Dad’s Root Beer stands as one of America’s most renowned soft drink brands. Conceived in the 1930s by partners Barney Berns and Ely Klapman in the basement of Klapman’s Chicago residence, Dad’s Root Beer quickly garnered a devoted customer base. The brand’s distinctive flavor resonated throughout the Midwest, and by the late 1940s, it emerged as one of the most widely consumed root beer brands in the United States.
Dad’s Root Beer distinguished itself as a brand and industry pioneer when it became the first product to utilize the six-pack format, a concept pioneered by the Atlanta Paper Company in the 1940s. Additionally, Dad’s introduced the half-gallon bottle, becoming the first brand to market this size. The brand’s marketing strategy emphasized family unity, with the “Junior” bottle size being the smallest at 7, 10, or 12 ounces. The “Mama” bottle size was a quart, while the “Papa” bottle size was a half-gallon.
In the 1970s, the Klapman and Berns families transferred all rights to Dad’s name and logo to IC Industries. During this period, Chicago-based television advertisements for Dad’s featured a distinct jingle performed by an ensemble, with the following lyrics:
In 1986, Monarch Beverage Company of Atlanta acquired Dad’s from IC Industries of Chicago. At that time, Dad’s was distributed by the Coca-Cola bottler network. It sold 12 million cases annually and held the second-largest share of the root beer category behind A&W.
In 2007, Hedinger Brands, LLC purchased Dad’s Root Beer from Monarch, along with the Bubble Up, Dr. Wells, and Sun Crest brands. It then licensed them to The Dad’s Root Beer Company, LLC. The company headquarters is now located in Jasper, Indiana.
Upon opening the bottle, the aroma was commercial, characterized by a sugary wintergreen scent and a subtle hint of an unidentified spice. Initially, the beverage exhibited excessive carbonation, with wintergreen being the predominant flavor. The aftertaste is metallic.
Although the head is not yet optimal, it does produce a satisfactory foam. This is consistent with my expectations for a higher carbonated, heavily sweetened beverage.
This beverage could have been more enjoyable. While it is not particularly bad, it is a sugary drink.
Although it has some appeal, it is also the most calorie-dense beverage (nearly double the calories of Rocky Mountain Root Beer), and the specific type of sugar used remains unknown. It does impart a distinct corn syrup flavor. If used solely for root beer, it would undoubtedly rank highly.
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