WHITEFISH — There’s nothing like quaffing a cold one on a hot summer day, especially after the hustle and rush of the weekly farmers market.
Stepping off the busy streets of north Central Avenue and into the buzz of the Great Northern Brewing Co., anyone of any age can order a satisfying cold brew from the tap — those under 21 years of age or who prefer drinks without alcohol can belly up to the bar and grab a Lil Buckaroo root beer.
Served from the tap and with or without ice, the Lil Buckaroo has become a staple product at Great Northern Brewing Co.
“We consider it a flagship drink,” Niki Bates of Great Northern Brewing said. “We brew it year round and have it on tap year round. It’s very popular.”
Having root beer on tap is a popular option for breweries for various reasons, most notably so families can come to taprooms together and have a nice time with a foamy, cold drink. Bates said the Lil Buckaroo is a favorite among kids but also with adults who want a refreshing drink but don’t want the alcohol.
“Our root beer floats are very popular as well,” Bates said.
Root beer is one of America’s most popular soda flavors, but its history can be traced all the way back to medieval Europe and the indigenous peoples of North America. Root beer’s flavor traditionally comes from sassafras or sarsaparilla, and both the European and Native American traditions used the concoction for medicinal benefits as well as its taste.
In medieval Europe, root beer emerged from the tradition of “small beer,” which were fermented drinks with very low alcohol content for medieval Europeans to drink instead of contaminated water. Table beer, often consumed by children, was typically less than 1 percent alcohol content.
American commercial root beer traditions started in drug and confectionary stores in the 1840s, and pharmacist Charles Hires began selling his version of root beer in 1876 at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, making it the country’s oldest brand of the soda. Hires initially sold it as a powder, and by 1884, he was selling a liquid extract and syrup for use in soda fountains.
In the Flathead, root beer is still a treat on tap. In Lakeside, the folks at Tamarack Brewing Company put the same care into their Training Wheels root beer as they do with their popular beer lineup.
To get its particular sweetness, head brewer Kyle Carlson uses local Montana honey and raw sugar. It’s made in the brewery along with Tamarack’s eight other brews.
Follow U.S. Highway 93 further south and into Polson, and there’s another root beer on tap at the Glacier Brewing Co. Founder and head brewer Dave Ayers, who was kegging some root beer while discussing its creation, has been making the popular soda since the brewery opened in 2002.
“Instead of buying a premade soft drink, I thought, ‘Heck I can just make it. I have the equipment here,’” Ayers said.
Ayers said the secret to his root beer’s success is in the fresh ingredients. His concoction is made with sarsaparilla root, then “good, old white and brown sugar.” Ayers was emphatic that corn syrup never gets near his sodas. He also makes the popular Polson Pepper Soda, which tastes similar to Dr. Pepper.
“I didn’t think I could get away with calling it ‘Dr. Polson,’” Ayers said with a laugh.
Glacier Brewing’s root beer is its most popular soda, and customers can buy a growler of it to take home.
“It’s very popular,” Ayers said. “This summer we opened another account in Missoula, and they have been buying keg after keg after keg. They pour it on draft and fill up growlers.”
Root beer is a special part of his business, Ayers said, and he intends on keeping it that way because of how accessible it makes the brewery to families.
“I thought it was something for families because not everybody loves beer,” Ayers said.