Sarsaparilla Vs. Root Beer

Both sarsaparilla and root beer are highly enjoyed beverages from all over the world. But while both drinks are derived from the same root, what is the difference between root beer and sarsaparilla?

Difference Between Root Beer and Sarsaparilla

The debate has two origins. The first being that the two beverages taste vaguely the same and the second similarity is that root beer uses sarsaparilla in its preparation. So, if you knew both these facts, that sarsaparilla is used to make both these beverages and they both look the same as well, wouldn't you too want to know the difference? I thought you would. The difference though is a pretty subtle one.

What is Sarsaparilla?
While the sarsaparilla essentially is also a 'root beer', going by its definition, the drink is made from the sarsaparilla root alone. The plant is a vine which is abundantly available in Central America. It's Spanish name zarzaparrilla is derived from the words 'zarza' meaning 'shrub' and 'parrilla' meaning 'little grape vine'. The Central Americans were apparently the first people who came up with the idea of using the extracts of this vine to prepare this beverage. The way they saw it, it had a remarkable medicinal value and there are many uses and hence till date considered to be a good medicine in treating syphilis. It also gained popularity later as a beverage in the old west. If you remember the Yosemite Sam character, which was loosely based on a guy from the old west, he often mentioned that he wants a 'sasparilly' and that he wants it 'really snappy'! Today, is a drink which is made primarily from this plant, without mixing it with anything else. As such, the sarsaparilla root beer recipe contains only one flavoring ingredient: the sarsaparilla itself.

What is Root Beer?
Unlike of course, the root beer. The root beer is a drink made from a combination of roots, in tandem with the sarsaparilla, such as cinnamon, clove, licorice, vanilla, wintergreen, etc. The root beer comes in several flavors based on the other roots used. Unlike sarsaparilla of course, the root beer uses a combination of different substances to dilute the taste of sarsaparilla which some people may not enjoy. Root beer in essence is an adulterated sarsaparilla since it contains a mix of other ingredients. It has a lighter aftertaste than sarsaparilla. The root beer comes in two varieties, the alcoholic version and the soft drink version. Both drinks are well loved and have their followers all over the world.

As you can see, the debate on sarsaparilla or root beer can be ended on the note that while root beer is a slightly tweaked beverage, sarsaparilla is the real thing. Well, at least the original thing. People came up with the sarsaparilla drink much longer before the root beer and one would believe that the root beer came into existence due to some people's dislike of the sarsaparilla. But in spite of that, the popularity of sarsaparilla continues to grow unabated.