Does anybody know if Sasparilla or Sarsaparilla is still brewed or sold in Sheffield?

My Dad loves Sasparilla!

I think they may sell it in the health food shops, or you could try homebrew places and get a kit to make your own :)

Is it the same thing as American Root Beer ? I've seen this on sale in a couple of supermarkets.

At one time practically every district in Sheffield had a herblist shop selling draught and bottled sasparilla, - don't know of any now.

They used to sell herb tobacco too, for kids to make roll-ups with :D

Originally posted by zeke
Does anybody know if Sasparilla or Sarsaparilla is still brewed or sold in Sheffield? I can remember years ago when I was a kid,shops advertising it outside their shops.I never tasted it, what does it taste like.Isnt sarsparilla a root ?I can imagine it to taste like Coca Cola,but maybe someone can put me right.

From what I can remember, it tastes like strong or full bodied Dandelion & Burdock. I was only young at the time, it was from a drink shop in Attercliffe.

According to Mawson's who make their cordial in Bacup, they have a stockist:

Herbafayre
75 High Street
Sheffield S1 2BZ

Their main herbal ingredients are:

the root bark of the Sarsaparilla plant Smilax aristolochiaefolia
the rhizome of Ginger Zingiber officinalis
the root of Liquorice Glycyrrhiza glabra

Does anyone know how to brew this stuff? We could rake it in off the back of this thread!

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Oh wow - memories.

Can anyone remember 'Jack's Temperance Bar' on Langsett Road? He had a red neon 'Durex' sign in the window...heh.

The painted sign over the shop advertised Sarsaparilla. I never had any - just knew it was a drink of some kind?

there use to be a sasparilla shop at the top of abbeydale road near to the old picture house what is now the snooker hall if it is still there, I use to always go in there from coming out of heeley baths on a saturday afternoon and it would be a pint of the stuff not a ladies drink the wee half as thats what some women drank. I wish it was still there thats where I would be all the time drinking that stuff. oh happy times bring them back thats what I say.

When I was a kid we used to buy sarsparilla from the herbalist's on Attercliffe Common, he brewed it himself. It tasted something like licorice and we loved it. Here in Aussie we can buy sarsparilla cordial but it doesn't taste as good. I wonder if it was made from licorice root.:idea:

You know what you have reminded me of?

When McDonalds did own brand soft drinks, and they did root beer. It tasted just like dentists mouthwash!

Originally posted by bigkev
there use to be a sasparilla shop at the top of abbeydale road near to the old picture house what is now the snooker hall if it is still there, I use to always go in there from coming out of heeley baths on a saturday afternoon and it would be a pint of the stuff not a ladies drink the wee half as thats what some women drank. I wish it was still there thats where I would be all the time drinking that stuff. oh happy times bring them back thats what I say.


It was called 'POP'S'

Cynthia, Ontario, Canada.

the last time i bought some sarsaparilla was from asda a few years ago it was the cordial type that you dilute and was made by the vimto makers.( i think nicholls manchester ) but i dont know if they still make it , but it wasn't as good as that from the drink shop near the abbeydale pictures that was really good .

We used to buy Sasparilla from the herbalist shop on Barber road.
We collected it in a big jug.
The man in the shop was very deaf so we had to bang the door going in.
I got told off for doing this and after used to dread going for the drink.
I do remember it was lovely and have never tasted anything like it since.

yeah Tinker, dad used 2 take me and bro to that shop 4 it!

I remember it too! It used to be sold as a hot drink in London in the East End markets. Not seen it since I moved north though.

used 2 taste of liqourish as I recall..

YES! Found some in Tesco last night among the exotic range of goods they have which is near the cook in sauces, bottom shelf.

Sorry to resurrect this thread which is so old, but I got very excited when I saw it!

I now Live in Blackburn Lancs (UGH), however in the markethall there is a stall who sells only homebrew Sasparilla and its great at 38p per 1/2 pint. There is always people buying and it does really well. If ever i move back to Sheffs I will start a stall up and make my fortune..

Oh wow - memories.

