Killing A Product – The Demise of Hires Root Beer

Hires – The First Root Beer, Dying A Slow, Prolonged Death

I know soda isn’t good for you. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and many nutritionists would like to slap a soda tax on sugary beverages.

I try not to drink a lot of soda, but I have a sweet spot in my heart for Hires Root Beer. I love the stuff. It is by far the best root beer ever made and I have tried many of them:  IBC, Stewart’s, Mug, A&W, Dr. Brown’s and about a dozen or more other smaller regional brands, and none compare to the unique, smooth taste of Hires.  But I have not had a sip of Hires in over six years.

I did not forsake Hires.  Instead the brand has slowly been vanishing off the shelves of supermarkets in an ever widening circle over the past 20 years. It is now unavailable in most portions of the United States and Canada.

How did the oldest continually produced soft drink and for many years, most popular root beer in America get to this situation?

The answer lies in the beverage industry and their mistaken belief that a company should support only one line of a given product.  Through acquisitions and mergers these big companies gobble up smaller soda competitors, acquiring their brands and either concentrate on expanding them or as is more often the case – eliminating them.

Charles E. Hires was a Philadelphia pharmacist who introduced the soda at the 1876 Centennial Exposition held in Philadelphia and went on to make millions with his delicious concoction.

The Hires company remained in family hands until 1960 and through a series of sales over the next 30 years, ended up being acquired by Cadbury Schweppes in 1989. Cadbury Schweppes started the decline of Hires as a brand as they decided to concentrate their soda marketing efforts on more popular sodas.  In 2008 Cadbury Schweppes spun off the soft drink division into the current Dr. Pepper Snapple Group.

Cadbury Schweppes and its successor entity Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, decision was to promote their own A&W Root Beer brand and phase out Hires.  Slowly.

I’ve spoken to supermarket managers, beverage warehouses owners and some bottlers to discover that for 20 years A&W Root Beer has been pushed everywhere.

And Hires?

When I called Dr. Pepper Snapple customer service to find out where I could purchase Hires after giving my zip code, I was told it was not available within a 100 mile radius of New York.

Up until about 1997 Hires was available at beer & soda warehouses in New York City, if not some supermarkets and convenience stores.  Then it was slowly taken off the shelves until no one was carrying it.  Three years later it was still available in upstate Fishkill, New York and the scenario repeated. The supermarkets stopped carrying it. Eight years ago it was available throughout most of Southern Pennsylvania.  The familiar scenario played out again in my travels to Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine – all stores that once stocked Hires were no longer carrying it. Hires has retreated southwards, closer to the last bottler east of the Mississippi that still manufactures and bottles Hires – the Independent Beverage Group of North Carolina. (see update at end of the article.)

There are apparently a few stores in Maryland and North Carolina that carry Hires, but not many. Today I called some stores in Maryland that had stocked it earlier in the year to find out they did not have it anymore.

The beverage industry is fiercely competitive and of course possesses a website devoted to all things beverage related.  In January 2011 a writer named thejax at bevnet.com started this thread about finding Hires in stores:

Hires Root Beer – In Case You Didn’t Notice

I been purchasing Hires Root Beer for some time and now its literally non-existent.

Its one of the oldest root beers in the USA and hails from Philadelphia, where I am from.

Several years ago Dr Pepper / 7up decided slow the production of Hires by enticing bottlers to bottle A&W with kickbacks. This is all to precede with a master plan to phase out Hires.

I have done months of research and I cannot find a bottler anywhere in the USA that still bottles it anymore. I called Dr Pepper / Snapple’s corporate offices several times. They tell me its still being produced. I requested a list of where its being bottled and everytime I give them my info they have my local bottler call me with no information except they do not bottle it.

I have wrote a letters to Dr Pepper / 7up and to Cadbury / Shweppes requesting information on where this LICENSED to be bottles and where. I sent both letters certified. Both letters were signed for yet months later I still have no response.

My conclusion is Dr Pepper / Snapple are basically trying to get everyone to forget about so when they stop licensing to bottle it, no one is supposed to notice. Then they can focus on their A&W Brand, which is significantly different.

So my question is, at what point are we going to stop allowing these soda giants to do this to us. They bought Hires on purpose to phase it out. Now how do we bring this to light. Should or can we do anything about it?

Dr Pepper / Snapple will not allow me to have any access whatsoever to any corporate execs to ask them to make a motion to start producing more Hires. So what do we do???

After much back and forth on the web site discussion board, (5 pages worth) the original poster, thejax wrote this post in April 2011. It shows an incredible display of ineptitude at Dr. Pepper Snapple.

What this means for Hires is certain death. How do I know? If you look at the the company’s web page for Hires you will see the history of the soda, but click on the nutritional information tab and the other brands will be there, but not Hires.

Click on the product locator and the drop down menu does not even have Hires listed as a product.

Call up the toll free number and enter your zip code to find the product and chances are unless you live near North Carolina, Iowa, Arizona, Nevada or Washington you will not be able to find it. These five states possess the only remaining bottling plants for Hires and they seem to be phasing out production of the soda.

As you scroll down on the Dr. Pepper / Snapple Hires page, the photograph says it all.

An appropriately empty bottle.

The time has run out for Hires.

UPDATE October 2015 – Another nail in the Hires coffin. This email came to us from the people at the Independent Beverage of Charlotte, NC:

Independent Beverage of Charlotte, NC hasn’t produced Hires Root Beer for years. It is a brand that belongs to Dr. Pepper Snapple Group of Plano, TX, and we used to bottle it for them. A few of you have contacted us recently, so I wanted to come to the source of the information to let you all know. When this article was written in 2011, we were still producing, but that was toward the tail end of our Hires production.

Best of luck with your search for Hires Root Beer!

279 thoughts on “Killing A Product – The Demise of Hires Root Beer

  1. John Krukow

    There is a distribution of bottled sodas that included Sioux City, Moxie, etc that I find in various shops in the country- this is where Hiires should be featured and offered made with sugar not corn syrup of course. Would be silly not to license out the recipe/ brand for that market as people seeking those aren’t the same as the people who buy A&W.

    But there was that situation with Dublin Dr.Pepper loosing their license.

    Reply
    1. Mike Bourgeois

      We at Orca Beverage have had the same experience trying to find the decision makers that would license us to bottle Hires.
      We specialize in glass bottled nostalgic sodas made with cane sugar and would welcome the opportunity to reestablish this brand. Hires has historical significance and should be available. Maybe Keurig Dr. Pepper would like to sell it?

      Reply
      1. John Kokovai

        What governments need to do is force companies that own a brand but have not utilized it for ten years to sell it. It is sad how many sodas are no longer available because the larger companies bought them and discontinued them. The free market should dictate which brands survive and which do not. Corporate boardrooms should not be deciding based on eliminating competition. Sixty years ago people had multiple choices of soda. More soda is sold today then sixty years ago and yet there are less then a quarter of the sodas now available.

        Reply
  2. Jeffrey G

    Ray’s Pizza in Scottsdale has Hires in their soda fountain still. I wonder what it really is since no one’s made Hires for years. Could they have stockpiled it before it went away?

    Reply
  3. Bill R

    I was buying Big H “Hires” root beer extract and making root beer it in my soda stream. I would sweeten it with liquid sugar syrup. Was pretty good, as I could adjust the syrup and sweetness. The Big H has more of a vanilla taste to it than Hires does. I would add 1/4 tsp of McCormick root beer extract per soda stream bottle as it has a much stronger methyl salicylate (wintergreen) bite to it’s taste. This gave it a stronger taste, but didn’t completely fix the taste issue. I purchased 2 cases of Hires cans online which I would compare side-by-side with what I made at home. As I mentioned before, the Big H syrup is a little heavy on the vanilla, and doesn’t have as strong a bite as the Hires. I also feel the Hires in the cans today is more bland than Hires made years ago.

    Reply
  4. s

    Currently, Looks as if nowhere online it can be found to obtain it anymore. Walmart.com has it but says not available..THEN TAKE IT DOWN TO WALMART…COME ON MAN!!! When this article came out several years ago there were many online places to buy it plus some real and fake stores to buy it at according to posters on here. The number one question that will never be truly answered is why would the original, and will always be the best, root beer be canceled by the very company that owns it when reasonable profit is to be made off of it? can it make a comeback and will it? This is the same for other products that were originals and the best as well like the Marathon candy bar. Summit and BarNone Powerhouse and Reggie and Oh Henry! candy bars were awesome too. Or at least any other second-best root beer Barrelhead root beer(and don’t spare the ice). Luckily I have managed to find one classic soda they said was discontinued so I will keep hope for the others. I bought Tahitian Treat 12-pack cans in summer 2021 and summer 2022 and is found at the Giant Eagle grocery store in Cranberry TWP just north of Pittsburgh…real, not fake.

    Reply
    1. Tom Corbett

      I grew up on Hires Root Beer. As a kid Hires had a bottling facility directly behind my aunt’s home in Oswego, NY. A&W doesn’t compare.

      Reply
    1. Naomi Karstad

      Stumbled across this site. Love Hires! Thought I was the only one. Hires also made an extract to make your own root beet and for years our family made and bottled our own. Have not been able to find the extract for years. Would love to find that! It still is my favorite root beer! I don’t drink soda pop but I would buy this if they made it! I’m from Minnesota. What an interesting site. Thank you!

      Reply
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  6. Daniel Hitson

    As posted by “B.P.”:
    “I try not to drink a lot of soda, but I have a sweet spot in my heart for Hires Root Beer. I love the stuff. It is by far the best root beer ever made and I have tried many of them: IBC, Stewart’s, Mug, A&W, Dr. Brown’s and about a dozen or more other smaller regional brands, and none compare to the unique, smooth taste of Hires. But I have not had a sip of Hires in over six years.”

    Myself, I would even go as far as to subscribe to regular deliveries of Hires should I find a place that offers it.

    Here’s a call out to Dr. Pepper/Snapple – PLEASE bring back this truly American iconic, incomparable beverage!

    Reply
    1. Barbara Labinsky

      I wonder if — for the right amount of money — Snapple/Dr. Pepper Co. could be influenced to sell the recipe to say, a group of investors who might wish to bring the brand back? If you get where I’m going with this, now all that’s necessary are the Philadelphian investors! Not an impossible idea, certainly …

      Reply
      1. Vinnie King. W. P New York

        It’s a shame, the people in charge are probably too young to remember how crazy good Hires is. They wouldn’t take the chance on selling the original recipe.
        Could you imagine what would happen to the Executives in charge if the people or group who had purchased the recipe put HIRES back in the game and with the proper marketing , went to the top of regional sales and then national sales. Hires was at one time the lead dog in root beer sales nationally.
        With the RIGHT people in charge, I could see Hires back on top. The easiest way to accomplish this would be a blind folded taste test. Do this across the country.
        Use any root beer against Hires. Hires will win hands down. There was a root beer that came close, but it too was run out of town. That was a Canada Dry product, Rooti Root Beer. Head to head I would probably give the nod to HIRES. It’s a shame that some people have no knowledge but all the power.

        Reply
    2. Diane Campbell

      Thanks for the article. I am trying to find for my husband. He loves it and has many childhood memories. I like the idea of buying the recipe and making it again. Maybe a boycott of snapples..?

