Root Beer in the UK

I searched this forum but couldn't find anything recent so I'm sorry if something like this was discussed recently. 

I was having a root beer float while talking with my honey who lives in England.  I couldn't believe he had never had one or heard of them but after reading some of the topics here, I guess it's not a regular beverage over there, is that right?  Anyway, aside from ordering online, are there places around N. England that might sell any brand of root beer?  Thanks!

I found it in Cambridge in a Chinese grocery shop.  It was pretty cheap .55p per can.  If you look around you might be able to find some in those type of shops. 

I know Sainsbury's do a root beer of their own (or at least they did) in the 2 litre bottles about 50p or whatever the store price is for a 2L bottle - its actually quite good tasting.

Asda sells root beer in a little six-pack. It's not a name brand from the US, but it tastes pretty good and is fairly cheap.

McDonalds used to have root beer on their menu here years ago but not sure if they still do.

Unfortunately, none at McDonald's any longer. ASDA. Wow. I wish I could find that. I went there the other day and looked for it and found none. Sainsbury's hasn't had any of theirs in over a year. Guess NI isn't the market for the stuff anymore

Do NOT be fooled if you go to IKEA and see a sign advertising their Swedish "julmust" as "like rootbeer".    As an American Swede, it is nothing like.  Julmust is like liquid brewer's yeast and you will be sadly disappointed.  I can't drink the stuff and I love root beer.  My Swedish husband thinks root beer tastes like toothpaste and he won't touch the stuff.

You can get A&W root beer at the Austalia/Canada shop in Covent Garden. 

We've tried the sainsbury's rootbeer and it tastes very syrupy so we don't like it. 

I think we just saw it the other day at Sainsburys in a big 2L bottle. I don't think it was Sainsburys' own brand but can't recall for sure. Like so many sodas here, it was also sweetened with stuff other than sugar though I don't remember if it was aspartame or saccharin or what. As such, I didn't bother as I can't stand artificial sweeteners. One of the reasons it would be syrupy or too sweet, IMO. Let alone the nasty aftertaste.

A bar in Leeds used to sell it. It was the only reason I'd ever go to this particular bar. Imagine how upset I was when they stopped stocking it.

I think we just saw it the other day at Sainsburys in a big 2L bottle. I don't think it was Sainsburys' own brand but can't recall for sure. Like so many sodas here, it was also sweetened with stuff other than sugar though I don't remember if it was aspartame or saccharin or what. As such, I didn't bother as I can't stand artificial sweeteners. One of the reasons it would be syrupy or too sweet, IMO. Let alone the nasty aftertaste.

It's an Australian brand, I've been told.  DF hates it & he's the root beer-lover of the family.  He said he'd only ever drink it if truly desperate, but would rather just save up for a £1 can from Bentall's or Selfridge's/etc.

On a similar theme, does anyone know of anywhere we can buy birch beer in London or online? My English boyfriend feel in love with it in the States, but it's too heavy for my relatives to ship...

Thanks for all of your replies and info.  I will make sure Dave reads these so he knows that if he gets something nasty tasting, that's not the root beer we normally drink.  He might have to order it online just to make sure he gets the real stuff.  Then again, he likes black pudding [smiley=bleck.gif]so he probably won't be too picky LOL. 

Make sure he avoids any store brands. They are pure shite. Make sure he samples A&W or Barq's.
Store brands vs A&W. Yea both are root beer but BIG BIG difference. He may well think the real thang is nasty. It is one of these you-either-like-it-or-you-don't

Did you ever, as a kid, use root beer extract and attempt to make your own? Welcome to the world of fake root beer.

DD will drink the Asda stuff but says it's god awful. Why drink it? Better than nought. Me? I'd rather go without.

Think percolated coffee vs instant freezedried. Yea both are coffee but Big Big difference.

The shop in Cambridge has both Mug and A&W but I keep forgetting the name of the shop.