Root Beer Float Day

(Google Image) 

By Diane Forrest

Many years ago my grandfather work for Mr. Barq, of Barq's root beer.  Whenever we went to visit my grandparents, he would always have a case of bottled root beer in his garage.  On the warm summer nights, he and my father would sit on the back porch and fix a root beer float; only he called them black cows.  They wouldn't ever share with me or my brother, telling us we were not old enough to have some.  I think that was just an excuse to keep us from having that sweet ice cold delicious treat.  I couldn't wait until I was old enough for a root beer float, now Barqs is the only drink I have.

(Google Image) 

At the end of the 19th century, Frank Wisner invented the first root beer float in Colorado. Frank Wisner, who owned Cripple Creek Brewing, was inspired to create the treat by the way the moon shined on snowcapped Cow Mountain. He recreated the scene by topping Myers Avenue Red root beer with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. He named his concoction "Black Cow Mountain." It was an instant hit with the local kids, who shortened the name to "Black Cow."

(Google Image) 

Today is Root Beer Float Day. To make one of these delicious beverages, just add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to a tall glass of root beer. Make sure you don’t fill the glass with soda, as it will bubble and rise when you add the ice cream.  Fix one today and sit out on your back porch and make some memories with your family.

Root Beer Float Day

Today we celebrate National Root Beer Float Day.  This is a special day for me as it brings back many fond memories of my childhood.  Root beer is a carbonated drink made from the root of the sassafras plant.    While all countries have some form of root beer drink, the name root beer is rarely used outside of the United States and Philippians.

There are hundreds of manufactures of root beer, however my favorite is Barqs. (pronounced barks)  The Barq’s company originated in New Orleans, Louisianna.  It was started by two brothers, Edward and Gaston.  Later, Edward moved to Biloxi, Mississippi and started his own branch, and it was there that my grandfather started working for the company.  Growing up I remember going to my grandparents home on the coast and seeing wooden flats full of barqs rootbeer in bottles stacked in the garage.  They didn't have canned drinks back then.  On warm summer nights my grandfather would ask my father if he wanted a black cow.  Black cow is another name for a root beer float.   My brother and I would just stand there and drool.  We weren't allowed to have root beer as it was a "grown up" drink.  I would watch as my grandfather dipped vanilla ice cream in a tall glass then pour the root beer over it the foam rising to the top nearly spilling over the edge.  My brother and I would sit there like puppies begging for table scraps just hoping they would cave in and give us a little taste.  But as we heard the metal clink on the bottom of the glass, we knew once again the taste of the magical drink was not to be had.

Now that I’m a "grown up” Barq’s root beer is all I drink, and the taste of a root beer float is just as magical and delicious as I always imagined it would be.

Making a root beer float is very easy.  The first thing you have to decide is foam content.  Some folks like alot of foam, while I on the other hand like minimum foam.  To achieve this small amount of foam, I simply pour cold root beer in the glass first, them plop a scoop of vanilla ice cream in.  If you like lots of foam, simply scoop in the ice cream first, and then pour the root beer over it. 

Whatever brand of root beer you like, grab some vanilla ice cream, a can of root beer, a tall glass or mug, and enjoy a ice cold float on this hot summer day.