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Is Dandelion And Burdock Root Beer? [Recipe, Taste & Ingredients]

Is Dandelion And Burdock Root Beer

Steeped in history and forged in time, the original Dandelion root and Fresh burdock root beer was a lightly fermented brew hailing from Great Britain.

Re-invented over the years and has since been developed into a dark color-carbonated soft drink.

So is root beer the same as dandelion and burdock?

No, root beer and dandelion and burdock are not the same.

Root beer is a sweet, carbonated soft drink that is flavored with sassafras root and other ingredients.

While dandelion and burdock is a traditional British soft drink made from the roots of the dandelion and burdock plants.

Commercially there are many types of fantastic root beer (carbonated drinks) with a wide range of artificial root beer flavor and commonly, nowadays, ingredient in root beer contains no alcohol, unlike the traditional brewed versions.

The earliest record of a Dandelion & Burdock drink is from the 13th Century, Middle Ages.

Brewed as a real root beer, traditionally formed by a fermentation process, of extracts of roots, herbs, bark, brown sugar, flowers, leaves, and berries, as well as adding a herbal element.

Dandelion & Burdock brown color root beer was a said element and variation of a root beer.

Root Beer came in many forms not just in the ‘original’ root beer flavor of Sassafras and Sarsaparilla.

Dandelion & Fresh burdock root seems to be niche product in the US but is available.

Perhaps not as popular as regular Root Beer or Irn Bru sodas.

Alternative tastes however are always worth a try. Variety is the spice of life after all.

You might find it a challenge to make a real brew of your own at home, but if you are able to get your hands on the roots – perhaps you are lucky enough to forage for them yourself – follow this classic recipe for Dandelion and Burdock beer syrup.

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What Does dandelion And Burdock Taste Like?

What Does dandelion And Burdock Taste Like

The not-so-natural flavorings of Dandelion and Burdock (foamy root beer)in a regular root beer version give it an ever-so-slight bitter taste, yet a somewhat sweet note, to a soda drink.

The time-honored versions of this root beer almost have an earthy, aromatic natural chicory taste, as traditionally it was dried, roasted, ground, and brewed like coffee, mainly for medicinal purposes.

Seeping extracts of the roots in hot water, like tea, is the surest way to dark color drink this duo (Dandelion & Burdock).

This herbal infusion with brown sugar has a long history of gut health, aiding digestion, and is also known to stimulate appetite.

The traditional take, like the recipe shared (above), is said to taste – although quite sweet – “mildly bitter and aromatic with a now pleasant hint of that vegetable stew”.

An interesting take indeed, on the taste of a traditional, homemade root beer.

For today’s versions of this soft drink, take a taste test and see for yourself.

Acquire brands online like Barrs, Ben Shaws, or Fentimans, which is a ‘botanically brewed’ brand and more in-keeping with its classic taste and natural ingredients.

These are all manufacturers from the UK, so let’s hope you are able to find an online store that is not out of stock.

D’n’B… tall, dark, and drink some

A.G Barr [Scottish soft drinks brand] –

on their version of a root beer Dandelion and Burdock-flavored soft drink.

Does Dandelion And Burdock Contain Alcohol?

Does Dandelion And Burdock Contain Alcohol

Present-day Dandelion and Burdock sodas or root beer syrup are mostly alcohol-free- made in soda fountains.

Back in time though, before sodas were created, Dandelion and Burdock brewed drinks contained alcohol due to the fermentation process of ‘root beer’.

Extracting from the roots and other plant-based ingredients, fizzy drinks like this were classified as ‘light mead’ hailing from the British Isles and contained around a minimum of 3.5% ABV.

Root Beer, originally known as ‘small beer’ was produced with very low alcohol content (0.5 – 2.8%).

Thought to a healthier, sound drink, back in the day, when water was said to be contaminated and risky to drink.

As so, the medieval folk of the day drank beer instead, just to be on the safe side! Although it’s not an alcoholic drink. 

