This past Saturday I had to get out. This lockdown stuff since March, I’m going a little crazy not having the life of travel adventures anymore. At the same time, I recognize that I need to be safe about things and stay away from people as much as possible. I know restaurants are starting to open but only for take-out, and I thought, there’s gotta be some root beer stand out there where you can just grab your food, eat on a picnic table or something. A little searching and sure enough, an hour an a half south of me, in the town of Waseca, I found Barney’s Drive-In. They still do car hops and have some picnic tables out in the sun for those who don’t want to eat in their cars (I for one am not eating in my new Tesla). Plus they make their own root beer and serve in frosty mugs. Exactly what I was looking for. So after walking around some lakeside parks in Waseca for a bit, I pulled into the drive-in and ordered root beer and a Coney dog. Now they have three sizes of root beer, but only the medium comes in a glass pint mug, the small and large come in plastic mugs, for some reason. They also let you order half gallons and gallons to take home. This is a root beer stand in every sense of the word. I, of course, got the medium glass mug.
The Body is extremely sweet with that classic root beer stand flavor which entails a lot of vanilla and some spices. Those spices make for a nice Bite when coupled with the good carbonation. It also finishes quite smooth. The Head is medium height decently frothy, if you ask them to make it that way. The Aftertaste is sweet, creamy vanilla that lasts and lasts.
Excellent brew. Just what I have been missing in my life lately. It might be a little too sweet, and could use some more complexity, but still, amazing stuff that I’d quaff to my heart’s content. Thankfully (sadly?) they don’t give free refills or I’d probably have drank myself sick. The foot long bacon cheese Coney was amazing too. This place is a must visit for all root beer and classic fast food lovers.
Barney’s Drive-In
The Barney’s Drive-In Sign
A bacon cheese foot-long Coney dog with a mug of root beer. There is no better summer road trip food.
