Drink

Getting to the Root

Whether in an ice cream float or straight from the can, the minty, earthy taste of root beer can make even the most jaded gourmand feel like a 10-year-old. For all its associations with kids’ drinks, though, root beer’s depth of flavor means it has plenty to offer the modern mixologist.

“Root beer is decidedly more complex than most people think,” attests Toby Maloney, head mixologist at Chicago’s Violet Hour, Nashville’s ...