So, root beer vs dandelion and burdock? not much difference.

Is Dandelion And Burdock A Laxative?

Is Dandelion And Burdock A Laxative

Again, traditionally speaking, if extracted and utilized in their pure forms, Dandelion and Burdock both contain Inulin – nature’s very own laxative – in the form of dietary fiber and medicinal properties found naturally in certain plants.

Inulin is known to benefit the gut and support digestive system health.

Most soda versions today only contain brown color,  artificial root beer flavor, not actual extracts, and brown sugar so most likely will not cause any major or unexpected bowel movement.

Dandelion is known to have a stimulating effect like soda water on the whole gastrointestinal system, helping out the liver and kidneys to do their job, as well as keeping the bowels in working order and in good shape.

Burdock beer or Fresh burdock root has less of a laxative effect but still falls in the category of containing Inulin naturally and is labeled a ‘fermentable fiber’, that which is broken down by the support of gut bacteria.

Furthermore, the humble Burdock has other wonderfully healing medicinal qualities – still to come.

Dandelion, interestingly, is also known for its diuretic effects.

It has an old English folk name – plainly said, and a little uncouth: “piss-a-bed” – which is self-explanatory.

Therefore, Dandelion is good to take for bloating and cold water retention as it is well-tolerated and safe to take – in moderation of course – to avoid the literal context of the old English folk expression!

What Are Dandelion And Burdock vs Root Beer Good For?

is root beer the same as dandelion and burdock

Dandelion and Burdock (foamy root beer) in the form of a carbonated soft drink and soda water, ladened with brown sugar, might simply just be good at quenching one’s thirst.

Used traditionally and in their original form – without adding refined or unnatural ingredients – both Dandelion and Burdock (fantastic root beer) have effective beneficial wellness properties.

The botanical names for these plants are:

Common name Scientific name
Dandelion Taraxacum Officinale
Burdock Arctium Lappa

Both are known as weedy perennials that grow (like weeds) throughout the year.

But these plants, some may call ‘pesky’, actually have a purpose.

In its glory days,  Dandelion & Burdock Juice was a favorite preparation as a herbal home remedy or herbal root beer in the soda stream as well as within the official medicinal drug retailer/pharmaceutical realm.

Dandelion’s dried brown color root was once officially recorded in the United States Pharmacopeia (USP).

“USP helps protect patient safety and improve the health conditions of people around the world.

USP is an independent, scientific non-profit organization focused on building trust in the supply of safe, quality medicines”.

Today Dandelion and Burdock can be purchased in capsule form as a dietary supplement and as an ingredient in a herbal teabag, known as an Ayurvedic* medicinal blend.

*One of the world’s oldest holistic healing systems. Ayurveda meaning ‘The Science of Life’.

Dandelion and Burdock, paired together as a Herbal Bitter would also feature behind any civilized and decent cocktail bar with natural ingredients.

Perhaps best served after, or even before a heavy meal to aid digestion, as we know one of the main factors of Dandelion and Burdock is to stimulate our gut enzymes and to bring on bile production – all of which help the absorption of nutrients.

Furthermore, traditional Dandelion tea (herbal root beer), for example, was made from freshly sliced root boiled in water, to which a compound tincture of Horseradish was added – this concoction was used for a lethargic liver.

Burdock specifically is an even lesser loved ‘weed’ because its main physical feature is burrs. Burdock burrs stick to everything – so much so that it was the inspiration behind the invention of Velcro. Not a bad claim to fame!

‘They are Burs, I can tell you, they’ll stick where they are thrown…’

From Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida.

This edible weed however from an ingested point of view is a bit of an antioxidant powerhouse.

It contains Vitamin C as one of its most coveted and definitive classic assets, giving it natural blood purifying properties and therefore, for the most part, is used to remove toxins from our bloodstream.

Another healing attribute of Burdock is that it is used to treat skin diseases like scurvy and skin ailments like eczema, blood disorders, and boils.