      Reply
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  8. Olivia

    My dad loves Hires. 2 years ago, for his birthday, I wanted to find it for him. I had gotten in contact with Snapple/Dr. Pepper and they asked for cities and zip codes to find a store that carried it. I found a store in Geneseo, Illinois that had it. I called the store manager and he shipped a few cases down to me in TN. I am now on the search again and hope to find a closer place. As someone who is going into the film industry, I am thinking about making a story on this and maybe get enough attention to potentially bring it back. There’s obviously a story and demand for it. If this interests anyone, let me know! Good luck out there

    Reply
    1. Bruce Monk

      Hires and Frosty were my only picks growing up. I have been able to get Frosty for the last few years at my local Food Lion but have better luck with anything other than Hires.

      Reply
    2. ThomasK

      I always found A&W brand disgusting… with the exception of the onion rings in restaurants. Now even that tastes more like cardboard lately.

      The A&W brand root beer has never floated my boat.. or my ice cream, and never fulfilled me. Some of the minor brands come close but still leave it lacking.

      Dad’s.
      Mugs
      One more I can’t recall the name of, but I’ll drink diet pop before I glance at A& W. and this article just gave me all the reason to avoid all Snapple products entirely.

      Reply
    3. Kay Maningas

      Hello, yes I am definitely interested. Would love to sign a petition, or write a letter, or make some calls. I wish I had a bottle now. It would be delicious. It is such a shame that such an Awesome drink had disappeared from our supermarket shelves.
      Kay

      Reply
    4. Robert McAdams

      Growing up I can remember going to my grandparents house and doing yard work for them . One of my rewards was sharing quality time with grandpa drinking Hires root beer when I finished . Oh those were the days for many reasons ! I enjoy those memories very much , but wish I could snap a Hires and enjoy them even more . It’s a sad day when someone kills a popular product to promote their own greed ! Freedom of choice comes with a price ! Longing for a Hires !

      Reply
    5. Jeff Layton

      IMO Hires is the beat root beer ever made, and I’ve tried every root beer I’ve ever found. I can no longer find Hires. One of my kids got me a 12 pack fro Christmas a couple years ago, but wouldn’t tell me where, or how much. On a recent trip to Florida, I found Sprecher’s root beer and that seems nearly as good, but I still can’t find Hires for comparison. If anyone knows where to get it, ease post the info. TIA

      Reply
    6. GEORGE EDWARD WADE

      yes, i would buy hires today if i could. Last time i saw it on a shelf was at an iga store at york beach maine in the 60’s. I would chip in with investors to bring back the product.

      please bring it back

      Reply
  9. Bill S

    Dr Pepper / Snapple killed Dublin Dr. Pepper, their first ever franchisee that still bottle cane sugar Dr. Pepper in the same small town of Dublin, Tx. So I don’t think they give a crap about nostalgia or Hires.

    Reply
    1. Jason Hutchinson

      Hires root beer for sale on amazon I’m drinking a can now, little expensive but if it’s going to end I’d like one last hires root beer float cheers

      Reply
      1. ThomasK

        For some reason I’m seeing a future movie with Will smith, putting on his Converse sneakers, drinking a hires… then battling semi sentient robots to save the world…

        Maybe we should start a petition to bring it back…

        Reply
  10. Bob

    For Mpls/St.Paul and surrounding areas, Hires Root Beer in 12oz cans is available at Jim’s Apple Farm just south of Jordan MN. The big yellow building billed as the Largest Candy store in MN. On US Hwy 169 may be the biggest anywhere. Huge. Hundreds of soda.candies and other. If it’s still made they say can get. Paid $36 for 2/12 pack Hires. High but shipping may be the culprit. Shipping label on the box says they get it from KeHE Distributors 900 N Schmidt Road, Romeoville,IL. 60446. Main office 1245 E Diehl Rd,Naperville,IL.60653. Phone numbers listed there: 630-343-0000 or 800-995-5343.

    Reply
  11. Harry

    We buy Hires Root Beer in cans often at our local Spartan store in Royal Oak Michigan. They get it from somewhere in Chicago and it is hard to get in the wintertime. I tend to keep at least a dozen cans in the house for when that happens.

    Reply
  12. Dave

    I have also been looking for Hires. I would even be happy, actually would prefer, to find the extract so I can make my own as my grandparents did. I remember it well and it is the best! I still make my own but with trying several, none are as good.

    Reply
    1. Ed Bauer

      Interesting fact, my Dad worked for Hires at the original Plant in Philadelphia. The slow demise of the Drink started when the main ingredients Cane and Root of Sassafras that was important from Cuba stopped. Sassafras was deemed a cancer causing agent. Hires started developing different Flavor soda drinks. Orange and a few others. Sara Lee bought the Company in the early 60’s. Change came fast. The end was in sight.

      Reply
      1. Cathy Angelo

        My dad worked there, too! He started back in the late 30s, left to serve in WW II and came back to work for them until they sold the company to Consolidated Foods which later was sold to Crush International. He was the plant manager for Crush up in Trenton, NJ where they manufactured the Crush syrups. When the FDA banned Sassafras, my dad brought home 3 samples of a new recipe for us to taste test. We didn’t like any of them, and you’re right about how the flavor change started the demise of the brand! ?

        Reply
  13. Paul

    Thank-You. I wonder why a good product would lay to ruin and why? Hard to make? I think Hires is a Brew and not a soda for the little 4 ounce bottles was aimed at a brew. Never the less, what I found since the “demise” started, I did find that “Teddies” is comparable and the Cream Soda is pretty good also.

    Reply
  14. DALE LLOYD

    I am drinking Hires right now. I found it online at yumza.com and I have no long drive and pay about 11 dollars a 12 can case. Yes there is shipping which I offset by getting an order consisting of other things and 1– dollar orders ship free. Now Amazon also sells 2 12 can cases and you can get it with free shipping. I looked a loooong time, but it was worth it. It IS High time for Hires.

    Reply
  15. Eric Stone

    I buy some every summer at Jungle Jim’s in Cincinnati, OH. Most recently I bought some about a month ago.

    Reply
  16. Big Ed

    I saw an article on-line where they were comparing the taste of 9 different root beers. I wondered why Hires wasn’t one of the ones tested, as it was my favorite growing up in Cleveland, Ohio. As it turned out, my second favorite brand, Dad’s Root Beer won their taste test, but Dad’s was always a poor second in my opinion, and I only drank it when Hires wasn’t available. The stuff out there now is pitiable (A & W tastes like bubble gum) and I really am disappointed that the company that makes the soft drink that I drink most often now, Dr. Pepper, had a huge part in the demise of Hires.

    Reply
  17. Bert

    Another Hires lover here. It stopped being available in NJ, except around Princeton, around 12 years ago. I had found in then in Maryland and tried, DC, PA, NY, CT., VA, FL, WV, and SC. I did not try NC, even though I went through this spring. The thought of a root beer float with Hires caressing the Vanilla sets my mouth tingling. My son sends me cases every few years. First shipment about 7 years ago was from AK. Last was 2 years ago through Amazon. Shipping was 3X the cost of the cases. I keep some cases in refrigerator for really special occasions and even bring one to a card game to impress people.
    I asked Wegmans near me and Fairway as well as Stop and Shop. No one knows how to get this product.

    LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario advertises it for $2.79. and says its made by Motts Canada (but their website advertises Hires Cream Soda (ugh)

    Suggest sending an email to:
    CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS
    Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc
    5301 Legacy Drive
    Plano, TX 75024
    (972) 673-7000
    CONSUMER RELATIONS
    (800) 696-5891
    MEDIA RELATIONS
    (800) 686-7398
    INVESTOR RELATIONS
    Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc
    5301 Legacy Drive
    Plano, TX 75024
    972-673-7000
    REGISTRAR & TRANSFER AGENT
    Computershare Trust Company, N.A. c/o Computershare, Inc.
    250 Royall Street
    Canton, MA 02021
    Toll Free: 1-877-745-9312
    Direct: 781-575-4033
    I

    Reply
    1. Aj

      Hi Bert

      Heading to SC next week for vacation so I will post here about my travels along the way if I see it.
      The LCBO stocks the hard version all year here and it has become super easy to get as just about every LCBO location stocks it. They also have a cream soda version now which is absolutely fantastic as well.
      From my research, you are correct in that MottsCanada Dry owns the rights here in Canada and have been making the alcoholic versions. My hope has been for us to lobby Motts/CD about how great the alcoholic sales are, so that they should start selling the non-alcoholic version.
      For you guys in the states, obviously Dr. Pepper owns the rights. You nailed the contact info and I highly suggest everyone consistently messages them about it. Snail mail if you can as well. Working in government up here, there is an old saying that a letter received is the equivalent of 1000 ppl, so it tends to get treated accordingly. Push the nostalgia angle as well. Pepsi has done it successfully this year (and in the last few – think Crystal Pepsi) with the 125 anniversary celebrations and I have to believe it is paying off. Zima is the same thing for MolsonCoors. Nostalgia is big and I think Dr. P may take notice of it.

      Reply
    2. James B

      Hires is the best , I just bought a can for 12$ on eBay just because I miss it so much. No other root beer compares . It is sad I will never see it in glass bottle again. I wished they would make it near me In Syracuse, NY
      We have a lot of very clean water all around us. Huge shout out to Texas for still making it .Bring back Hires Root Beer!

      Reply
  18. Paul Dreyfuss

    I have two 12 packs on there way to me right now. But they are hard to find and when you do the cost plus the postage is too much. I was owed a favor so these cost $40-$50 for the two but without the favor they are $20 for one AND $25 for postage. 60 Minutes should do a story about this. It’s a great American product. I wonder who owns Dr. Pepper. If they grew up here, how can they do this to Hires Root Beer.

    Reply
  19. Bradley Marchant

    There is an old fashion drive-inn, in Salt lake City called Hires Big H that sells a root beer they make themselves. On their web site they disclaim any relation to Hires. Try it. The taste is the same. They also sell root beer extract under that label, which you can buy on Amazon. You can make your own with dry ice or yeast.

    Reply
  20. Aj

    Speedy stole my thunder – Hires Root Beer lives up here in Canada. Just spotted it at my local LC where they have it mixed with vodka to make an adult drink. Talk about the ultimate surprise for us adults who grew up on Hires. Appears Mott’s Canada Dry up here in Canada finally did something right and pushed it for their alcoholic root beer product (they seem to be getting really popular here in Canada). Haven’t tried it yet but can’t wait. Everyone make sure you harass the Snappel people about doing the same for the US and buying the Hires here. We gotta support this!!!

    Reply
    1. steve

      With all the hard root beers being made now I wish the original and the best wasn’t tainted with this new wave but unfortunately there is a huge demand for this as some people want to continuously get and stay drunk. I would want to get and stay drunk the old fashioned way but that’s just me. So this isn’t really a good thing but if it inspires Hires root beer to make a come back I am all for it. This product really isn’t needed though, you don’t see hard Coke or Pepsi or 7-up, ya simply mix them with your favorite alcohol so simply make Hires root beer and do the same…hello!!!

      Reply
      1. AJ

        No complaints from me. I don’t disagree. But at this time, I would rather have this than hope that the regular stuff shows up on a shelf some day. If the alcoholic version ends up successful, perhaps it convinces them to offer the traditional soda back as well.

        Reply
  21. Richard M Myers

    I was just in contact with the company about how recently I’ve had trouble find another one of their
    acquired brands, Vernor’s Ginger Ale . While they told me that they haven’t made any moves to
    remove it in favor of their other acquisitions; Canada Dry or Schweppes ginger ale, it is becoming harder
    to find. While talking to the service rep. I took the opportunity to tell them of my continued disapproval
    of their removing Hire’s . By the way, I find no problem with the name Hire’s. After all ” it’s time for Hire’s”.
    I still miss seeing those wooden barrel Hire’s dispensers that used to be everywhere.

