But what about a root beer plant? Now, to be clear, this isn't an ingredient you'll find in any of the soda varieties tested in Chowhound's ranking of popular root beers. This is piper auritum ...

Louisianans and Mississippians have long battled over claiming rights for Barq’s Root Beer, a beloved soft drink ... while the Robinsons built a bottling plant in Baton Rouge in 1949.