Root beer is a sweet, carbonated soft drink that traces its roots to the indigenous peoples of the Americas, who made use of the root bark of the sassafras tree for both its flavor and its medicinal benefits. Modern interpretations typically use artificial sassafras flavoring, along with flavors like vanilla, molasses, caramel, honey, and baking spices (nutmeg, cinnamon, and the like).
Root beer can be difficult to use in cocktail recipes; it’s usually so sweet that it’s difficult to balance. It’s best paired with complex, oaky spirits like bourbon and rum, which play well off the spice and vanilla flavors.