    Reply
  22. Douglas Ballor

    SHOP.COM will ship to your house. (2)12 packs for $14 plus shipping. Free sipping over $50. I order 4 at a time for $53, gives me (8)12 packs or 96 cans total. Then you earn cash back to earn on the next order, and I return the cans. Good luck everyone.

    Reply
  23. Denise Martin

    I just had some last night from a fountain dispenser at Mario’s Pizza in Tucson, AZ. Delicious! It hasn’t disappeared completely.

    Reply
  24. Steve

    I was a Hires Root Beer franchised bottler out west. Hires sold very well competing with Mug and Barq’s .
    The problem with Hires it sold many times through consolidation of the Soft Drink Industry. I was in the Soft Industry for forty years. I don’t see much in the West, it’s pretty expensive for cans.

    I can’t understand the Dr Pepper/Snapple Corporation, Here ii is the tall neck retro brands coming out all over the United States, It’s Hires Root Beer calling card.
    SO SAD ! ! !

    Reply
    1. steve

      as I stated many times before, with corporations it is all about the name. Hires came from Charles Elmer Hires. for dr pep/snap corp it is not the best name for a root beer. They also own A&W, IBC, Stewarts, all root beers, all with better sounding root beer names according to them. A&W short for their inventors Allen&Wright even thought it was invented 50 years later, still pretty old. IBC was similar, just under 50 years later was started from Independent Breweries (Company), and Stewarts form a restaurant named Stewart’s 50 years after Hires as well. Mug about 1950 started from the Belfast Bev Co, is Pepsi’s root beer. Barq’s is the only one that comes close, Edward Charles Edmond Barq is the inventor, is Coke’s root beer. all those names, according to all those big corporations, seems to be a more catchy, profitable name for a root beer. I can’t put Barq’s to my lips it is so awful, Mug is just sugar carb water no root beer taste, A&W is pretty good. it is ironic how the best tasting, the original is the least sold because of it’s undesired name and it is also ironic it is synonymous with a word corporations hate, and costs them, a HIRE! Their skittishness about the name is their own bad business decision but it is for them to make, if they only knew it would make them many more millions they would find ways of putting it back out there, but it will take only one and one only certain spark, the public to want it back…maybe I’ll send Trump a case and he’ll make HIRES great again!!!

      Reply
      1. Big Ed

        Great idea! If anyone could make Hires great again, it would be The Donald. But then Hollywood and CNN would come out against it.

        Reply
  25. Anthony T. Rojas

    I as well as most of the people on this sight, am discouraged to learn of this, I loved Hires I miss it, Its a taste like no other. I have a small vending machine business and I wanted something different to put in it that isn’t common yet will get noticed. I knew that it was a hard product to find and will greatly miss its uniqueness. I tried to find it near where I live I can find it in 2 liter bottles but the 12oz cans are very expensive, Its become a product for the wealthy apparently, I’m saddened to learn that it’s going going gone soon. Maybe Ill treat myself to a 12ver for old-time sake instead of champagne for the upcoming new year celebration. Big business you should be ashamed! Hires you affected so many of our lives I bid you a saddened farewell. THANK YOU for the memory!

    Reply
  26. Colin

    Can anyone confirm information that was given to me: West End Brewing, DBA Saranac 1888 Sodas, produces Hires Root Beer by formula and also labels it as Saranac 1888 Draft Style Root Beer. Is this true or complete BS? My contacts at the brewery are no longer, and their PR person is not allowed to discuss who and what they make due to non-disclosures, which kind of lends credence to the idea that if they won’t discuss its possible that their RB is Hires rebranded.

    Reply
    1. steve

      I drink both, I know both companies very well, the two have nothing to do with each other. Saranac, and Ithaca, are two of the best glass bottled root beers out now in NYS and beyond. Some ingredients are similar but Saranac is not Hires. Both formulas are different than Hires which is only made in cans and 2-liter plastic bottles now. In its glass bottled years it was simply the best with Barrelhead the next best and Eagle Beverages root beer Binghamton NY circa early 70’s in their frosted textured glass bottles as 3rd.

      Reply
  27. Cory Jackson

    Hello Everyone,

    I JUST ordered 2 12 packs (cans) of HIRES Root Beer on Shop.com. Total cost was 19.98! I should say, that I haven’t read all the posts here, so maybe someone has already mentioned that site, but anyway,that’s the website, and I ordered it, woohoo! Also, I have been getting HIRES at Kehegourmet.com. It costs $36.90 for 2 12 packs (cans). You need to have a tax ID number in order to order from there, but that’s easy enough to get; in order to sell HIRES to other people. Yes these prices seem a little steep, but since I can’t find them anywhere around, and yes I have searched a lot, i’m ok with paying a little extra for the best Root Beer around!

    Reply
  28. Laura

    Seems that there are a lot of people who would like to buy Hines RB –
    sooo, why not start (several) petitions and hand deliver them to Hdqtrs,
    demanding the return of Hines?
    If anyone knows someone w/ $, hire a few billboards to push the petitions. (or
    start a Kickstart page to gather funds to rent billboards to bring back
    Hines).
    On these one could put something calling attention to the fact that these
    Big Guys seem to think they can control what our preferences are (or,
    according to them ‘should’ be). People ARE really getting totally sick to
    death of these mega companies ‘deciding’ what we can and cannot have,
    always based on how much they can shaft us for.
    I do believe with enough exposure to this issue, people could force the
    company to either give up the rights so someone else can put it back on
    the market, or literally force their hand into re-introducing it.
    Is there anyone left of the originally family’s line who might be
    interested in helping rescue their family’s legacy? They might have the
    initiative and $ to help, or re-purchase the rights…
    I’m sure they would not want to see their family’s entire history as the
    longest made/selling root beer end because of corporate greed. It’s worth
    a try!

    Reply
    1. Aj

      Interesting idea. It worked well for LA Freak who was able to get Pepsi to bring back Crystal Pepsi this summer (which was a lot of fun, I have to say).

      Reply
  29. Pingback: Popular brands from yesteryear | Frugal SOS

  30. steve

    The following hogwash auto-resply is a response from DPS when I emailed them using their website customer comment section telling them to stop trying to kill Hires:

    ——————————————————————————————————————————————————-

    July 5, 2016
    Dear Steve:

    Thank you for contacting us about Hires. We’re always excited to hear from our consumers. Your comments give us valuable input about our brands and where people want to see them.

    Our route to market includes licensed bottlers who are granted the exclusive right to manufacture, distribute and sell Dr Pepper in their prescribed territorial grant. The product flavor offerings are introduced at their discretion and are based on their knowledge of the local market. These bottlers are very in tune to flavors and packages that sell best in their licensed area. They’re usually challenged to sell a large variety of sku’s in a limited amount of space. They face this space challenge in their retail accounts, as well as, their own route trucks and warehouses.

    I’d love to search your area by zip code to determine what’s going on near you, and hopefully find a source. Thanks again for your time and feedback. You’re comments will be forwarded to my sales and marketing teams.

    Sincerely,

    Nicole
    Consumer Relations

    012365883A

    Please do NOT reply to this email. If you would like to respond to this message, click on the link below.

    http://www.econsumeraffairs.com/am_bev/ContactUsFollowUp.htm?F1=&F3=012365883A
    ——————————————————————————————————————————————————-
    Suggestions on what to respond to that URL above? Please respond to it yourself, flood them! Also please let them know that we understand that they need to hide behind this electronic medium because they don’t possess any willfulness to actually talk to any consumer by phone or in-person or simply any announcement addressing their clear intentions/actions stifling Hires as well as changing the formulation over the years to bring the product down a notch (at least in comparison to the 1970’s -1990’s formula when it was perfect) so that other root beer products they have A&W, (IBC, Stewarts still in glass bottles) which are all good but not as good, are produced and sold and higher volume comparatively. Let them know that they fail to realize Hires, original formula or down a notch formula, does and will sell better that all their competitors in most markets…ask them…is it the name they don’t like, HIRES, is it too subliminal as to encourage the public to try and get HIRED there or do they think the term HIRES is offensive (like every word in and out of the dictionary these days) to employees of their company? Is it jealousy over the fact that Hires is the original root beer ever made, as well as the best, is it one or the other or both together? What is it DPS??? BTW, Nicole seems to be the only one to respond to these consumer comments as if she is the only one in a company of many thousands to handle thousands of comments weekly, so tell them to stop using a robot script named Nicole and get some human beings to actually have the fortitude to discuss this as an adult ‘HIRE’ there.

    Reply
  31. John Cotter

    I hate venture capitalism for this very reason. Mom N Pop shops get purchased in leverage buyouts by large corporations, and killed so that the competition can thrive. Until earlier today, I had never heard of Hires, but now I know why. It was kept hidden from me by the powers that be. I wanted to do all of you a favor and say that as of today, shop.com still has 12 packs for sale at $13.95 each. You can buy at least 10 packs from what I saw, and ship it to your house. I feel the need to support the brand, and if enough people buy it this way, perhaps it will send a message that this soda is still appreciated.

    Reply
    1. steve

      looks like this is the latest website to have the best deal of any other website out there at this moment in time, shows 2 12 pack cans for $13.99 instead of a 12 pack for $13.95 as John stated above (one heck of a difference John), although you can certainly order more than 10 packs at a time as John stated, I put in quantity 100 and it would not go above 92, must be all they got left so I might just order all 92 since shipping for 1 or 92 is the same for my address…5.99, but the main factor is availability at a fair price and this is tops so far…buy it then drink it then spread the cans around then remember to call and then spread the word to call… 8006965891…DPS consumer comments…this line needs to be flooded daily …make it go viral and bring Hires back!

      Reply
  32. larry

    I miss something even more exotic…Hires root beer barrels candy. Used to be the only candy I would buy in a movie theatre.

    Reply
  33. Joseph Klatt

    There was a comment that Walmart.com will order Hires Root Beer and ship it to your house, Even free shipping if six 12 packs are purchased.

    Latest info at Walmart: This Item is no longer available.

    Reply
  34. Bobby Scott

    Grew up with Hires and Frostie. Frostie has returned to a couple stores in my area and is sold out the same day it is stocked while other popular brands remain. If you find Hires, buy it up. A smart store owner should realize what is selling and what isn’t, and order more stock. The consumer can make a difference.

    Reply
  35. Glasher

    About four comments from the top of this list, Rod Baum mentioned how he believes the recipe for Hired has changed, and for the worst. So I was wondering if others that have been around a while have noticed a difference as well. I remember when Nabisco’s Vanilla Wafers had done that some years back. I used to sit and eat nearly a box at a time. I couldn’t finish the first handful and let the birds finish the box.

    When will companies like Dr. Pepper Snapple Group remember that it was the customer responsible for making a product like Hires Root Beer a hit, not the stock holders. I wonder if Hires would still be phased out if we and our friends and their friends avoided the beverage products (except Hires of course) Dr. Pepper Snapple Group produce, and let them know we were? Just a thought.

    Reply
    1. Skeet

      I’m not sure if the recipe has changed. I drink a few cans of Hires every week. We all have different taste buds..and I’ve read that our taste buds aren’t as sharp…as when we were teenagers. As I said in an earlier post..I can tell corn syrup sodas from ones made with cane sugar…buts that’s just me. And ..of course being in cans.. will make a difference..as opposed to the old glass bottles.
      I drank a LOT of Hires as a kid. I remember buying a 6 pk of the bottled Hires on a hot summer day…and drinking all of them in about 3 hours. Good times!

