Root beer was created in the mid-1800s by Philadelphia pharmacist Charles Hires. The original root beer was a low-alcohol, naturally effervescent beverage made by fermenting a blend of sugar and yeast with various roots, herbs and barks.
Today’s commercial root beer is completely non-alcoholic and generally contains sugar, caramel coloring, a combination of artificial and natural flavorings, including some of those originally used, and carbonated water for sparkle.