leftist ideology, millions of young Americans continue to migrate to an intellectually bankrupt Left because the Left still seems to be idealistic, and idealism is magnetic to the young. Idealism will always be magnetic to the intelligent and sensitive young people of the world.
Damn.
That is one of the hands-down best summaries of the flaws of leftism I'd ever seen.
Post by: Mabs2 on June 22, 2007, 05:35:26 AM
Don't tell me I can't have a tree garden.
I'll burn your dog. O:<
I'll burn your dog. O:<
Empty threat.
I just had my dog cremated.
Oh, well, uh.
I quit!
Post by: K Frame on June 22, 2007, 05:37:26 AM
And I'd love to shop at Whole Foods, but they have a penchant for putting their stores in the most inconvenient spots possible, with the most horrific abortive excuses for parking lots on the face of the earth.
Perhaps they're trying to force people to take public transportation.
All I know is that the prices are too high and the employees are underpaid because they don't make $100K a year.
Post by: Rudy Kohn on July 05, 2007, 06:12:51 PM
I tend to alternate between A&W Root Beer and Cream Soda. I slightly prefer A&W to Mug and Barq's.
IBC is good too, as are most of the sodas still in glass bottles. Mmm, Key lime...
I tried Dr. Pepper with real sugar and, despite really wanting it to be a lot better, I couldn't really tell the difference from the corn syrup stuff. However, I absolutely cannot stand the stuff in diet soda. Go figure.
A buddy of mine said the primary advantage to using real sugar is that it trips whatever chemical receptors you have to make you feel full. Not sure if it's true, but interesting if it is.
Post by: Antibubba on July 05, 2007, 09:19:25 PM
Quote
A buddy of mine said the primary advantage to using real sugar is that it trips whatever chemical receptors you have to make you feel full. Not sure if it's true, but interesting if it is.
I think your friend is on to something. Sucralose is closest so far, but not as an exclusive sweetener; that is, if you have something that has a few sugars in it already, like a Jamba Juice and instead of adding sugar you add Splenda, it's pretty darn good! But I'd never add it to my coffee because it doesn't have (to use the food industry terminology) the right mouthfeel.
And BTW, Rudy, let me be the first to welcome you to APS!!
Post by: Tuco on July 06, 2007, 05:19:14 PM
Root Beer.
Post by: Fly320s on July 06, 2007, 08:35:08 PM
Quote
A buddy of mine said the primary advantage to using real sugar is that it trips whatever chemical receptors you have to make you feel full. Not sure if it's true, but interesting if it is.
I don't know about sugar, but that is true regarding natural fat versus hydrogenated oils.
Post by: Rudy Kohn on July 08, 2007, 04:41:43 AM
I don't know about sugar, but that is true regarding natural fat versus hydrogenated oils.
That is really interesting--I have never heard that before. Perhaps a good reason to use real butter when cooking?
On the other hand,
Quote
Perrigue et al (2006) compared the effects of isocaloric servings of colas sweetened HFCS 45, HFCS 55, sucrose, and aspartame on satiety and subsequent energy intake. They found that all of the drinks with caloric sweeteners produced similar satiety responses,
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_fructose_corn_syrup, but it does quote a real article: Perrigue et al. in Proceedings from Experimental Biology, 2006. (Not a great citation, thanks wiki), as well as another by Melanson, also in Proc. Exp. Biol., 2006.
So, I guess what my friend said is probably not true.
Also, thanks for the welcome, Antibubba!
Post by: K Frame on July 08, 2007, 05:30:25 AM
True or not, I don't know.
Post by: Fly320s on July 09, 2007, 08:03:52 AM
Trans fats (hydrogenated oils) still contain bad fats. The problem comes when a person eats the trans-fats to satiate a desire for fat. The trans-fats don't trigger the "mmmmm, that was some good fat I just ate; I'm full now" switch, so a person will still want the fat the body needs. If a person keeps eating trans-fats to satisfy the craving then their overall caloric intake increases as well as increased fat intake.
Quote
Perhaps a good reason to use real butter when cooking?
Yep. I always suggest using real food, natural food, not man-made garbage. Gimme me real fat and real sugar. That's what my body was designed to handle.
Post by: Scout26 on July 11, 2007, 06:05:47 AM
I'm not supposed to be drinking soda, but one or a two a week can't be too bad (plus there's no caffeine in root beer, which is a big NO-NO with my doc.)
Post by: RocketMan on July 11, 2007, 10:13:43 AM
I'm not supposed to be drinking soda, but one or a two a week can't be too bad (plus there's no caffeine in root beer, which is a big NO-NO with my doc.)
Actually, there was caffeine in Barq's the last time I looked. That suprised me, as I had always thought, like you, that root beer universally had no caffeine.