Not Your Father's Root Beer 6Pk Cans

Not Your Father's Root Beer 6Pk Cans is a 5.9% ABV hard root beer brewed with herbs, roots, and spices in six 12 oz cans. Widely credited as the first hard root beer to reach the American market, this ale single-handedly launched the hard soda category and earned an 89/100 rating on Beer Advocate.

Quick Facts: ABV: 5.9%  |  Origin: Wauconda, Illinois, USA  |  Style: Gruit-Brewed Hard Root Beer  |  Brewery: Small Town Brewery

Production & Heritage

Small Town Brewery in Wauconda, Illinois, draws on ancient German gruit brewing tradition — a method thought to be one of the oldest in the world — where herbs, roots, spices, flowers, and berries replace hops as the primary bittering and flavoring agents. The recipe for Not Your Father's Root Beer reads more like a Victorian apothecary ledger than a standard beer grain bill: sarsaparilla, birch bark, Madagascar vanilla, oak, ginger, wintergreen, licorice, honey, citrus, and mint all contribute to its nostalgic root beer character. The result is a dark spiced ale that tastes remarkably close to classic American root beer while carrying a legitimate 5.9% alcohol content.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Opening with a pronounced burst of vanilla and sarsaparilla, the nose immediately recalls a craft root beer float. Deeper breaths reveal layers of wintergreen, honey, and subtle birch bark sweetness.

Taste: The entry is sweet and silky, led by rich sarsaparilla and Madagascar vanilla that coat the palate. At mid-palate, anise and wintergreen emerge alongside ginger spice, adding complexity to what initially reads as pure nostalgia. The sweetness stays in check thanks to gentle herbal bitterness from the gruit blend of roots and botanicals.

Finish: Smooth and satisfying, with lingering vanilla, licorice, and a whisper of honey. The finish is clean enough to invite the next sip without becoming cloying.

How to Drink Not Your Father's Root Beer

Serve cold, straight from the can or poured over ice. The high carbonation and sweet profile make it an instantly accessible drink on its own, but it also functions as a versatile mixer.

• Hard Root Beer Float: Pour over a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an adult version of the classic — the vanilla-rich base makes it a natural fit.
• Root Beer Mule: Combine with vodka, fresh lime juice, and a splash of ginger beer; the existing ginger and spice notes amplify the mule framework.
• Spiked Root Beer Old Fashioned: Mix with bourbon, a dash of aromatic bitters, and a cherry garnish — the sarsaparilla and vanilla bridge the gap between beer and cocktail.

Best For

• Introducing non-beer drinkers to craft brewing through a familiar, nostalgic flavor
• Summer barbecues and cookouts as a conversation-starting alternative to standard lagers
• Building adult root beer floats for a backyard dessert bar
• Casual get-togethers where guests want something sweeter than a typical beer

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Not Your Father's Root Beer taste like? It drinks remarkably like a classic American root beer, with dominant sarsaparilla and vanilla sweetness balanced by wintergreen, anise, and a touch of ginger spice. The alcohol is well-integrated and barely noticeable at 5.9% ABV.

How does Not Your Father's Root Beer compare to Coney Island Hard Root Beer? Coney Island Hard Root Beer, produced under the Boston Beer Company umbrella, tends to present a lighter body and slightly more carbonated profile, while Not Your Father's Root Beer leans sweeter with a richer vanilla and sarsaparilla character. Not Your Father's also uses a gruit-style brewing method with herbs in place of hops, giving it a more complex botanical backbone.

Is Not Your Father's Root Beer good for beginners? Its root beer flavor profile makes it one of the most approachable alcoholic beverages available, ideal for those who find traditional beer too bitter or hoppy. The 5.9% ABV sits within a moderate range, comparable to most standard craft ales.

Where is Not Your Father's Root Beer made? It is brewed by Small Town Brewery in Wauconda, Illinois, a suburb northwest of Chicago. The brewery specializes in gruit-style ales that use herbs and botanicals rather than hops.

What foods pair well with Not Your Father's Root Beer? Smoked pulled pork benefits from the vanilla sweetness cutting through rich, fatty meat. Spicy jalapeño burgers find balance against the root beer's smooth sarsaparilla profile. Churros and cinnamon-dusted desserts echo the warm spice notes. Sharp cheddar cheese creates a satisfying sweet-savory contrast. Grilled bratwurst pairs naturally, nodding to the brew's German gruit heritage.

What sizes does Not Your Father's Root Beer come in? This listing is for a 6-pack of 12 oz cans, which is the standard retail format for the 5.9% ABV variant.

Is Not Your Father's Root Beer worth the price? It positions as a moderately priced specialty ale that occupies a niche no standard beer fills. For anyone seeking a genuine root beer experience with real alcohol content — brewed with actual botanicals rather than artificial flavoring — it delivers strong category value.

Why Not Your Father's Root Beer?

This is the beer that created an entire category. Before Small Town Brewery brought its gruit-brewed hard root beer to market, the concept of commercially viable alcoholic soda simply did not exist at scale. The use of ancient gruit-style brewing — relying on sarsaparilla, birch bark, Madagascar vanilla, and over a half-dozen other botanicals instead of hops — gives it a depth that flavored malt beverages cannot replicate. With an 89/100 on Beer Advocate and a second-place finish at BeerHoptacular's Beer of the Year in 2013, it has both critical recognition and the distinction of being the original that every hard soda since has tried to imitate.