Dad's Root Beer

Dad's Root Beer was created in Chicago in the late 1930s by Ely Klapman and Barney Berns. The brand grew into one of the most recognizable root beer labels in the American Midwest and eventually nationwide. Its barrel-shaped keg bottle became one of the most iconic packages in American soda history.

Yes, Dad's Root Beer is still produced in the United States, currently owned by Hedinger Beverage Corporation, which acquired the brand along with other vintage soda labels. It is available in both cans and the classic barrel-shaped glass bottles. Distribution is more limited than during its mid-20th-century peak but covers much of the country.

Dad's Root Beer was part of a range of family-oriented names that included Mom's, Junior's, and Papa's beverages in different sizes or flavors. The naming strategy gave the brand a wholesome, family-friendly image that was central to its marketing. Dad's was by far the most successful of these and outlasted the others.

Dad's Root Beer has a sweeter, more wintergreen-forward flavor compared to A&W, which tends to be creamier and more vanilla-heavy. Dad's has a sharper, more traditional sassafras-like bite that some root beer enthusiasts prefer. Both brands date back decades, though A&W has maintained wider national distribution.