What better place than a brewery to make old-fashioned root beer? Old Dominion in Dover has been making its version, based on recipes from the Library of Congress, for 20 years. You can taste the sassafras in the brew, which is made with honey instead of high-fructose corn syrup. The same goes for Old Dominion’s ginger ale, which is made with real cane sugar, plus some citrus flavor. Now there’s good news for OD’s soda fans. This month brings two new ones: creamy orange and black cherry, also made with real sugar. Why soda from a beer brewery? “[Original owner] Jerry Bailey wanted to make sure there was something for the kids,” says marketing coordinator Lauren Bigelow. Adding new flavors was a natural next step. “Offering only root beer and ginger ale was like brewing only IPAs or Budweiser,” Bigelow says. “We wanted something for everybody.” Look for all the Old Dominion sodas at Costco and Giant stores, as well as Fifer Orchards in Wyoming.—Mark Nardone
Old Dominion Brewery in Dover: Root Beer and Sodas