      Reply
    2. VC

      I’m sure the recipe would have changed unfortunately. High fructose corn syrup did not exist prior to the 1970’s so it was not in any pop until later. I’m 41 and have fond memories of drinking Hires , coke, etc. in the ’80s in Vancouver Canada. About the mid-90s suddenly Barq’s and A+W root beer was everywhere and you seldom saw Hires. Now I can’t remember the last time I saw Hires so out of curiosity I decided to to do some research and ended up reading this interesting article.
      I am sure that pop that’s been around forever like Coke definitely is different than the Coke in the 1980s. It is absolutely much sweeter and has less actual flavour nowadays. It, like all pop now a days, contains high-fructose corn syrup which gives it a much sweeter taste. So less Coke taste more sugar. High fructose corn syrup is really cheap so they put that crap into all pop and a gazillion other products. Goes back to American politics when the president at the time (forget which one) encouraged farmers to overproduce their corn supply. So they ended up with a huge over supply, glut and the Japanese invention of high fructose corn syrup was the answer to their problem.

      So even if you can actually find Hires today, it would not have “normal” sugar in it like the original recipe but would contain High fructose corn syrup. Many people out there are not good “tasters” so they might not notice the difference (especially if you’re a smoker- that dulls your tastebuds). People like me would be extremely disappointed. Only if they made it using the original recipe would it be worth it. So sad how businesses and the almighty buck can dictate what drinks are available for people.
      As a side note, yes the vanilla cookies by Nabisco definitely changed. Loved those as a kid in the ’80s. Bought a box a year ago and they’re totally different. Texture is chalky not crispy tastes crappy now. Stupid move by the manufacturers and don’t know who the heck is now buying these products which have been changed from the original? – I guess people who weren’t around years ago to know any different…

      Reply
  36. Maureen Flood Brill

    HIRE’S ROOT BEER was a couple of blocks away from my Filter Square home when I was little. I can still remember the building.
    Root beer was my favorite soda…Hire’s was the best. I still compare other brands to Hire’s.
    Even when I went to Jersey shore to my cousin’s house, we road our bikes to the local little store & all stopped for a Hire’s Root Beer.
    I still live in Philadelphia area.
    Please fill our stores again with Hire’s….even though soda is not the healthiest choice, it’s still purchased by nany.
    Philadelphia has gotten a number of foods correct.
    Hire’s Root Beer is one of them.

    Reply
  37. Independent Beverage

    Hey everyone –

    Independent Beverage of Charlotte, NC hasn’t produced Hires Root Beer for years. It is a brand that belongs to Dr. Pepper Snapple Group of Plano, TX, and we used to bottle it for them. A few of you have contacted us recently, so I wanted to come to the source of the information to let you all know. When this article was written in 2011, we were still producing, but that was toward the tail end of our Hires production.

    Best of luck with your search for Hires Root Beer!

    Reply
  38. Aj

    I’m back like I said I would be and……with and update!
    I contacted Independent Beverage Group our of Charlotte a few weeks ago acting on a tip from earlier on the page about their involvement in distributing Hires. Unfortunately this was a dead lead as the kindly CSR informed me that they no longer deal with Hires and haven’t in some time.
    Next I contacted Dr. Pepper Snapple again recently and I got great customer service from Megan. She scoured some areas I am planning on visiting and she wasn’t able to find much luck for me. However, she was able to confirm who the new Distributor is for the South East. The distributor is Top Shelf Beverage in Florence, SC and I was only able to find a contact phone number (she provided me with it) of (843) 665-4748. no email, facebook page or web address. I plan on giving them a shout when I get into the states on my trip in a few weeks (or when I get my content wide roaming plan enabled for the month, whichever is first), but if anyone else wants to give them a shout before then and inform what they find to the board, please feel free. I figure if we get more people flocking to where it is being sold too, those numbers should speak for themselves to DPS senior management.
    Keep at it folks, this is the only way we can save Hires.

    Reply
      1. Aj

        Thanks Dave – Had the same result when I called. I guess it is back to the drawing board. Hard to believe that within Dr. Peppersnapple they don’t even know where it is being distributed from?

        Reply
  39. Vern

    Hi I order mine off amazon have no problems buying it it comes from warehouse in New Jersey go on and order yours comes in 2 12 packs and shrink raped $24 bucks but it’s worth it pod luck

    Reply
  40. Calli-Jo

    If anyone is having a hard time finding Hirers, Order it online!!!! There are stores in the Northwest that still stock it and on their website there is an option to have it shipped to you!!!

    Reply
  41. Pingback: Killing A Product – The “Premature” Demise of Hires Root Beer | Robert's Rare Root Beers

  42. Gunnar Martin Holmboe

    I bought a single bottle of Hires Root Beer in Halifax, Canada in 1960, the only time I have ever tasted it. Still I remember it, not only as the best soda, but as the best product I have ever tasted (and I am a supertaster). In my opinion, Hires Root Beer could have been the number 1 product of the world. Not going for it, is just as stupid as the copyheads of Xerox giving away the windows GUI to Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. Congratulations, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, you must have poured out a billion dollars!

    Reply
  43. J.D.

    I didn’t say it,
    I still wish Hires was around though : ) Maybe the greedy executives and shareholders of the world will read these types of blogs and bring Hires back to its heyday. At least give this back – please!

    Reply
  44. J.D.

    I too grew up on Hires and loved it. I am however fortunate enough to live close by to local brewery here in Utica, NY. This brewery has been producing what I think is the best root beer I have ever had. I am 50 years old and lived in a few other states and been to the south and out west several times. I have made it a point in the last 25 years to try different root beers where ever I was. It always came back to my home town. This brewery started making this root beer during prohibition so that they could stay afloat. It carried them through those times and still is a big seller. It is the richest, creamiest smoothest root beer I have ever tasted. I always thought it was better than Hires but it was a little more expensive so I always opted for what I believed to be second best and cheaper Hires. This is a small brewery but ships across the U.S. I will not say the name because I don’t want anyone to think I am advertising for them but If you look up breweries in Utica NY and its products you will be sure to find it. Try this I kid you not – you would not go disappointed .

    Reply
    1. steve

      somewhat agree JD, I live very near to you and about your age and saranac is my bottled substitute for Hires in any form, Hires is the original and the best…sorry, saranac tastes a little different but superb root beer, more foamy than Hires, but wish saranac had those couple ingredients Hires has, be careful though because that Ithaca root beer near us is killer too, good competition for saranac in bottles

      Reply
      1. steve

        PS…dont ever forget that barrelhead root beer was #2, not made anymore… best one two root beer punch ever

        Reply
  45. Larry

    I used google images.
    https://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi&gws_rd=ssl
    Just type in “Hires Root Beer” without the quotes.
    On the search results page, go to the top of the page and click on “Shopping.”
    Currently(Wednesday April 15th, 2015 2:50 pm PDT) there are four stores list that will sell you a 12 (twelve) pack of 12 oz. cans for under thirty dollars. Good Luck!

    I see that sodafinder.com currently has it in stock for 20.95 for a 12-pack of 12 oz. cans. Good Luck to all seekers.

    Larry

    Reply
  46. jeff wright

    i was looking for hires root beer for years and one day i went to fareway grocery store and there it was 3 cases i bought all of them and then i went to fareway in 110 Westgate Dr, Maquoketa, IA 52060
    (563) 652-4992
    and could of bought all 60 cases but i bought 3 cases cost was 14.00 but well worth it
    so its still out there but its hard to look for

    Reply
  47. Rick Myers

    Hi,
    Yes I and my family have always bought Hires. There is no other root beer that
    comes close. I don’t understand why Dr. Pepper couldn’t have just as well
    kept Hires, which was the best known and most popular brand and just let
    A&W go into the background. A&W still doesn’t have the following of Hires.
    I hope some Corp Executive reads these comments and comes to their
    senses. The best runner up root beer for me is Dad’s.
    Thank you.

    Reply
  48. Mary A Schiff

    I grew up in the Detroit area. My mom made Hire’s Root Beer and then later we bought it at the store. As far as I was concerned there was only one root beer the others that came out later like A & W, Dad’s and so on were sickening sweet drinks that happened to call themselves root beer. Moved to CA in the sixties and I was able to buy Hire’s for a while and then it faded away. I do not know if I could drink the product now if I found it. I would want the original ingredients. Corn syrup in a GMO product owned by Monsanto and I will not support them. The same thing has happened to so many smaller companies. They sell and the ‘new’ owners do away with it or change it to all artificial ingredients. I do not drink soda on a regular basis but when I have to have a root beer I now buy Virgil’s which has real ingredients. No corn syrup or caramel coloring. It doesn’t have quite the kick that I got from Hire’s but it is the best root beer out there now.

    Reply
    1. steve

      rodney, this site was up last year and i got some too but it was $16 for 2 12 pack cans after you did, musta gone up like everything does but now that site is gone, hyvee says that site was for wholesale and downed it last year

      Reply
  49. Bob

    I had some homemade root beer 35 years ago at a friends house. It was made with Hires root beer syrup/extract. I recently attempted to recreate this delicious drink so I purchased two 4oz bottles of the extract from HiresBigH.com. I followed the recipe, 1 bottle of extract, 5lbs. sugar, 1 tsp. bakers yeast (I used Fleishmans) and 4 gallons of water….mix, bottle and wait 3 or 4 days. First, when the bottles are opened half the root beer fizzes out, second it tasted yeasty. Are there any afficianados out there who could give me any input, the HiresBigH.com people were useless…..Thanks!

    Reply
    1. Rex

      My mother made homemade root beer with Hires extract for years , yes it tastes yeasty but I grew to love the strong flavor of my childhood. I would say cut the yeast in half and try again. I live in SLC and there is still a Hires restaurant here. Now that mom has passed away, I’m going to aquire her bottle capper and give it a try. We had many bottles explode over the years, make sure they are very cold when you open them, but yea sometimes you lose half a bottle. CHEERS.

      Reply
  50. Aj

    Hi Skeet

    Welcome to 2015!
    You asked me to update the board with my quest and I wanted to take the chance today to do that. Unfortunately i haven’t gotten very far. I have put in another comment to Dr. Pepper/Snapple with much the same response. Not that I expected any different, but more or less to keep the pressure up. Perhaps I am the only person up north here who is trying, but I figure the more communication and feedback forward, the better.
    I have also petitioned some stores that are more local that specialize in this sort of thing. For those of you in the Toronto area, it is Soda Pop Central out of Whitby. I have spoken to the owners the last few times I have been in the area and popped in – great people who appreciate these sort of rarities (they are huge Verners fans). I’ve put it to them to try to get in some stock for those of us in Ontario and specifically Southern Ontario. That said, unfortunately Ottawa doesn’t have a similar avenue (hmmmm wonder if that’s a million dollar idea for this business major…).
    Fact remains, it is about public pressure folks. I know how these businesses operate – if they find there is public support they will either meet it or at least do a market test. Inspiration for you? Try McDonalds Pizza – In Canada here it is super popular and people like me who were kids in the 90’s easily feel nostalgic about it. But it’s easily been gone for 20 years. I found out today that it is still sold in 2 locations in Ohio and West Virginia. Turns out the owners didn’t want to discontinue the sales, so they kept selling it. No idea how that works, but it does and they have a following accordingly. So that’s the just of it – contact Dr. Pepper and let them know. Do it monthly. We may be a small group of fans, but make your voices loudly heard. Just like the Simpsons episode where Abe talk’s about the first Superbowl “If we don’t support this thing, it won’t make it”.

    For me, the quest continues, it is far from over.

