Real root beer should taste like more than just "sweet." Ours starts with Indian sarsaparilla root, layered with molasses, star anise, clove, and other warm spices — the kind of complex, slow-built flavor that makes a real root beer taste old-fashioned in the best way. One ounce in sparkling water and you're drinking the version of root beer that pre-dates A&W by a century.
It's the secret weapon behind a New York Root Beer Manhattan that drinks like a grown-up dessert. Splash an ounce into bourbon and bitters for an old fashioned with anise warmth and vanilla depth. Use as the base for the best root beer float ever.
Tasting Notes: warm sarsaparilla root, deep molasses, soft anise warmth
The Short Version: A real, old-school root beer syrup made with Indian sarsaparilla root, hand-crushed spices, and molasses — the kind of root beer that pre-dates the soda fountain.
Ingredients: Filtered water, sarsaparilla root, star anise, clove, allspice, organic cane sugar, brown sugar, natural vanilla flavor
Perfect For: Root beer purists, craft soda fans, ice cream float enthusiasts, bourbon-cocktail makers, and anyone who thinks A&W tastes like sugar water.
Best Enjoyed In: Root beer floats (1 oz syrup + ice cream + sparkling water), Sarsaparilla Old Fashioneds (½ oz + 2 oz bourbon), Root Beer Manhattans, root beer-spiked espresso, or 1 oz syrup + 6 oz sparkling water for a craft root beer soda.
The Portland Syrups Promise: Ethically sourced, carefully brewed, and bottled in glass jars right here in SE Portland, Oregon.
Get Inspired
- A grown-up Sarsaparilla Old Fashioned for evening sipping
- A dessert-leaning New York Root Beer Manhattan for after-dinner cocktails
- A nostalgic Kid-Friendly Root Beer Shake for family treats
- A frosty Root Beer Slushy for hot summer days
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How long does the syrup last after opening?
A: Our syrups are shelf-stable for 24 months unopened. Once opened, refrigerate and enjoy within 6 months.
Q: What's the difference between Genuine Root Beer Syrup and commercial root beer?
A: A lot, actually. Commercial root beer (A&W, Mug, Barq's) is made with corn syrup, artificial flavors, and a small amount of sarsaparilla flavoring or none at all. Ours is built around real Indian sarsaparilla root, hand-crushed and toasted whole spices (star anise, clove, others), and molasses — with pure cane sugar instead of corn syrup. The result tastes more complex, less candy-sweet, and noticeably less synthetic. Most people read it as "the real version" of root beer, with depth that mass-produced soda doesn't have.
Q: Can I use Root Beer syrup in cooking or baking?
A: Definitely. Brush it onto barbecue ribs or pulled pork during the last few minutes of cooking for a classic root beer glaze. Stir it into chocolate ganache for a root beer truffle. Use it as part of a marinade for beef short ribs (the molasses and anise are unreasonably good with beef). The flavor holds up to heat better than vanilla extract because the spices are already strong.
Somehow, after what seems like only a few glasses of the best -- literally -- root beer I've ever had, I'M ALREADY OUT. I have no plan for limiting my purchasing or consuming of this stuff, and left to my own willpower, I'd be drinking it literally all day long. It's that delicious. Yeah, sure, I know you can use it for more "adult" beverages, but why would you? BEST. ROOT BEER. EVER.
These syrups are everything I’ve been wanting for so long. I have a soda stream and I have been so bummed that all of their soda flavors are made with artificial sweetener. I really like the taste of sodas, but I don’t like how sweet they are and how unhealthy they are. I love that these syrups have natural ingredients and I can use them with my soda stream to make soda as sweet as I want it. I only need a small amount to give such good flavor this root beer flavor taste so creamy. I love it!
Great way to have your own root beer. Not to sweet just right
This has great Root beer taste. I’m able to use half as much syrup as recommended, which give delicious soda with a mild sweetness. I definitely will buy this again.
Genuine Root Beer Syrup
Bought the cola flavored and the rootbeer flavored syrups. Definitely enjoyed the rootbeer better. I love that the ingredients are all natural.
Jazzing up my kombucha when I want a special treat ... !
The root beer syrup is very yummy!
Made root beer with yeast sugar and your extract at 3 table spoons per gallon.
It tastes good but should have used more extract. It is odd that the extract seemed to inhibit the yeast a little. After two weeks though all is very carbonated and flavorful.
It is really hard to find extract because of the sarsaparilla scare.
Genuine Root Beer Syrup
It's okay, but there is way too much star anise flavor to buy again. If you like your root beer to taste like black licorice this is the syrup for you.
I wanted to up my soda st***m game and these are perfect. The root beer is spicy and delicious! It's nice to add a flavor while minimizing all the added unhealthy ingredients in regular soda.
Placed an order during shipping it was broken.
Quick and simple phone call order was re-shipped without a single problem.
Plus the product is pretty good in a cocktail.
Not too sweet, totally spot on flavor. Highly recommend!
Was really looking forward to this one, It was just ok, going to try it with some other cocktail variations . Was the least favorite of the 3 we tried but customer service is 5 stars and so is the hibiscus syrup , we’ll order again from this company
I'm addicted. It's often out at New Seasons. I'm the reason why.
Just a little bit of this and seltzer, it's everything I want.
I will give Portland Syrups four stars for
your attempt of presenting a flavor that mimics root beer made with sassafras root. I know that the U.S. doesn't allow sassafras to be used in our own products.
The syrup's "viscosity" tends to keep it at the bottom of a glass in carbonated water, and it must be stirred often to keep it dispersed evenly.
I still lean towards Australian-brewed Bunderburg-brand root beer with its sassafras ingredient, but you still run neck-and-neck with them when making a root beer float.
Thanks for a good product...better than any other I've found in the U.S. .
Genuine Root Beer Syrup
The root beer syrup was tasty but leaned more toward a sarsaparilla soda.
Best root-beer on earth! Genuine old fashioned clove and molasses flavor. Fantastic!! I will always have this in my house. Back up supply is a must!
Ive offically been spoiled by your syrups that i cant really drink other rootbeers without specifically tasting the "sassafras" they use. Aka winter green apparently
Genuine Root Beer Syrup
Had too much allspice flavor and didn't taste too much like root beer.
Wow we are amazed at how tasty this is
Taste so good!
I purchased the root beer syrup and I must say that it is the best tasting root beer that my wife and I have ever had! I highly recommend it. As a matter of fact, I told my mom about it and she ordered three bottles from you all just recently.!
I really enjoyed the root beer syrup. It got very thick in the refrigerator so it could be a little difficult to work with and mix with seltzer.
Absolutely delicious.
Root beer flavors are a personal choice. This brand reminds me of our home town drive-in. Love it.
We actually enjoyed the root beer syrup very much. My oldest son mentioned he could taste all of the different ingredients. He said something like this is what it probably tasted like before it was made from fake ingredients.
I was hoping to make a traditional tasting root beer pop with my SodaStream. But this recipe is derailed way off the genuine root beer track as far as my upbringing goes. Yup, I taste the sarsaparilla but find a whole dimension missing. It's more like a spicy cream soda. The True Cola syrup reminds me more of root beer. That said, I like it as a mixer with Bermuda black rum. Looking forward to trying it with Captain Morgan. Should blend well because this syrup actually reminds me of it.
Took me back to my child drinking root beer
