Does A&W have caffeine?

In this brief article, we will answer the question, “Does A&W have caffeine?” and provide information on what exactly is root beer, what is A&W root beer, whether you can serve them, how to know whether there is caffeine present in these beverages as well as whether root beer is good to drink.

Does A&W have caffeine?

No, A&W does not have caffeine. This is because A&W is a root beer. Root beers do not naturally have caffeine. Caffeine is added to them. The ingredients added to A&W are carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, natural/ artificial flavors, and preservatives.

As there is lesser caffeine present in many modern root beers like A&W, it is quite preferred among the masses. It can also be popular among certain religious groups that prohibit the use of caffeine or other mind-altering substances.

What exactly is root beer?

Root beer is a beverage made from the bark of a tree called Sassafras. As Safrole present in Sassafras has carcinogenic properties, a lot of manufacturers can add Sassafras artificially in root beer.

Some flavorings added to root beer can be caramel, wintergreen, vanilla, licorice root, nutmeg, molasses, acacia, cinnamon, honey, and sweet birch. 

Apart from this soy protein can be added to give a foamy appearance to the beer. Caramel can be added to give a brown coloring and sweet flavor to the beverage.

Usually, root beers do not contain alcohol and caffeine though manufacturers can add either one or both of them. Root beers are typically carbonated.

Root beer is prepared by brewing Sassafras root with allspice, juniper, spicewood, burdock root, vanilla beans, molasses, birch park, and coriander. This gives a different flavor to the root beer. Instead of sassafras, artificial sassafras can be used.

What is A&W root beer?

A&W root beer is an American root beer. It was founded by Roy W Allen in 1919. Some of the kinds of A&W root beer are given below:

  • General A&W root beer (20 ounces) can contain around 270 calories. It also has 135 mg of sodium and 72 grams of sugar.
  • A&W cream soda and A&W diet cream soda are some variants of A&W root beer. Diet cream soda does not contain any fat, protein, or calories. 

However, a single bottle has 100 mg of sodium. Aspartame, natural, and artificial flavors are added for the purpose of sweetening them.

A&W cream soda (20 ounces) contains 170 kcals. It has 30 mg of sodium and 46 grams of carbs and sugar. The amount of sugar is quite high so it is better to consume them in moderation.

  • A&W sugar-free soda or zero-sugar soda does not contain any calories, fat, carbs, or protein. It has 115 mg of sodium. 
  • A&W floats can be served in restaurants wherein the beer is topped with ice cream, cherry, and other such ingredients.
  • A&W TEN can have a slightly sweet flavor with a bitter aftertaste. It contains aged vanilla added for sweetness.

How can you serve A&W root beer?

A&W root beer can be topped with caramel ice cream, caramel sauce, and a pinch of salt. Vanilla ice cream can also be added on top of root beer. Apart from this, brownie bits, marshmallows, chocolate chips, and crackers can be given.

Other ingredients that can be added on top of A&W root beer include chocolate sauce, whipped cream, maraschino cherries, sprinkles, and chopped nuts.

How to know if root beer contains caffeine?

Even though A&W root beer does not contain caffeine, other root beers can contain caffeine. You can make out whether the drink contains caffeine by looking at its ingredients list.

Usually, the amount of caffeine present in the drink would not be listed on the root beer. If you wish to know the actual amount of caffeine present in root beer, it would be best to check the company’s website or mail the company.

Is root beer good to drink?

It is recommended to consume root beer in moderation. Low-sugar varieties of A&W do not contain calories, fat, and protein but they do contain sodium and are carbonated. Carbonation can affect your oral health.

The A&W drinks that are high in sugar and carbs should be consumed in moderation as they can increase the risk of developing diabetes.

Conclusion

In this brief article, we have answered the question, “Does A&W have caffeine?” and provided information on what exactly is root beer, what is A&W root beer, whether you can serve them, how to know whether there is caffeine present in these beverages as well as whether root beer is good to drink.

Reference

https://www.heb.com/product-detail/a-amp-w-soda-no-caffeine-root-beer/514405

https://www.rootbeer.com/products/aw-diet-root-beer