Root Beer World - root beer history, brands, recipes, news

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root beer brand history
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kguske
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Joined: Jun 27, 2003
Posts: 349

PostPosted: Tue Dec 16, 2003 12:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Frostie started in Baltimore, not sure of the exact date. Mason's started in Chicago, not sure of that date either. Mason's and Frostie eventually ended up as part of Atlanta-based Monarch Beverages (not affiliated with Coca-Cola), though a Texas-based company now has the rights to Frostie. I'm not sure who currently markets Mason's, although I believe it is currently available.
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Kevin Guske

So heres a tribute toast with root beer in hand to you and the many mugs of suds along your happy trails. --Charles Wysocki, artist and root beer fan, 1928-2002
  
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Jon
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Joined: Oct 26, 2003
Posts: 50
Location: Fishers, IN

PostPosted: Tue Dec 16, 2003 2:36 am    Post subject: Re: root beer brand history Reply with quote

Monarch still owns the rights to Mason's and it is currently being sold. It is available for purchase online at a couple of sites.
  
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dependonme
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Joined: Jun 12, 2006
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 12, 2006 10:08 pm    Post subject: Re: root beer brand history Reply with quote

Beginning with a soft drink association that dates back to his early youth, George Rackensperger, president of The Frostie Company, decided in 1939 to open his own bottling plant. Renting an abandoned jailhouse in Catonsville, Maryland, a suburb of Baltimore, he used the garage that formerly housed the police wagon for setting up his bottling equipment ... and the various cells were employed to store sugar, crowns, and other supplies. In this small and unassuming enterprise, there was born a product which rapidly forced the elimination of the many flavors being bottled by Mr. Rackensperger. Full capacity of equipment was needed to handle the demand of this simple item.

Frostie Old Fashion Root Beer had dwarfed all other plant products in sales. Consumer acceptance and volume sales rapidly brought about the need for much larger quarters and larger machinery to handle the continuing growth. Mr. Rackensperger left the jailhouse .... and a new modern plant was built.

During the interim between 1939 and 1947, numerous distributors in nearby counties requested and were given the authorization to sell Frostie in their territories. As Frostie grew, the distributors requested the opportunity to bottle the product themselves. Thus, without previous planning or thought of licensing, Frostie had become a franchised beverage.

In 1947, bottler interest reached a new peak, and The Frostie Company was organized as a parent organization to handle the appointment and servicing of soft drink manufacturers and to expand the franchising beyond the Maryland borders. So began the growth of a product--which by its taste-appeal and word-of-mouth advertising--soon began making itself known throughout the industry.

Frostie began methodical and deliberate invasion in all sections of the country ... moving state by state. As bottler representation increased, new personnel was added, so that the planned expansion could continue in accordance with the sound and stable growth pattern used in guiding The Frostie Co. in its early stages.

After 10 short years, Frostie was represented in a majority of the states. The sales staff and specialty force were being increased to better service its franchised bottlers throughout the nation.

Concurrent with the growth of The Frostie Co., and the number of bottlers now manufacturing the product, the services offered by the parent to its bottlers have also been constantly expanded and improved ... including its advertising policies. Another important development has been the allowance to bottlers to handle syrup for vending and fountain sales--rather than delegate it to outside sources or manage it as a parent operation.

Thomas M. De Corse was vice president and general manager of the organization with warehouses based in Camden, NJ; Atlanta, GA; and St. Louis, MO..

In 1990 Monarch Beverage bought the brand to kill it an dhelp their Dads grow.

Today, the rights to Frostie are owned by Leading Edge Brands, in Temple, Texas, where the bottling is done. Leading Edge Brands sells to distributors across the nation. I have included a list of distributors, locations, and phone numbers. Please keep in mind that these distributors may be selling to customers hundreds of miles away.
  
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kguske






PostPosted: Mon Jun 12, 2006 10:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, all right!
  
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JoeO
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Joined: Jul 15, 2006
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 15, 2006 11:29 pm    Post subject: Re: root beer brand history Reply with quote

Hey, I'd love to see the list of distributors, but don't see it on the site.
  
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kguske






PostPosted: Sun Jul 16, 2006 8:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't think Leading Edge Brands publishes a list of Frostie distributors.
  
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TexasBrat
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Joined: Apr 21, 2008
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 11:38 pm    Post subject: Re: root beer brand history Reply with quote

You can purchase any of the Frostie brand products at the following site Hometown Favorites which is an affiliate of Leading Edge Brands: http://www.hometownfavorites.com/products.asp?dept=1018&pagenumber=3[url]
or if you are seeking a distributor in a particular area you can contact LEB at the following and they can send you a list of those in your area. sales@leadingedgesbrands.com[/url]
  
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drpeckerus
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Joined: Nov 26, 2007
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 12:43 pm    Post subject: Re: root beer brand history Reply with quote

:Hi Re Masons..It is being marketed in 12 oz glass bottles by realsoda.com in CA..I think they have J&R bottling Co in CA produce it..It can be purched online from Soda King(owned by Real Soda),popsoda.com in AZ and Galcos Soda Pop Stop in CA..
We used to have a Masons Bottler in Kalamazoo,MI and also in Grand Rapids,MI..
The product marketed today does not taste nearly as good as the original Masons

Have a good day Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy
  
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Erin
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Joined: Nov 17, 2008
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 1:23 pm    Post subject: Re: root beer brand history Reply with quote

Can anyone tell me who own's the formula for Mason's Root Beer?
  
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Mason_Man
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Joined: Sep 16, 2009
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 16, 2009 2:39 pm    Post subject: Re: root beer brand history Reply with quote

I believe that you are correct. We had a small motel in the Wisconsin Dells in the 1960's and early 1970's and sold Mason's Root Beer out of our pop machines. Our distributor just stopped bringing Mason's one day and replacedit with Dad's. We were told that it was the parent company that had made the switch. I think the price went up at around the same time.
  
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gastmjg
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Joined: Sep 18, 2011
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 18, 2011 11:26 am    Post subject: Re: root beer brand history Reply with quote

My great uncle was Henry Mason (he married my great aunt Rose Aronson) who was a plumber in Chicago after WWII. In exchange for plumbing work that could not be paid for, he was given a root beer company that he and his brother (Mason & Mason) turned into Mason's root beer. Apparently they sold the root beer locally in Chicago and Cook County for several years, then turned the company over to Henry's son Ralph. When Ralph tried to expand he encountered problems (the story goes) from the mob, who were heavily involved in the beverage industry during that time, and the mob shot him. Shortly after that he sold Mason's and retired (this was the time when I knew Ralph and his wife Evelyn). This is the story that has been handed down in the family. I would love to here from anyone out there who can correct/add to it......
  
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jieran
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Joined: May 07, 2012
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PostPosted: Tue May 08, 2012 1:15 am    Post subject: Re: root beer brand history Reply with quote

I second that Weinhard's has a creamy flavor.

Route 66 has a really interesting smooth carbonation...not a head like Weinhard's, and not smooth as in a lot of Root Beers are smooth because they are light on the carbonation, but a strange tickley smooth fizzly sensation (as opposed to a hard sparky canned soda type carbonation).
  
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wonkapete
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Joined: Jan 11, 2010
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Wed Apr 22, 2015 11:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

gastmjg, please contact me. I'm looking for information on Ralph and Henry Mason. I'm writing a book. Please contact me at wonkapete@aol.com. Thanks!
  
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