    Reply
    1. Skeet

      AJ,
      Thanks for the update! Talking to Dr. Pepper/Snapple…..is frustrating at best. It’s like telling McDonalds to start making their Big Mac….with the same size patties they used 40 years ago!
      There is a Western U. S. grocery chain called Winco..that carries Hires in a few of their stores in western Washington state. Closest one to me that hopefully still sells Hires…. is about 90 miles north of here. I’m gonna try to make a trip up there in the next month or so…and see whats happening.

      Keep up the pressure!

      Reply
      1. Aj

        Thanks for the tip Skeet. Don’t know when I’ll get out to the west side of the continent but I definitely will be looking Winco up for sure.
        In the meantime I am going to be confirming locations in Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina. I have long heard there is an independent still making small quantities in NC and I figure that my vacation to Myrtle Beach will provide the perfect excuse to check it out. Well that, a Pirates game and some panning in the NC mountains!
        I am also going to try MB again as I have heard a few years ago people were spotting it at a couple of Lowes Markets there.

        Reply
  51. Sheldon R

    As frustrating as such cases are, they can also be opportunities. Look into how to get the stuff from point A to point B and then convince some old fashion burger shop owner in your area that they need Hires to round out their menu. Could be a new endeavor. Of course that’s assuming the bottler does want more customers and that there’s not someone paying to shut out competition at the other end.

    Reply
  52. Sheldon R

    This is the so called “free market” at work. You acquire a competitor and then let it die. Just today I finally found out what happened to Chung King soy sauce. It was part of a line of Chinese foods that were widely distributed at one time. Then they were sold, sold again and ended up in the hands of the parent company of LaChoy, spelling the end of a product line. I see items vanish from stores on almost a daily basis. People are increasingly left with a choice of 20 brands of any given item, none of which may be the one you like. The shelves may be full but product variety is actually decreasing. Very frustrating.

    Reply
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  54. Raymond Dalessandro

    The Vermont Country Store actively asks consumers to request historic memorable brands they miss so they can find who still makes them and they will stock and sell the product. I think they’ve even convinced companies resurrect old brands by offering to buy and stock a quantity of product. Maybe they can help with Hires. Another option is to lobby Coca-Cola and/or Pepsico to obtain the Hires formula and sales rights. Pepsico, in particular, is going strong with “throwback” versions of Pepsi Cola and Mountian Dew, so there is a nostalgia/specialty market they are interested in. Younger generations, college educated, would respond and purchase if they learned that Hires is the original. They shop at places with specialty foods like Trader Joes, Whole Foods, and Wegmans. I also remember a root beer brand called “Click” that competed with Hires in the 1960s here in the Philadelphia, PA–Atlantic City, NJ area. Does anyone remember that brand?

    Reply
  55. Chris

    I grew up in Detroit on a diet of Hires, Nehi, and Vernors ginger ale. At least I can still get Vernors but it doesn’t taste quite the same since they moved production out of Detroit. I’ll try to find Hires at on line specialty shops.

    Reply
  56. BBOBB

    I have a really old Hires can i found and cannot find any remnants of hires cans that are 280 ml caffeine free. If someone could point me to a site where I could maybe find out how old it was that would be awesome.
    Thanks

    Reply
  57. JRC

    You can still buy Hires at the Cub Foods in Stillwater, MN. If you’re around the area stop in and buy some. Keep it on their shelves.

    Reply
  58. Loris

    Years ago, to satisfy my craving I ordered Hires Root Beer from The PopShop online. After shipping and taxes it cost me about four dollars a bottle. Worth every penny. Just as I remembered it.

    Now, having found this site during a search months ago, I learned that Hires Root Beer might be available in Bellingham at Winco. I live in Vancouver Canada and I knew of a work buddy who goes across the border with his family for long weekend getaways. I asked him to watch for my favorite old time soft drink and offered him dinner upon his successful return. To my surprise, he finally got the goods last weekend. Two dozen Hires Root Beer to help me wind down Summer. My first chance to try cracking a can was today. It was so good, but having had to go without for so long, and substituting until now with a local good option, (Jones), I’m not so sure that DrPepper has maintained the recipe. No cane sugar anymore. Have my taste buds been deceived? I hope that the Canadian rights holder can bring it here with no changes.

    Reply
    1. skeet

      Loris,
      Just my opinion…but I don’t think you can duplicate real cane sugar..with corn syrup. Sometimes..I’ll buy a bottle of Coke( bottled in Mexico with cane sugar)…and one bottled here in U.S. with corn syrup. I can definitely tell the difference. Give it a try and see what you think.

      Reply
  59. skeet

    Aj,
    I wish you luck in your attempts to get Hires available in Canada. I talked to a rep @Dr. Pepper/Snapple 2 years ago about the scarcity of Hires. The rep said they were putting their emphasis on A&W….. and Hires wasn’t a priority..and never will be.
    I can still find it up here in Washington state…but don’t know long it will be available.
    Last year..I talked to the plant superintendent @Noel canning in Yakima,Wa…who has a license to bottle Hires. He told me that he sees Hires going away because the current generation doesn’t even know it exists…it’s only available in certain parts of the U.S…and Dr.Pepper/Snapple isn’t eager to market or mass produce it.
    I used to drink glass bottles of Hires as a kid..and you can’t beat the flavor when they used real cane sugar…as opposed to the corn syrup crap being used today.
    Keep us up to date on your “Hires quest”.

    Reply
  60. Aj

    Heads up folks. Emailed Dr. Pepper/Snapple this morning about my frustration with both not finding Hires in the Myrtle Beach area or around my home area of Ottawa.
    I got correspondence from a nice CSR named Emmy who kindly checked for me if there was any sold within 100 miles of those areas but couldn’t find anything. Bummer.
    However she was very receptive to my support and kindly passed my email along to members of her team to check the feasibility of bringing Hires to Canada.
    “While we do not offer the direct sale or shipping of our products, I will forward your request to see Hires offered in Canada to our team. Your request will be added to others, and hopefully we can get Hires to everyone that craves a taste of the original root beer! ”

    The lesson here is to write in folks. Write in numerous times. Get family members to write in. Friends, co-workers, anyone really. The more messages they get, the more likely they are going to bring it back, especially as they seem considerate of the idea and respectful of Hires as the “original root beer”.
    Here is the link to communicate with them:
    http://www.drpeppersnapplegroup.com/locator/

    Reply
  61. Ricky

    I just bought 6 12 packs at Fareway Food store in Rochester, MN. $3.19 each. First time I have had a Hires in 10 years or more. My kids, wife and I enjoyed.

    Reply
  62. Peter

    The Root Beer Store in Lynnwood, Washington (425-673-9999) currently has 12 packs of cans of Hires. They are not showing them on their website, however – therootbeerstore.com . Amazing place if you are into root beer .

    Peter

    Reply
  63. Ed

    I have recently purchased a few cases of Hires Rootbeer. Brand new cases not expired. I`m located just outside Winnipeg. Search Hires in Kijiji Winnipeg and buy some for yourself.

    Reply
  64. Maureen

    We drank a lot of Hires growing up in the 1960s on Vancouver Island. I would love some now! My dad also used to make rootbeer using the Hires syrup. Would like to get some of that to make root beer ice cream. Actually I think growing up in the 1960s the food selection for many items was far greater than today…and most things had some flavour. Things these days have no taste. We need to start complaining to the Dr. Pepper group I think. My daughter is in Vancouver, will have to send her to Pender St. to hunt out Hires as she loves root beer.

    Reply
  65. McKay Kesler

    I run a family owned grocery store in Blackfoot, Idaho, where we have always sold Hires, up until about a year ago. We have a strong customer following that is very upset about the lack of Hires. I don’t understand that the large bottler corporations cannot see the interest in this great root beer. They will obviously sell the heck out of it if they made it more readily available. So, listen up Bottlers!!!!, Give us back our Hires, you’re making us and our customers very upset! Stop being so political. Give the CONSUMER what THEY want! HIRES ROOT BEER! -a concerned grocer:)

    Reply
  66. paul

    I grew up with Hires and Dads root beer. Sams Hofbau in Sacramento had Hires on tap until a few years ago. Now I live in Colorado and can only get Dads in the summer at Costco. Oh well.

    Reply
  67. Pingback: Hires Root Beer | Old Main Artifacts

  68. Larry Larsen

    Here it is July and I can’t find Hires. I live in the “Bay Area” in California. I plan to call HYVee to see if they really have it. If they do, I plan to order some for my Uncle in Utah as well as some for me.

    Reply
  69. Ted

    I was asked by my father to look for a Hire’s root beer kit, after finding this page I’m a bit sad.

    Reply
  70. Chris

    I actually have a pretty good source of 12 packs in the Toledo , Ohio neighborhood. If anyone is from around here, or is really desperate and would like a 12 pack shipped, email me. Hires is by far the best and we need to activate to save it!

    Reply
    1. Joseph Ptak

      I live at Put-in-Bay, Ohio and plan to be going to Toledo this summer. Can you
      tell me where I can buy Hires Root Beer in the Toledo area?

      Reply
    2. Ron

      I live on michigan. Can you please tell me where I can buy Hires in Toledo? I think the drive would definitely be worth it thanks.

      Reply
  71. Wade

    Loved Hires as a kid here in Vancouver BC. Tahiti Treat too, and Mr Pibb lol. Found a specialty corner store on Pender st that sells single cans. Drinking it was a memory rush and my girlfriend became determined to track it down. You can buy it in Bellingham Washington at Winco in 12 packs of cans. We bought 24. No rootbeer compares.

    Reply
    1. Mo

      Wade, I’m from Vancouver, BC as well. Where on Pender St? I’m craving for Hires Root Beer and Tahiti Treat. Thanks.

      Reply
  72. Rodney

    Thanks to everyone that keeps updating this thread with Hires information.
    I especially want to thank Chris Halarewich for letting us know about Hy-Vee Direct. Best price online that I have found so far. I just ordered 4 12-packs.
    Get it while you can, for who knows how much longer they will continue to make Hires Root beer, the original and still the best.

    Reply
    1. steve

      chris, once again no more website here either, hyvee said it was a wholesale site and taken down last year

      Reply
  73. Chris Sobieniak

    Kind of a shame when companies pull stunts like this out of beancounter ethics as I put it. I was only thinking of Hires recently out of nostalgia for having gone to a restaurant that served it as a kid in the 80’s. Seems rather pathetic to own trademarks to something you’re not going to do much with at all really.

    Reply
  74. Aaron

    I live in Iowa and went to a local Fareway today to discover only 3 12-packs remaining of this delicious soda. I only purchased one but discovering how rare it is I might go back and purchase the remaining 2 as I don’t believe they will be restocking it. Anybody want to puchase one of the 12 packs let’s connect! albergseventynineathotmaildotcom

    Reply
  75. Christine

    I bought Hires Root Beer today at Winco. I never go into the soda (pop) aisle but was looking for a related product – and there it was.

    This is the Winco in Bellingham, WA.

    Reply
  76. Wolfy

    I’ve had Hires one time at the Delaware State Fair and its hands down the best rootbeer I’ve ever had. By far better than anything else. And I’ve had no luck finding it either. A real shame they’re brushing it under the rug as none of their other brands are anywhere near as good. They managed to bring RC cola back from the dead here, why not Hires?

    Reply
  77. Ken Cox

    Thank you very much for the research and fine write-up on the disappearance of Hires Root Beer. I grew up in Utah, California, and Arizona and drank nothing but Hires until I got to college. One of my fondest memories is of making homemade Hires root beer as a child. I currently live on the Mississippi Gulf Coast I’ve looked for it for years and I can’t find it anywhere. I mourn it’s slow demise. It needs to be revived and returned to the mass market place.

