Since 1956, when Pastry Chef Gale Gand was born, root beer has been an important part of her life. She grew up in the Midwest where the popular brands were A&W and Dog n' Suds. Both were enjoyed by her and her family at the drive-in; frosty mugs hanging off the side of her mom's red '56 Plymouth. She never forgot these classic American moments and never longed for them more than during her 3-year stint chefing in England. There the flavor was considered medicinal and so had no marketability as a soda and was unavailable. Her pacifier was to get a little root beer colored dog and name him Rootie so she'd never be without root beer, but it just wasn't enough.

After 3 years of going without "the juice" she came happily home to the states in 1993 to Chicago and the first thing she did was teach herself how to make her own brew. She experimented with many herbs, spices and flavor combinations such as maple-molasses, honey-anise, etc. but her customer's favorite was cinnamon-ginger with a hint of vanilla. Chef Gale uses cinnamon bark, fresh ginger root and real vanilla for her secret recipe. She began making 5 gallons at a time selling it out of pressurized tanks for the first two years and then with the opening of her and partner Rick Tramonto's restaurant, Brasserie T in 1995, she began producing 150 gallons at a time in kegs and served it on tap. The demand to take the not-too-sweet root beer home from her clients was so great that she began to bottle it in 30 oz.-bottles too big to drink alone. She now makes a 12-oz. bottle and is pleased to present her best batch yet. Gale and Rootie, who both appear on the vintage style label, hope you like it!

Gale's Root Beer has been featured in Bon Appetit, Food and Wine, Esquire, Nations Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality magazines.