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Mug Root Beer

Mug Root Beer[2] (sometimes stylized as MUG Root Beer) is an American brand of root beer that was originally produced in 1940 under the name Belfast Root Beer. It is now produced by New Century Beverage Company of San Francisco, California, which was acquired by PepsiCo in 1986.[3][4]

History

Mug Root Beer was originally sold under the name Belfast Root Beer in 1940 by the Belfast Beverage Company in San Francisco, California. The company had been known for making sparkling water and ginger ale since 1877. Belfast Beverage Company was purchased around 1925[5] by New Century Beverage Company, which had successfully launched Crush Soda in 1918.

In 1936, New Century Beverage Company was granted permission to franchise Pepsi-Cola products, and about four years later, it launched Belfast Root Beer. An advertisement for Belfast Root Beer appears as early as 1947.[6] According to the San Francisco Examiner, the catchphrase, 'You haven't tasted Root Beer like this in years!' filled 1950s newspaper advertisements. An advertisement for Belfast Old Fashioned Mug Root Beer appears as early as 1952.[7] In the 1950s, the soda took on the title Belfast Old Fashioned Mug Root Beer before its name was eventually shortened to Mug Root Beer.

In the late 1960s, Sugar Free Mug (later known as Diet Mug Root Beer) was introduced.[8] Mug Cream Soda and Diet Mug Cream Soda were later introduced, but they are not as widely available. Mug was purchased by Pepsi in 1986, and replaced On-Tap Draft Style Root Beer as Pepsi's root beer brand.[8] Mug Root Beer is currently manufactured by independent bottlers under the authority of New Century Beverage Company.

Since Mug Root Beer's acquisition by PepsiCo in 1986, the company's logo has displayed a bulldog named "Dog" holding a glass of what appears to be frothy Mug Root Beer.[9] PepsiCo stopped producing its sodas in San Francisco in the early 1990s, including Mug Root Beer.[9]

External links

References

  1. The Facts About Your Favorite Foods and Beverages (U.S.) www.pepsicoproductfacts.com, retrieved 2025-04-08^
  2. MUG ROOT BEER - Trademark Details Justia Trademarks, retrieved February 24, 2026^
  3. Mug Root Beer www.pepsicopartners.com, retrieved 2021-12-28^
  4. THE MEDIA BUSINESS - ADVERTISING - Lois Pitts Gershon Pon Wins Mug Root Beer - NYTimes.com The New York Times, 2015-05-25, retrieved 2022-04-06^
  5. The brief story of how one of America's favorite root beer brands started in San Francisco 2025-10-31^
  6. September 24, 1947, Bakersfield Californian, p. 7 (available at newspaperarchive.com)^
  7. March 4, 1952, Mountain Democrat, p. 5 (available at newspaperarchive.com)^
  8. Mug Root Beer Retrieved August 22, 2012.^
  9. Susana Guerrero. The brief story of how one of America's favorite root beer brands started in San Francisco SFGate, October 2, 2021, retrieved March 13, 2022^