    Reply
  78. spyjammer

    I have been a lover of root beer since the day I knew what it tasted like. I have tried practically tried every root beer brand that has ever been made. I tried Hires for the very first time two years ago, and in my very personal honest opinion, it was, is and will continue to be the very best I have EVER had the truest pleasure to taste! To find out the brand is no longer being manufactured is crushing and heartbreaking! If I had my way, Hires root beer would be the #1 soft drink brand in the world! Forget Coca-Cola and Pepsi in their useless, pointless cola war! As far as IBC, A&W, Old Keg, Barq’s, Mug, Shasta, Dad’s, Frosty and many other pretenders… they knew they were taking a comfortable back seat to the very best tasting brand ever created! I will NEVER drink root beer again if Hire’s is no longer my choice!

    Reply
  79. Jessica W

    I am not a pop drinker, but my husband’s family in California loves hires. We are in the Seattle area and ship cases down to several households in CA thanks to UPS.

    I wound up here checking to see if I could find a map of where it is available.

    Reply
  80. DK

    The nutritional information IS on the company’s Web site. Using your link, I went to the site, clicked on Nutritional Information. I chose Hires from the list of products, and then got to a page that showed the can. If you put your cursor on the can, all the information comes up. It also allows you to compare nutritional information for multiple products. — JSYK

    Reply
    1. B.P. Post author

      Yes you are correct. I had not checked in a while. Over two years after writing this story – Dr. Pepper / Snapple Group corrected their omission. They have now added the nutritional information. They also changed the product locator which used to be an interactive search via zip code, to an email form and Hires is listed in the email form. The original main point being that Hires was not listed as a product in the locator field. Still, good luck finding Hires if you are not in the 4-5 states that carry it.

      Reply
  81. Paul Monaco

    I live in Portland Oregon, and within several blocks of my business off of 12th and S.E. Powell is still a HUGE ** H-I-R-E’-S ** root beer advertising with the Frosty Cold bottle that I remember as a kid. I had my first bottle in 1956 at 3 yrs old, and yes I burped.

    I’m thinking there must be many of you readers that are salivating while reading these reply’s. I’m driving to Seattle tomorrow, I can’t wait another day!! Hahahahaha! I wish they still had it in the tall bottles, but if it tastes as good as I remember, you will get NO complaints from me. 11/7/13

    Reply
  82. Paul Sorensen

    I live in Minnesota 2 years ago I was amazed to see Hires (in the can) on a local grocery store shelf. It appears the managers were attempting to sell it as a specialty branded root beer and presented it away from other Dr Pepper brands. I had net seen Hires Root Beer in years and picked up a 12 pack. The next time I went shopping it was gone and I keep checking to this day. What can we do to get it back on our shelves?

    Reply
  83. Scott Jaegly

    Josephs beverage center in Toledo Ohio has 12 pack cans for 7.49.. I bought 5 of them today. 10/07/2013..

    Reply
  84. Kevin

    I just found Hires! For the first time in MANY years, I found it on the shelf of a Marsh Supermarket in Carmel, Indiana. It’s a regional chain, but my local Marsh stores don’t have it. It was stocked by the smaller specialty sodas, like Dr. Brown’s. And it was about $7 for a 12-pack!

    Reply
  85. Big Phil

    Howdy!
    Just thought I’d reiterate what an earlier poster said, Amazon has Hires IN STOCK!
    sold by Peters Select- a little pricey at 28.00 for 2 twelve packs of cans, but worth it,
    I hadn’t had any in almost 20 years! Damn, it’s good! I have tried all the retro brands,
    all the boutique ones,they’re all crap, like drinking toothpaste!
    My family was so into Hires when I was a kid we used to MAKE IT! Now all I need is a source for Hires EXTRACT! God bless Hires!
    http://www.amazon.com/Hires-Root-Beer-pack-12-ounces/dp/B004743S5O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1378960882&sr=8-1&keywords=hires+root+beer

    Reply
  86. John Graff

    I grew up in the Philadelphia area also and Hires was the only root beer I knew except when we went on vacation; Frostie root beer was available in the soda machines. By the way you can’t find Frostie root beer either. Carling Red Cap Ale was available in the Philly area until the mid 80’s, but is manufactured by the Brick Brewing Company in Canada and not available in the States. Some other items are no longer manufactured because they didn’t make enough profit, or companies merged and wouldn’t carry more than one type of the same soft drink. Canada Dry products: Wink and Bitter Lemon have gone the way of Hires also, at least in Florida.

    Reply
  87. Doug Otoupalik

    Like many other posters, I have also hit a brick wall in trying to locate Hires locally. Until recently, there was a store here in Lincoln, Nebraska that carried it, but the Chicago distributor they ordered it from has stopped carrying it and so far, they have been unsuccessful finding another distributor who still has it.
    You can order online through Amazon.com, if you don’t mind paying an arm and a leg for it.

    Reply
  88. Mike Mullin

    Hey folks – good news I went to Jungle Jim’s in fairfield Ohio last week (August 2, 2013)
    And they indeed did have the 12 packs at $7.99.

    I was elated!

    It was tricky to find as JKims has 3 massive aisles of sodas.
    If u go down the aisle with the individual bottles (lots of odd soda varieties) the 12 packs are on a shelf waist high.

    My first thought was getting back to this site to let you folks know they are indeed for sale at JJims (another poster also mentioned this)

    Enjoy

    Reply
  89. Todd

    A number people over the past year 2012-2103, from across the country, have stated that they have been able to find Hires Root Beer in Walmart!!!! Might only be sold in 12 ct (pack of 2) cans. Not sure though.

    Reply
  90. Todd

    It appears, since they are presently showing it On Line, that Lowes Food #214 in Morehead City, NC sells 2 Liter plastic bottles of Hires Root Beer for between $1.79 and $1.89 per bottle. However, they do not ship, but only have a Pick-Up in store, and a Local Delivery service you can request when you place your order on-line.

    lowesfoods.grocerydirect.com/pd/Hires/Root-Beer/67-60-fl-oz/041710412783/

    Reply
  91. Todd

    I think WE all should get together, pool our resources, and BUY the Rights to Hires Root Beer from these twits!!! Make it ourselves. I just can’t tolerate idiots!!

    Reply
  92. PeteR..

    I’d like to add my voice to this little conversation. Hires was my drink of choice until I went into the USAF. Pepsi had the contract at the bases I was at. I got used to Pepsi. Then stationed overseas where Coke had the contracts. Got used to Coke and that’s what I drink. But I always wish I could get my hand on Hires root beer. The last soda “of choice” I enjoyed. Enough to search for it today and find this page. So this is what all the old timers would complain about when I was a kid. Stuff you love disappears. (Shakes fist at the sky) I did manage to order a case of it (glass bottles) a few years ago. No help on the internet this time it seems.

    Reply
  93. Kenny B

    I live in Vermont and just returned back from vacation and there I was at a Food Lion supermarket in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina picking up some items for my kids to survive the week and there it was “Hires Root Beer” I thought it was gone forever and like all of you this is the root beer I grew up on and loved – unfortunately my 2 kids are now in love with it and I am also having trouble finding someone who ships Hires – if anyone has an updated link on how to get it to New England I would greatly appreciate it – our car was dragging it’s bumper for 1000 miles returning from S.C. with root beer:)

    Reply
  94. Mark

    You are very much correct about Hires. A few years back I lived in Chicago and one supermarket chain sold Hires 12 packs they had about 4 locations and were called Treasure Island foods. There is also a massive supermarket that has several locations in Wisconsin it is called Woodmans they sell the product but here is the thing about Hires and all sodas. They are being run by the giant Monsanto so all of it with the possible exception of mexican coke, mexican pepsi mexican sprite, throwback pepsi and sierra mist are genetically modified and made with high fructose corn syrup. Back in the day it was made with Cane Sugar. Anyways we should all demand that they get rid of the high fructose corn syrup and all GMO ingredients and make our sodas like they used to be made and yes bring back Hires nationwide. FYI Pepsi in Vietnam is healthy ours is not.

    Reply
  95. John

    To me, it’s sad I grew up on Hires it’s by far the best root beer out there. I’ve been calling the Dr. Pepper/ Snapple people for time, they will only tell you where you can purchase it within a 100 mile radius of your zip code and the store that carries it is only allowed no more than 4 twelve packs on the shelf.

    Reply
  96. Steve

    I too have sorely missed my favorite rootbeer for years. Best I have ever had by far. Appearently thought I will be visiting a state noted up above that still sells it. IOWA !! Here I come ! Is there any truth in this ? What stores ? If so I will be hoarding a truck load back to Michigan very soon.

    Reply
  97. Richard

    I live in Battle Ground, WA and have been trying to find Hires for years. I did see that Walmart carries it online. Does anyone have or can anyone find the receipe so I can make some myself?

    Finally, does Hires still have caffeine in it?

    Reply
    1. Richard

      As of June 8, 2013, when one goes to the Walmart web site using the link posted above it says only available in store and not sold online.

      Reply
      1. Doug Otoupalik

        Perhaps we could convince Walmart to purchase the brand and sell it in their stores exclusively (as they did with Grapette).

        Reply
  98. Peggy

    Back in 87, while pregnant with my daughter, the only thing that quenched my thirst was Diet Hires. I loved how the smooth vanilla taste predominated; so unlike the wintergreen flavor of other brands. My daughter is now 25, and pregnant. She just sent me an e-mail about craving cream soda, so the vanilla taste must be genetically encoded. Too bad my grandbabies will miss out on “real” root beer floats!

    Reply
  99. EDWARD LITTLE JR.

    Love that Hires Root Beer, from Marlton, N.J. I looked for years and wonder where it went. It is a shame to let that brand of root beer to disappear, it was the best.

    Reply
  100. JOHN

    BEEN SEARCHING FOR YEARS FOR HIRES. DID NOT HAVE COMPUTER TO LOOK OUTSIDE LIVING AREA. NOW SAW WALMART WEBSITE PROVIDED BY ANOTHER CORRESPONDENT. WENT THERE TODAY (5/29) AND SITE SAID PRODUCT NOT AVAILABLE. WHAT OTHER OPTIONS ARE THERE FOR THE BEST TASTE EVER?

    Reply
  101. Carl E.

    Just got back from a trip to Myrtle Beach SC and found Hires Root Beer at Lowes Food store. I was shocked to see it! It is still the best. Brought back a number of two liter bottles. Lowes is throughout SC and NC. But here in VA I cannot find Hires. So sad!

    Maybe I will move to the Carolinas!

    Bombard the Dr Pepper Snapple site with emails and they might get the message that there is a demand for Hires

    Reply
  102. Kent Snyder

    I too am a great fan of Hires Root beer. I live in Northern California and the last time I found Hires was in 1987 up in Sacramento. Though I live in the Bay Area I’d make the drive to do some Steelhead fishing up there and I would purchase no less than 5 cases each time up there of my favorite root beer.
    In the mid 1980’s I had a quest to find the best root beer float any where. I worked for a company that would fly me all over the lower 48 States. I used this period to try as many root beers as I could find, but for a crisp clear taste, I always came back to the root beer of my youth, Hires. I did find my favorite vanilla ice cream, but like Hires, it was difficult to locate anywhere else. I purchased a dish of vanilla ice cream at a Victoria Station restaurant in Universal Studio and yum, it was what I was looking for, but they did not carry Hires root beer. They told me their ice cream was Carnation’s brand, but when I bought a half gallon the taste wasn’t the same so I wrote Carnation and they wrote me back and said the two should be identical in taste, it wasn’t though. So, I never could bring the two best tasting items together for the best root beer float.
    I should add here, I was once in upstate New York, back in 1987 for my company and I found a store that sold Hires. I bought 5 six packs and brought 4 six packs home in my expandable briefcase. You should have seen the surprised look that the airport security gave me. They asked me why in the world would I be carrying root beer in my briefcase. I explained that Hires wasn’t available anywhere in the Bay Area, back home.

