The Hard Root Beer Trend: Not Your Father’s Root Beer vs. Coney Island Hard Root Beer

Among the beer trends we’ve seen blow up in 2015 is the emergence of so-called hard root beers. It began with Not Your Father’s Root Beer (which should also be labeled “Not Your Kid’s Root Beer”) from Pabst/Phusion, I mean Small Town Brewery. Recently Sam Adams, I mean Coney Island Brewing (which is owned by Sam Adams parent company) released their own Hard Root Beer. And not to be outdone, Anheuser-Busch will soon be releasing their own version, Best Damn Root Beer.

There’s plenty to be wary about with all of these beers. The story of Small Town Brewery is rather fishy to me, and you can read more about it here. Pardon me if I’m a little skeptical that the same company that produces Four Loko, Mike’s Hard Lemonade and Smirnoff Ice is also “brewing” Not Your Father’s Root Beer. And when cases upon cases are stacked on the floor of nearly every grocery store in town, it’s hard to buy their “small town” shtick.

I recently tried Not Your Father’s Root Beer (5.9% ABV) side by side with Con

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