#nationalrootbeerfloatday

National Root Beer Float Day

Diet? Not on August 6. It’s National Root Beer Float Day, after all — a time to enjoy one of the best beverage/dessert combos on the planet. On that day, some even compete for root beer float greatness. It all started in Colorado back in 1893. Frank J. Wisner was inspired. Surrounded by Cow Mountain where his Cripple Creek Brewing Company was located, Wisner came up with a novel idea. While mountain gazing, he didn’t see snow-covered peaks. Instead, Wisner envisioned scoops of ice cream floating in root beer.  Crazy, right? So, today, enjoy the tallest, fizziest root beer float you can find!

Note: Read on to find out how you can get a free A&W root beer today!

When is National Root Beer Float Day 2022?

The frothy beverage/dessert combo we all love is celebrated on National Root Beer Float Day on August 6.

History of National Root Beer Float Day

The unique fusion of ice cream with root beer is unlike anything else. This summertime delicacy has a history as rich as its texture and flavor!

Frank J. Wisner, the owner of Colorado’s Cripple Creek Brewing, is the person to thank for creating the root beer float on August 19, 1893. The idea behind this extraordinary innovation came to Wisner when he was looking at the snowy peaks of Colorado’s Cow Mountain that gave the illusion of ice cream floating on a beverage. While staring out of the window of the Cripple Creek Cow Mountain Gold Mining Company, Wisner thought the glow of the full moon made the snow-capped mountains resemble ice cream.

The following day, Wisner got to work combining vanilla ice cream with root beer and calling the result the ‘Black Cow Mountain.’ The soda he had used was Myers Avenue Red Root Beer. The root beer float was served to his guests the very next day and became an instant hit. Children shortened the word to ‘Black Cow,’ and today it is simply known as root beer float.

National Root Beer Float Day timeline

1876 A pharmacist sells root beer commercially

Pharmacist Charles Elmer Hires debuts a commercial version of root beer at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition.

1919 A&W has humble beginnings at a root beer stand

Ray Allen opens a root beer stand in Lodi, California, which would eventually become the A&W restaurant chain.

The 1920s Root beer turns into a fad

The popularity of non-alcoholic root beer explodes during Prohibition.

1960 The FDA bans a key root beer ingredient

The FDA bans safrole, the aromatic oil that initially gave root beer its distinctive flavor. The ingredient caused liver damage during animal testing.

Traditions

Since its creation, countless root beer floats have been enjoyed throughout the world. The tradition of the day is to enjoy refreshing root beer floats. The original recipe has evolved into many variations, each with their own unique flavor, while retaining the original root beer float texture.

Popular root beer floats that have become traditional favorites include the Coke Float, Boston Cooler, Purple Cow, and the Harry Potter-inspired Butterbeer.

National Root Beer Float Day By The Numbers

1876 – the year when root beer was invented 16 – the number of roots and herbs that root beer is made of. 3% – the percentage that root beer makes up in America’s soft drink market. 1960 – the year when a key ingredient of root beer, the sassafras root, was banned by the FDA. #1 – the ranking of A&W as the leading root beer brand in America.

National Root Beer Float Day Activities

Whip up your own root beer float

Conduct some root beer research

Throw a root beer party for adults

There's no better way to celebrate National Root Beer Float Day than by concocting your own root beer float. Grab a bottle of your favorite brand of root beer, pour into a chilled glass and top off with a fresh scoop of vanilla ice cream. Nice!

Now, this is the kind of research you can appreciate! The Root Beer Store sells more than 100 brands and flavors of root beer. You can check out customer reviews of all the root beers for sale and even order mix-and-match bottles. Your local specialty liquor store may also have a pretty good selection, so drink up!

Hard root beer is blowing up! Clever brewers have come up with root beers that include varying levels of alcohol. Invite the neighbors over for a dessert party and imbibe on some root beer floats. But be careful, while the root beer goes down fast and smooth, it'll eventually catch up with you.

5 Reasons We Need A Root Beer Float, Like Right Now

Root root

The Philly float

The custard float is a definite thing

Why float when you can freeze?

The root beer float with a kick

Jeni's ice cream shops can double your pleasure with root beer floats made with root beer ice cream and Boylan root beer.

The Franklin Fountain in Philadelphia creates authentic root beer floats made with their own brand of root beer syrup and  ice cream.

Scooter's Frozen Custard in Chicago offers a root beer float made with vanilla custard, a refreshing twist on the standard float.

Instead of floating the ice cream on top of a glass of root beer, blend the two together to make a root beer freeze.

SpringHouse restaurant in Alexander City, Alabama, serves up a bourbon float made with Buffalo Trace bourbon, bourbon ice cream and a house-made root beer syrup.

Why We Love National Root Beer Float Day

It's a perfect combination

Floats come in many varieties

It generates donations for a good charity

It seems like such a simple recipe — root beer  in a tall, iced glass and two scoops of vanilla ice cream.  But if you're trying to get beyond the ordinary, then use extraordinary ingredients.  Select a frothy root beer with a high sarsparilla content and loads of sweetness.  Add rich, vanilla bean ice cream and get creative with your toppings.

The Boston Cooler was invented in Detroit, of all places, and is made with Vernor's ginger ale and vanilla ice cream. In many Asian eateries you can order a Snow White, which is composed of vanilla ice cream and 7-Up or Sprite. In Mexico, you can grab a Holado flotante, a combination of cola and lemon sherbet.

On National Root Beer Float Day, A&W Restaurants collects donations for Disabled American Veterans, a charity that fights for better health care benefits for America's injured heroes.  What a sweet idea!