    Reply
  103. Randy Carlson

    I have not seen Hires in years and I agree that if given the chance people would drink Hires over A&W any day. Please bring it back.

    Reply
  104. Gerry Zehr

    I really miss drinking a great product like Hires Root Beer. Our family store carried it for years.Then it was discontinued.I bought it around 1996 or so from &-11 stores Now it is only found on the Internet order systems..A heritage product of quality like this ; which sold quite well ; is a sad thing to cancel . Snapple people have no idea what they are doing by discarding HIRES…

    Reply
  105. Tom Jurgenson

    For those of you that can’t find Hires Root Beer at a Wal-Mart or other local outlets. I bought some last week on Amazon after not seeing it for over 7 yrs. I bought 2 12 paks for just over $30 with shipping. A little pricey, but when you can’t find it elsewhere, the price is justified.

    Reply
  106. Paulette

    Love Hire’s Root Beer, it was my favorite as a kid. What I like about it was it was not as sweet as A & W. IBC is OK but not in the same league in my opinion. I did manage to locate it in cans at a few other websites but I would love to locate it in bottles, but have been unsuccessful thus far. Dr. Pepper/Snapple is making a poor business decision killing off a wonderful product. Maybe if we’re lucky someone can purchase the formula and bring it back. Since it was the original this could be a effective marketing tool.

    Reply
  107. Bob C.

    It’s the assassination of a great brand! I remember that Hires Root Beer was THE only root beer when I was a kid in Brooklyn. Now that I live in No. California I came across a 1950s Hires cooler (shaped like a wooden keg with its logo on it) in an antique store. It made me thirsty for Hires again. I came across this blog during my research and, of course, I checked the Dr. Pepper/Snapple site and only got depressed. Sad that bad decisions and failed takeovers cost the “life” of the brand of root beer we all like best.

    Reply
  108. John

    If you are ever in SLC – Haven’t been there since 1990 when it was just “Hires” with the familiar original Hires logo – Someone in that area please check them out and report back .. The extract that you can buy from the website looks intriguing.

    Reply
  109. Rodney

    Thanks for this posting, and a big thank you to Randy for commenting about Walmart.com having Hires for sale. I just put in an order for 4 boxes.
    Hires is the original, and the best root beer. Dr. Pepper/Snapple is missing a huge opportunity to sell this, but they seem intent on pushing A&W and IBC instead.

    Reply
  110. Daniel

    I’m up here in Canada. Hires appeared in Costco stores briefly in 2003 as 24-pack cans. It appeared in 7-Eleven in the 591ml format for a year in 1996(?). It seems to sprout up, then vanish. Probably due to a lack of marketing. I haven’t seen it in the 1L or 2L size. I definitely haven’t seen it in glass.

    Whenever I do see it in the stores, I buy a bunch of it and then hand it out to my friends and coworkers. Its amazing the expressions you get when you offer it to someone who had it as a kid – its like they just rediscovered their favourite childhood toy again.

    From a business point of view, I think it’d be very profitable to bring back Hires with a full marketing compaign. This christmas there is a strong trend in people buying “Retro” toys. A&W rebranded themselves in the late 90s to bring back the Burger Family. Retro sells.

    The only Root Beer that is available in our stores is Mug, Barq’s, A&W .. and the more expensive variety: Dad’s.

    Pop is dying a slow death unfortunately. Even up here in Canada they are proposing putting graphic warning labels and a tax on soft drinks. They need more natural healthier sodas. Perhaps they can reintroduce Hires with an unprocessed cane sugar version, and the original recipe in a glass bottle.

    Anyways – thanks for putting up the page.

    Reply
  111. Jon

    In the Cincinnati area you can find Hires at Jungle Jim’s for $7.99. Stand up for your soda!! Make phone calls ask for store managers, restaurant employees, store clerks spread the word about Hires to everyone. When Coke was trying to phase out Mello Yello up north around 2007, this is what I did. I can not help but to feel a tiny bit responsible for the resurgence of my favorite soda plus the addition of a diet version. Good Luck, long live Hires!!!

    Reply
  112. Glen

    While I was doing a search to find out where I could try to purchase some Hires Root Beer I came across this site here. I see I am in good company with others wanting that product back. It is nice to know there are still a few places left you can get Hires at. Thanks to those who left places here you can order it from. I just ordered 4 boxes from Walmart. I doubt there are any places left in Alaska you can get it from directly. Years ago Sam’s Club carried it, but that was the last time I have been able to have of taste of the best.

    Reply
  113. steve

    Hires in a glass bottle cold…is best ever root beer which happens to be the original. Barrelhead same way…milder but foamier is 2nd best ever but not made anymore sadly. Tahitian Treat same way…is best ever fruit soda. As the years went by since I used to drink it in the 70’s, ingredients changed slightly because of supply sources and technology and other small factors but not nearly enough to make Hires or TT a lesser drink. Strange how the best tasting drinks are not made available like the lesser tasting drinks are but that is how business can go. Not just with this subject, but any other products out there that have been made or currently make. Take the Marathon bar which is the best ever chocolate carmel candy bar ever…dumped by the same maker of m&m’s and snickers because the shape did not fit the standard candy bar causing shipping and storage issues. BTW, Cadbury’s Curly Wurly is a sad attempt at marathon bar duplication. Like Barrelhead, marathon bar needs to come back . Hires and TT needs to be back in bottles and/or made more readily available like A&W which isn’t too bad The only way…that this will happen…is if enough people are pro-active enough at stores and suppliers to bring it back. Do what I do…after I drank my 6 12-pack cans of Hires from walmart.com for $16/case, I secretly distribute the empties in area grocery stores strategically where A&W, Barf’s(oops, I mean Barq’s), Mug is on the shelf to wake them up and get them thinking…………………………………..

    Reply
    1. George

      I am quite familiar with all the comments regarding the Hires Root Beer unavailability in the U.S. I was formerly in the Soft Drink Beverage Industry and sold Hires Root Beer and Orange Crush and they both did quite well sales wise. I slowly watched Dr Pepper/Snapple Group tie a sales noose around both brands almost fifteen years ago preferencing their A&W Root Beer and Sunkist Orange products. If you look at the availability of Hires it almost non existent. Fortunately for Orange Crush, the Pepsi Cola Bottling Group looked at their orange product that was suffering competitevly and chose to propose to Dr Pepper/Snapple to franchise Crush to their Pepsi Bottling Group. So in reality this became the reincarnation of Orange Crush Nationally. Unfortunately Hires is still suffering from the decisions that Dr Pepper/Snapple Group made fifteen years ago. From the standpoint of competitive root beers, Hires has the longest History of successful sales of a Root Beer product than all the others. It really is a shame that DrPepper/Snapple Group made the decision on Hires many years ago.

      You can buy Hires in 12pack cans at QFC in Seattle at 9999 Holman Road.

      Reply
  114. Tia

    Im with all of you. I’ve been looking for years. Best Root Beer ever made. We have an old 7up machine at work with an old Hires label in, so want to push it but I know that gross A&W will come out which is just syrup. BRING BACK HIRES ROOT BEER. But all brands screw us in the end, Post, Kellogg’s, Wonder Bread, ext….

    Reply
  115. Bill

    I really appreciate the work of people posting here in finding Hires Root Beer at Walmart.com! It is the BEST root beer I ever had – although it’s been many years since I have enjoyed a bottle. Unlike A&W, it’s not so overly sweet so you can drink more of it. A&W, after a while, is just too sweet for me.

    Again, thanks for all the investigative efforts. I thought Hires was one more ‘good thing’ lost to the profit motive.

    Reply
  116. Paul

    You can buy Hires Rootbeer at walmart.com I just did! They ship in 2 12 pack cases and if you place an order of 3 meaning 6 12 packs they will ship it to your home for free! Cheers!

    Reply
  117. Richard Gross

    I live in Portland Oregon metro area, my local Walmart does not have Hires, i tried in Vancouver WA, they don’t have it either, I last got it in Seattle,but that is 170 miles away. Would Longview-Kelso have it? (about 50 miles)

    Reply
    1. Todd

      Richard..it is not in Longview/Kelso area. The closest place that I have been able to get it is WINCO in Lacey, WA. I have tried to get local WINCO’s to order it but it is proving to be a huge pain. The merchandising manager at QFC has submitted an order for it and we are still waiting for Kroger to have it ordered and sent to the store as a special order.

      Reply
  118. John Buchanan

    John says: Hires is without a doubt the #1 Root Beer in the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I , like the other baby-boomers, were there and are still here wanting our most loved “Hires Root Beer”. How about it? Manufactorer’s are you up to the “Risk” as so-called business men call themselves, knowing the value of the almighty dollar ? Do you need investors? How sad it is to think that such a “Well Known Name” – “Household Name”, best of all “Drive Inn Lovers” – “Tall Frozen Real Mug full of the best root beer ever!!!” Looking for new or better when the best is already there! “WELL, We want our “Old Days” BACK ! !!!!!! Baby-Boomers !!!!! buy more from these two websites and show the other manufactorers of so-called root beer where their money can STOP! Power is in people buying what they love. Supply / Demand makes them wake up! I have no ties to any manufactorers, ” I am a “True Lover of Hires Root Beer” The two websites are from previous reeview replies and they are copied only from them to help you click more easily. I take no credit for their replies or websites.
    See: Paul says… http://ralphs.elsstore.com/search?q=hires
    See: Randy says… http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hires-Root-Beer-12ct-Pack-of-2/17197677

    Hope this helps all lover’s of Hires Root Beer!

    Reply
  119. steve

    Todd, I am in central new york now but was stationed in tacoma wash north-fort lewis in 1984…frequented seattle, mt rainier, yakima, puget sound, etc….can you tell me which stores you found them in

    Reply
  120. Todd

    I just found Hires at several different stores in Olympia and Seattle, WA. I am glad we still have it in Washington State.

    Reply
  121. steve

    Hires is not only the original, but will always be the best…unless some other can match it. root-beer.org is helpfull, even tried most of them but regardless what they say on there, hires is king. available in limited areas and can get online at walmart and amazon to note a couple. 2nd best ever would be barrelhead which is a different style, draft…please post where to get if known or found. Also please post where to get tahitian treat, original and best fruit punch soda ever…shamefull how the top soda makers dictate availability based on what they want despite what is the best product such as hires, barrelhead, tahitian treat…the ones i grew up with and the ones that still to this day has not been beat

    Reply
  122. Jeff

    I did see that Ralph’s and Wal-Mart still offer Hires! It’s pricey but well worth the price! It’s like a good wine! Long live Hires! =]

    Reply
  123. Stacey E

    I’m not sure how long ago Arizona supposedly carried Hires because I don’t recall ever getting it here, and I’ve been here for over 30 years. I do recall that the last time I had some I was still in grade school. Occasionally I’ll see it listed in specialty internet stores in glass bottles, but I don’t recall if they claim to actually have some available for sale, or if it has the “out of stock” written near it.
    More annoying is the fact that people have to scramble all over the country to get pop, of all things. I have to travel across state lines to get Mr Pibb in cans. There’s nothing more moronic than knowing the Coca Cola company doesn’t want to compete with one of their own products (Dr Pepper) and stand possibly getting more revenue. I was under the impression that making money was what they were all about. So meanwhile sleazy people will sell you a 12 pack for “only” $30 or so. Give me a break.

