Barq's facts for kids
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| Type | Root beer |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | The Coca-Cola Company |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Introduced | 1898 |
| Variants |
|
| Related products | A&W Root Beer, Mug Root Beer, Dad's Root Beer, Sarsi |
Barq's is a popular brand of root beer. It was created by Edward Barq over 100 years ago. Today, The Coca-Cola Company owns the brand. For many years, it was called "Barq's Famous Olde Tyme Root Beer." Some types of Barq's drinks have caffeine in them.
Contents
The Story of Barq's Root Beer
How Barq's Began
The Barq's story started in 1890. Two brothers, Edward and Gaston Barq, opened a company. It was in the French Quarter of New Orleans. They made fizzy water and their own soft drinks. One of their first popular drinks was an orange soda called Orangine.
Edward Barq moved to Biloxi, Mississippi in 1897. The next year, he opened a new bottling company. Many people believe he first made what we now know as Barq's root beer in 1898. Others say it was first made in 1900.
Why It Was Different
For a long time, Barq's was not called "root beer." This was partly to avoid problems with another company. That company, Hires Root Beer, tried to own the name "root beer."
Barq's was also different from other root beers. It was made from sarsaparilla. It had less sugar and more fizz. It also had less foam on top than other brands. The old slogan for Barq's was simple: "Drink Barq's. It's good." This slogan first appeared on its special bottles in 1935.
Barq's Grows Bigger
In 1976, two people named John Oudt and John Koerner bought the Biloxi Barq's Company. They started a big TV ad campaign. The ads used the catchy phrase "Barq's Got Sparks." They wanted to sell Barq's all over the country. But there were other Barq's companies in Louisiana. These were owned by the Barq family's relatives.
There were some legal disagreements about who owned the Barq's name. The case went to a high court. The court decided in favor of the family in Louisiana. The last family-owned Barq's company was sold to Coca-Cola in 2000.
Fun Facts and Marketing
In 1990, Barq's helped create the world's largest root beer float. They mixed 1,500 gallons of Barq's root beer. They also added 1,000 gallons of vanilla ice cream. This huge float was made in a swimming pool!
In the early 1990s, Barq's used current events in its ads. In 1991, they put coupons on 3-D glasses for a movie. In 1992, they used the end of the Soviet Union for a "Going Out of Business Sale." Customers could trade proof of purchase for special items.
Since 1995, Barq's has used the slogan "Barq's has bite!" TV ads often showed a Barq's salesman. He would tell people, "Barq's has bite!" Then, people would drink it and have a very energetic reaction.
Caffeine in Barq's
Regular Barq's root beer has 22.5 mg of caffeine in a 12-ounce serving. This is similar to the amount in green tea. Diet Barq's has no caffeine.
Barq's also contains a flavor protector called sodium benzoate. This ingredient can sometimes create a chemical called benzene. Benzene is known to be harmful. Barq's was still using this ingredient as of 2008.
The Barq's you get from Coca-Cola Freestyle machines has no caffeine. This is because the machine uses the same main ingredient for both regular and diet Barq's. The only difference is the sweetener. Also, Barq's sold in Utah is often caffeine-free. This is because many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints avoid caffeinated drinks.
Barq's Products Today
| Nutritional value per 12 fl oz (355 ml) | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 160 kcal (670 kJ) |
|
45
|
|
| Sugars | 45 |
| Dietary fiber | 0 |
|
0
|
|
| Saturated | 0 |
| Trans | 0 |
|
Protein
|
0
|
| Vitamins | Quantity
%DV†
|
| Vitamin A equiv. |
0%
0 μg |
| Vitamin C |
0%
0 mg |
| Minerals | Quantity
%DV†
|
| Calcium |
0%
0 mg |
| Iron |
0%
0 mg |
| Potassium |
0%
0 mg |
| Sodium |
5%
70 mg |
| Other constituents | Quantity |
| Cholesterol | 0 |
| †Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults. | |
Here are some of the different Barq's drinks you can find:
- Barq's Root Beer
- Diet Barq's Root Beer - This version has no caffeine. It comes in Root Beer and Vanilla Cream flavors.
- Barq's Zero Sugar Root Beer - This is the new name for Diet Barq's Root Beer since 2022.
- Barq's Red Crème Soda - There used to be a yellow version too, but it stopped being made in the early 1990s.
- Diet Barq's Red Crème Soda
- Barq's French Vanilla Crème Soda
- Barq's Spiced Cherry (available in Canada)
- Barq's Birch Beer
- Barq's Floatz - This drink was made to taste like a root beer float. It is no longer made.
