Wisconsin’s ‘Best’ Root Beer is Made with Maple Syrup

This weekend my family took a trip to Eau Claire, Wisconsin. We explored several places along the way, such as Big Falls County Park and a few other breathtaking overlooks from atop Mt. Simon to Grandad Bluff, and then Old Settler's Overlook. We fed ducks and walked the boardwalk at Half Moon Lake.

We put in some serious shopping and dining on the weekend too, enjoying everything that Eau Claire and the surrounding areas had to offer. We ate at the spectacular Guac n' Roll, where I had one of the best burritos I've ever had. And we had to grab a chilly snack at Olson's Ice Cream, a serious must-do when visiting.

We took in lots of shopping too. We swung by Revival Records to grab some new vinyl. Hopped over to a now defunct and repurposed tire factory in Banbury Place to explore loads of local shops, collectibles, antiques, and artists. We stopped by Hello Adorn to pick up something pretty for my wife and youngest daughter, and stopped at several vintage clothing stores, including Seven Suns Vintage and Eau Claire Vintage.

The trip was a resounding success. I didn't think it could get much better, and then we headed for home, stopping at a place called "The Nickle" in Osseo. This antique barn and coffee house had about everything you could want. One of them being an interesting root beer made right in Wisconsin that my kids just had to try out, and boy, am I glad we did.

Now I've tried a lot of different root beers over the years, from several local brewers across the Midwest, but this one was smooth, sweet, unique, and had a great name to boot. If you ever manage to find Skinny Sticks' Maple Root Beer, do yourself a favor and buy a few. This is just my opinion (and my family's) but this drink should be at the top of your try-list, if you're a root beer "connoisseur."

My family and I finished up our last hike of the trip and broke into these as our treat. They didn't last long at all and the resounding chorus of "this root beer is the best" rang out for the next few miles down the road. I agree wholeheartedly, this is most likely the best root beer I have ever had. Who'da thunk that Wisconsin made maple syrup was the best way to make root beer?!

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So who makes this "nectar of the gods?" Skinny Sticks' Maple Syrup! According to their website,  they're more than just a business — Skinny Sticks' is a family tradition rooted in passion, history, and a love for the outdoors. What started as a backyard experiment quickly turned into a thriving operation, all thanks to a chance encounter with maple wine at a trade show.

The Hoyt family works together each spring, tapping their maple trees and collecting sap the old-fashioned way — one bucket at a time. With a name inspired by their own family history, Skinny Sticks' produces rich, flavorful syrup. Whether drizzled over pancakes or, in this case, stirred into a drink, every bottle of Skinny Sticks syrup tells a story of family heritage, and pure maple-y goodness.

Skinny Sticks' Maple Root Beer is truly a game-changer for soda lovers! Made with real Wisconsin maple syrup, it’s got that smooth, rich flavor that sets it apart from the usual stuff. Perfectly sweet with a hint of maple goodness, it’s refreshing on its own and, from what I've seen in reviews, downright irresistible in a root beer float. One sip, and you'll never look at root beer the same way again! Even better if you want to skip the trip to cheese-land, you can just order it on their website. In addition to syrups and root beer, they also offer several other specialty products. In my experience, it looks like Wisconsin may have a few things even better than the cheese and views