    Reply
    1. Biff Tannen

      No, what’s moronic is the fact that you believe Coca-Cola manufactures Dr. Pepper. Dr. Pepper is a separate entity, that, dependent upon geography, is either DISTRIBUTED by Coca-Cola or PepsiCo.

      Reply
  124. Madison

    I am so sad to find Hires root beer nowhere, as a child my father brought it home for my sister and I. It was a special treat, and I was always excited to see a bottle because my name was on it. My last name is Hires, no relation that I am aware to Charles Hires the inventor. I agree Hires is better than any other root beer that has touched my lips, thus it keeps dying why? Its wrong and it should be more readily available for those of us who would like to drink it!

    Reply
    1. California Art

      Unfortunately even Wal-Mart can’t get it in 2015 – their own website listing the product declares that it is no longer available.

      Reply
  125. John D.

    I live in New Jersey and have not been able to find Hires for over 10 years. I first drank Hires in the early 60’s, when Sally Starr was advertising it on her daily ( Popeye Theatre) TV show.I remember many lunch counters would feature a large metal container designed to resemble a wooden keg, with Hires in the center. I guess those were the good old days. None of the root beers on the market today can compare to Hires. Perhaps some local bottler could resurrect the brand with some smart advertising, they may be surprised at the results!

    Reply
  126. R. Woodward

    Hires was available in Wisconsin at Woodman’s supermarkets until just a couple of weeks ago. The shelf space is now filled with A&W products.

    I liked Hires because it was what I grew up on, as well as the fact that unlike every other root beer on the market, it didn’t taste like someone had dissolved a wintergreen life saver in it.

    Reply
  127. Chuck

    The person who wrote the article on the death of Hires Root Beer mentioned it was still being bottled in Washington state. I live in Washington and would love to know who is the bottler and how to get in touch with them.

    Reply
    1. B.P. Post author

      From the Bevnet beverage web site forums as of 2011 regarding Washington State and Hires from various people:

      Hires is still available in the Northwest (WA and OR) distributed by Columbia Beverages (see coldist.com). It is probably canned by Noel/Yakima Canning of Yakima, WA. While A&W is the preferred DPSG product by many stores, Hires is available in stores that carry a larger selection

      Yep! Im in Seattle and its at most QFC and Fred Meyer stores.

      Washington State. I contacted the bottler you mentioned several times. Always spoke to the receptionist. Always asked her if they produced Hires and she said she never heard of it. Always directed to speak to the sales manager. Always sent to voice mail. Always never got a return call back. I called a few stores that were mentioned in the forum. The employees were either too busy or unknowledgable to neither confirm or deny its being sold. So since several ops mentioned in the forum its sold there and I cannot find otherwise, lets say yes. I believe the ops said its sold in cans. I would like more info on this. Maybe some pictures if possible of it being sold in the store.

      CitrusCola, I saw a post from Tacbot.. Jan. 2011 that said it was probably canned by Noel Foods, Yakima,WA. Canning plant code has a YC….so I looked up Yakima Canning…which is…Noel Foods. Talked to the plant mgr. who said they make about 2-3 batches a year. They still have a demand in parts of the state..but he said that most of the buyers were probably Hires drinkers …back in the 50’s or 60’s. So..he’s afraid that one day..the demand won’t be there.

      Reply
  128. Jan

    I have spent much time looking, and finally resorted to the web. So I see it has been consumed by the competition. By far, Hires is unquestionably the best! So I will now simply not buy any, I will drink Champagne on occasion and toast Hires!

    Reply
  129. Charlie b

    Ok me too I am in rhode island and grew up with hires root beer and would really like to be able to purchase it also I called snapple to and they said if there iS a demand for it they will start manufacturing again

    Reply
  130. Kirk Bailey

    This really doesn’t make a lot of business sense to me but hell I only have a HS diploma! I’m from the Phila. area and grew up drinking Hire’s! These other Root Beers (I’m not familiar with IBC) do not come close to Hire’s! I don’t drink a lot of soda these days but when I do I would prefer Hire’s!! You would think they would have promoted the Original Root Beer instead of trying to bury it! It’s just a shame that this company would let a piece of American History die a slow and painful death!

    Reply
  131. Paul

    I live in Southern California and last July I asked my local Ralph’s Supermarket(Kroger) general manager what were the chances of finding Hire’s Rootbeer. He directed me to their website under “specialty items” and sure enough there it was. They sell them in twelve pack cans and from what I remember they shipped from the midwest. I was so happy it was worth every penny! I don’t know if they currently have them in stock but their website say’s that they do! Good Luck!

    http://ralphs.elsstore.com/search?q=hires

    Reply
        1. Lyn

          If I was you I would not have anything to do with Eyelevellink.com if you have problems with a shipment, which I have, you will get nowhere with the contact info, “they are away from the phone” or “on another call” yer right.

          Also In a 12 pack of canned goods you will find at least one very badly dented can. They also have a problem shipping out frozen goods, cardboard box not insulation and maybe a dry ice pack, not sure since all that was left in the shipping box was the empty sack.

          Since one of my frozen orders a 12 pack of Mexican type food never even got to me, nearly $100.00 worth I am pretty disgusted with them, had I been able to talk to someone I would not be posting the dirt on here.

          Have a great day and hope you find your Hires root beer in vast quantities.

          Reply
  132. Barry

    I too have been searching high & low for Hires for years. It was by far the best root beer bar none! It’s such a shame to have the “original” taken away & replaced by inferior substitues. Shame on DR. Pepper / Snapple Group; they market 3 different root beers , A&W, IBC, & Stewarts…all decent root beers but all inferior to Hires. Yet they still picture the Hires brand on their website but when you look at the avaiability search it is not listed.

    Reply
  133. Bill

    I too have been looking for Hires for years now. I am originally from New Jersey, but currently live in Maine. I am not a big soda drinker, but love the taste of Hires root beer. I hope someone smartens up and they bring it back on the market!!!!!!!!

    Reply
    1. Alan

      Try Big H root beer loos similar to Hires Its an extract
      we have been making up this drink for 2 years at least
      its nice

      Reply
    2. Rod Baum

      I too have searched for years for Hires Root Beer. I retired and moved back to Ohio, and lo and behold, I found it at Sautter’s Food Market in Sylvania, Ohio, where I live. Just one problem, folks. It isn’t the Hires you remember. It is now a reformulated sweet gloppy mess in a can. Almost no fizz, and WAY too sweet.
      I bought a 12 can pack (only way they have it), and poured 11 1/2 of them down the drain. Sad, but true. You can stop looking. Not only has Schweppes/Dr. Pepper nearly killed it , but they’ve ruined it as well.
      Rod Baum

      Reply
      1. steve

        no doubt the formula and ingredients are different Rod. It has reduced carbonation i agree with you, as well as a little sweeter and i also agree with you there. I grew up with it in the 70’s in glass bottles found all over and had it all the way up through mid 90’s mostly plastic 2 liters in very few spots where the formula stayed it’s perfect same. A&W was ok, but all others palled in comparison and it is all i seeked out. Sad to hear you tossed most of it because it is still the original and the best (if not better than most). I think if more people ask for it, buy it and drink it then it may rise back up and maybe the original formula come back. It is the only hope for this. I place my empty hires cans scattered in strategic locations as to spark interest from retailers where they and/or the public will see them and ask for them by name even though they are not sold there. I am trying to start an avalanche of demand for hires to become available again, it is the only thing I can think of doing on my level because Dr.Pepper does not listen and does not care when you contact them about it. Maybe if more people do what I do in their little neck of the woods it will cause a new fad called bring back the Hires. So if successful, maybe we can apply that to the 2nd best ever root beer, barrelhead, not same taste but really good and the best/most foamy root beer ever…and don’t spare the ice!

        Reply
        1. D Michael Lloyd

          i WAS GETTING IT AT THE ACME MKT IN CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE, NH. THE THEN MGR SAID HE PICKED IT UP ON HIS WAY TO WORK FROM PENNSYLVANIA. SORRY, BUT NEW MGR AND NO MORE HIRES. HOWEVER YOU CAN CAJOLE THE NEW MGR AND INUNDATE HIM WITH REQUESTS, LIKE I AM DOING FROM MY HOME. WHO KNOWS, IT CAN’T HURT.

          Reply
    3. Frank LeDoux

      I have been looking for a few years now..I just found some in a small specialty shop in downtown Fredericksburg Va. and just a few miles froom my house!
      After I started looking around I noticed they had lots of different root beers…”do they have Hires?” I thought…then there it was…it was only .75 cents a can so I bought all they had. They had just a 12 pack, so I paid 9.00…a lot for a 12 pack but when I think of it at .75 a can it sounded good and cheaper than a can of coke at a 7-11…I plan to go back often!

      Reply
          1. mike

            i too live in Canada and got a case at jungle jims in Ohio in 2011. Anyone know if they still have it? i have 2 unopenned cans at home. Nothing beats those old school classics ….Coke, DrPepper, and Hires!

          2. Cam

            It’s wired I can find hires at a corner store at Tilbury Industrial park in Delta BC no French on can so must be imported from U.S. and ya it says Plano Texas on it. Bear root beer ever

    4. Joe Hires lover

      No other root beer can compete with the tase of Hires. Sadly, it has been unavailable for nearly 30 years. I don’t understand why they got rid of it. Could it be possible that they fazed it out because nobody would buy A&W root beer?
      I wish there were a way to petition Dr. Pepper / Snapple to bring it back. I really don’t enjoy fake root beer. I’ve tried all the other brands, nothing comes close to the Hires taste.
      Shouldn’t consumers be given a choice? If a product doesn’t work out, it’ll naturally will go under, but let the consumer decide that.
      Company big wigs are out of touch with real people. They have some idiots running their companies.

      Reply
      1. Quinton

        I found several cases in March 2017 in the super one grocery store in Columbia falls Montana. I bought five cases. They were only $3.29 I should have bought them all there were about a dozen cases, prior to that it was six years before I had seen any. I remember finding it as a kid in Alberta in the 90’s in many vending machines

        Reply
        1. D Michael Lloyd

          I just called them (3/14/2018) and they have Hires on sale for $299 a case. YAY I and gonna see if the UPS Store will package and ship me 10 cases.

          Reply
          1. Nathan Smith

            Yeah they do….if you want to pay $34 and some change plus shipping for a 12pack Amazon trying to make a killing on Hires Root beer like they don’t make enough on there other merchandise and most of that is over priced, but they know if you want that root beer bad enough you’ll buy it from them, I’m not that despite

        2. MLC

          I just called the Super 1 Grocery Store in Columbia Falls, Mt. and they have 12-pks. of Hires Root Beer for, $4.98. 10:25 p.m., Friday, Jan. 25, 2019.

          Reply
          1. Walter Conway

            I live in B.C. but I might drive down there this summer and maybe do some fishing on the way. Thanks for the info.

        1. Henry B.

          Oops! 33 bucks a case. Sorry about that. As long as I’m here, I’ll tell my Hires story.

          I drank a lot of Hires back in the late ’60s/early ’70s. I would mostly get Hires at the neighborhood 3.2 beer joint. Why? Because I got 12 ounces for my dime instead of 10 ounces for all the other brands. Wise young consumer, eh?

          Anyway, I miss it just like everyone else here.

          Reply

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