The debate over the origins of Barq’s Root Beer has long sparked a rivalry between Louisiana and Mississippi, as both states claim ownership of the beloved soft drink, known for its high carbonation and low-foam taste. This debate resurfaced when Walker Lasiter, a resident of New Orleans’ 13th Ward, posed the question of Barq’s origins after a friendly disagreement with a friend from Mississippi while enjoying po-boys together. The disagreement led Lasiter to seek answers: Was Barq’s originally created in New Orleans?
The Roots of Barq’s: A Mississippi and Louisiana Legacy
Veni Harlan, the great-granddaughter of the Barq family’s Louisiana roots and historian of Barq’s legacy, offers some clarity on the matter. She traces the history of the drink back to the late 1800s, when Edouard Barq, a trained chemist and New Orleans native, began experimenting with soda flavors in the French Quarter. After enduring personal hardships, Barq moved his family to the Mississippi Gulf Coast in 1898, where he sought a fresh start and continued his work in soft drink manufacturing.
Mentorship and Shared Knowledge
In Mississippi, Barq became a mentor to Jesse Louis Robinson, an impoverished young man with limited formal education, who walked into Barq’s warehouse in 1898. Robinson quickly learned the soft drink trade under Barq’s guidance, soaking up all the knowledge Barq could impart. In 1909, Robinson moved to New Orleans to start his own soft drink business, and by 1922, he established Orangine Bottling Works, where he produced various drinks, including ginger ale and Celery Tonic.
Despite the shift to New Orleans, Robinson and Barq remained close, with Barq often traveling to New Orleans to work on new flavors in the lab. Harlan shares that Barq’s interest in creating a root beer led to many experiments with Robinson, whose grandmother would often document the formulas they developed.
The Creation of Barq’s Root Beer
By 1934, Barq had perfected his root beer recipe and entrusted Robinson with the rights to manufacture and distribute it throughout Louisiana, while Barq’s family would handle sales in Mississippi. This collaboration between the two states gave rise to an iconic Gulf Coast beverage. Harlan acknowledges the unique connection between Louisiana and Mississippi in the creation of Barq’s, describing it as “a combination of Louisiana and Mississippi.”
Expansion and Legacy
As Barq’s gained popularity, the Robinson family expanded their operations, opening a bottling plant in Baton Rouge in 1949. This partnership was not a typical franchise arrangement. Instead, Robinson, who had firsthand knowledge of the formula, was given the rights to manufacture Barq’s root beer independently. Harlan’s family remained closely involved in the business, with her grandmother running the Baton Rouge plant while guarding the secret formula, which could only be passed down to direct descendants.
In 1976, the Barq family sold their holdings to attorneys John Oudt and John Koerner, who later acquired Barq’s New Orleans territory. In 1995, the brand was sold to Coca-Cola, which significantly expanded its national presence. Despite the brand’s growth, many in the region still remember its deep-rooted connection to the Gulf Coast.
A Shared Heritage
Barq’s collector Robert Sherrill, who has spent years gathering memorabilia, believes that both Louisiana and Mississippi share the legacy of the drink. Through his research and conversations with former Barq’s employees, Sherrill affirms that while the root beer served today differs from Barq’s early concoctions, the creation and development of the beverage remain a joint effort between both states.
The question of Barq’s origins may never be fully settled, but the drink’s enduring legacy continues to be a source of pride for both Louisiana and Mississippi, two states that share a deep connection to this iconic American beverage.
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