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| Nothing beats a refreshing root beer and tea on a summer day in northern Michigan. |
One of my favorite summertime drinks, root beer, offers more than just a refreshing, earthy sweetness on a hot August day—it also stirs cherished memories of family trips to an up-north drive-in diner. I can still picture the metal tray clipped to the driver’s window, loaded with fries, burgers, and ice cream floats. For a pre-adolescent diner experience, it felt like a three-star Michelin meal.
Last year, thanks to The History Channel’s “Food That Built America” (Season 5, Episode 3), we learned that root beer actually began as “root tea.” This weekend, we had the pleasure of reconnecting with both the pop and the tea through two engaging vendors at the Lewiston Farmer’s Market.
First, a little on the origins of root beer.
In 1875, while honeymooning in rural New Jersey, Philadelphia pharmacist Charles Hires and his wife were served “root tea”—an effervescent herbal drink popular in the countryside but virtually unknown in cities. Intrigued, Hires asked the innkeeper for the recipe and, upon returning home, created his own version in a powdered mix of sixteen herbs, berries, and roots—including vanilla and sassafras. When combined with yeast, sugar, and water, it produced a bubbly, refreshing beverage.
As a supporter of the Temperance movement, Hires ensured the fermentation process was halted before alcohol formed. He believed his root tea could serve as a wholesome alternative to the heavily consumed alcoholic drinks of the day.
When it came time to market his creation, Hires consulted his friend Reverend Russell Cowell, who knew Philadelphia very well. Hires initially planned to call the drink “root tea,” but Cowell, surprisingly, advised against it, noting that “men around here don’t drink tea.” Observing its appearance, Cowell suggested a more fitting name: “root beer.”
The rest, as they say, is root beer history. . .
Back to its roots in tea and root beer at the Lewiston Farmer's Market:
This weekend, on a warm Saturday afternoon, I met up with up old and new friends, and returned with a bag full of treasures, including root beer tea and a few bottles of Sarsaparilla.
(And for those of you unfamiliar with the location, Lewiston is a small town in northeast Michigan, between Gaylord and Mio and stone's throw from Garland Resort.)
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| Ryan Cottrell of Sweet Cooper Farm, literally and figuratively, stands behind his real good Sarsaparilla. |
Real good root beer from Sweet Copper Farm
In a hard-to-miss booth that occupies a large corner space in the Lewiston Market, Ryan Cottrell, of Sweet Copper Farm, literally and figuratively, stands behind the claims of his Sarsaparilla being the "best root beer in the world".
Behind a table filled with Sweet Copper Sarsaparilla and a tray of free samples, a sign that rivals expressway-sized billboards, proclaims: “Real spices. Real sugar. Real good!”
And, it really is really good!
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| Sweet Cooper Sarsaparilla with real sugar and real spices. |
Although, root beer is not Sweet Copper Farm's only product for sale at the market, it’s a crowd favorite on a hot northern Michigan day. We came, we sampled, we loved, and yes, we bought. (And we’ll be back for more!)
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| Tricia Adamen of Tee Lake Treats and Tea, offers a variety of unique tea blends and scrumptious treats. |
Tee Lake's Rooibos Rootbeer Tea
Nearly a year after our first introduction, we were thrilled to reconnect in person with Tricia Adamen of Tee Lake Treats and Tea. Though her scrumptious baked goods were nearly sold out when we arrived, we got the scoop on her latest tea creations—including tea bath salts, which we picked up for our guests at Pemberly Pines.
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| Package of Tea Lake Treats and Tea Rootbeer Rooibos. |
One edible tea mix that immediately caught our eye—especially after our Sweet Copper Farm stop—was Tee Lake’s root beer tea. Tricia combines sarsaparilla root and root beer flavor with rooibos tea for a unique loose-leaf blend. Just opening the pack and inhaling its aroma gives a delightful preview of what’s to come.
Like its cold counterpart, the Rooibos Root Beer Tea is hearty, full-bodied, and refreshing. Steeped hot for the recommended five minutes, it delivers rich sarsaparilla goodness in every sip.
We're looking forward to our next visit to the Lewiston Farmer's Market. In the meantime, we've got root beer, both hot and cold, to enjoy.
A timely reminder, August 6 is National Root Beer Float Day.
A tea cup and frosty mug toast to you!
For more information on both vendors featured on today's blog, visit them at:
