Update: 2012-03-05 Someone kindly dropped me a mail letting me know that A&W root beer is stocked at a Spar near the Vicar Street venue.
Update: 2011-06-13 According to Bargain Alerts, Amazon will soon start shipping groceries to Ireland, in which case you’ll be able to buy A&W Root Beer
Update: 2011-01-13 Yankee Soda seem to have stopped stocking A&W root beer unfortunately; they now stock “DAD’S” root beer, but I have no idea what that tastes like. The search continues 
Update: Apparently it is infrequently stocked in Fallon & Byrne on Exchequer Street in Dublin at €1.55 a can. Although F&B recently went into administration, so may not be there for long.
Bit outside the planned scope of this blog early on, but it’s worth a mention. There are plenty of places where people are asking about this.
No proper answers that I can see, at least, some awful chinese root beer from an oriental supermarket does not count as root beer. When I say root beer, I mean none other than A&W Root Beer, purveyors of deliciousness. I became mildly addicted to this stuff on my first trip to the United States in 2002. I became permanently hooked on my second visit in 2007 and subsequent minor trip.
It’s a bit of a love it or hate it taste, if you haven’t tried it and liked it, it’s probably not worth the gamble, but if you like this stuff and can’t find it anywhere, I’ve found a reliable and relatively inexpensive retailer!
Yankee Soda, although probably one of the less “graceful” user experiences out there, has a pretty attractive price at £16.95 for 24 cans, with £5.50 delivery to the Republic of Ireland. I wouldn’t trust that site with my credit card, but fortunately they offer PayPal as an option. Turnaround time for delivery was an unbelievable two days, delivered to my workplace by courier.
So, if you’ve been looking for Root Beer but haven’t been able to get any satisfaction, try these guys, I’m ordering my second batch now as I’ve made short work of my first crate in just over a week.
One Comment
Try the drinks section of Fallon&Byrnes or Donnybrook Fair.
But sod root beer, it’s too sickly sweet. What I want to find is a cheaper source for that most delectable of beverages, Bundaberg Ginger Beer.
*sigh*
Problem is, you see, all the ginger drinks sold here are either sickly-sweet US Ginger Ale, or Fiery UK Ginger Beer. Bundaberg isn’t too sweet and won’t burn the mouth off you. I can find it in Donnybrook Fair allright, or order it in the Waterstones Cafe, but that’s a bit expensive for a drink I want to order in pint glasses like I could in every pub in the UK