SARATOGA SPRINGS — What is the best tasting root beer? An area family has tasted over 50 kinds — and developed a ranking system — to find out. Chris Mann, 52, of Saratoga Springs ...

[Paul] is sick and tired of his homemade root beer being flat. He analyzed the problem with his carbonation techniques and ended up with a method of force carbonating beverages using dry ice.

In 1876, he began selling 25-cent powder packets in drug stores that could be added to yeast, water, and sugar to make five gallons of root beer. That was the beginning of Hires Root Beer Company.

Here are our secrets to root beer float perfection. Editor’s Tip: We taste tested vanilla ice cream to find the best brand.