Can anyone remember 'Jack's Temperance Bar' on Langsett Road? He had a red neon 'Durex' sign in the window...heh.

The painted sign over the shop advertised Sarsaparilla. I never had any - just knew it was a drink of some kind?

I remember it well.

Spent many happy hours in there, playing pinball, listening to the juke box. Brilliant place:thumbsup:

we stock this too
in 2 sizes :) yummy

there's an old fashioned sweet shop in matlock bath that sell saspirilla and sweet tobacco and other great blasts from the past. the saspirilla is made by Fentiman's who also make the best cola in the world, Curiosity Cola.

I now Live in Blackburn Lancs (UGH), however in the markethall there is a stall who sells only homebrew Sasparilla and its great at 38p per 1/2 pint. There is always people buying and it does really well. If ever i move back to Sheffs I will start a stall up and make my fortune..

Sorry to be a bit off topic.

If you are ever popping through Great Harwood, Arrodbo, The Royal, home of the Red Rose Brewery, make their own sarsaparilla (I think) and certainly sell it at the bar. FWIW The Royal is also a cracking pub, sarsaparilla or no sarsaparilla.

My sympathies regarding your current plight (residing in Blackburn) but there are some nice areas near to Blackburn....

I never tasted it, what does it taste like.

I love the stuff, it tastes like the smell of Germoline bizarrely enough. (Nicer than it sounds!)
I used to get it from a shop in Manchester Chinatown, must check the Sheff Chinese markets in case they do it too.

Does anyone know how to brew this stuff? We could rake it in off the back of this thread!

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Incidentally it is spelt Sarsaparilla

How to make 2 galls.. or multiply by 10 and make 20 gallons

Approximately 2 oz Sarsaparilla
Approximately 2 oz Sassafras
Approximately ½ oz licorice
2 oz Wintergreen leaves
2 ½ pounds sugar
2 gallons water.
I started the water boiling and added all the ingredients.. When it cooled, I use Munton & Fisson Ale yeast.
(brewers yeast)


ingedients should be available from any herbalist.

From what I can remember, it tastes like strong or full bodied Dandelion & Burdock. I was only young at the time, it was from a drink shop in Attercliffe.



i went the as a kid too ..my dad used too take us, just down from banners ..mmmm..nice taste happy memories

The wicker herbal store opposite the winter gardens sell sarsparilla cordial. Fizzy water and there you go.

I remember it well.

Spent many happy hours in there, playing pinball, listening to the juke box. Brilliant place:thumbsup:

Hi sccsux, I came to Sheffield in 1987 and remember it. Do you know when it closed please?

We used to buy Sasparilla from the herbalist shop on Barber road.
We collected it in a big jug.
The man in the shop was very deaf so we had to bang the door going in.
I got told off for doing this and after used to dread going for the drink.
I do remember it was lovely and have never tasted anything like it since.

I think my dad used to by it to make up from the Wicker herbalists nr the Egg Box years ago , he then used to boil it up and put it in empty lemonade bottles:D

Do you know when it closed please?

I can't remember to be honest, though I think it was the late 80's (a year or two after Alan opened IXL's CB shop):thumbsup:

The herbalist on Surrey Street sell it, brings back memories and tastes as good as it used to.

Sorry to be a bit off topic.

If you are ever popping through Great Harwood, Arrodbo, The Royal, home of the Red Rose Brewery, make their own sarsaparilla (I think) and certainly sell it at the bar. FWIW The Royal is also a cracking pub, sarsaparilla or no sarsaparilla.

My sympathies regarding your current plight (residing in Blackburn) but there are some nice areas near to Blackburn....

I SAID BLACKBURN AS I THOUGHT NO ONE HAD HEARD OF GREAT HARWOOD, I ACTUALLY LIVE IN GT.HARWOOD AND HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO WET MY WHISTLE IN THE ROYAL. THE LADY WHO RUNS THE PUB IS AN EX SHEFFIELDER.

Oh stumbled across this site whilst lookin up sarsparilla!! Only talkin ystdy to my brother in Australia about the herbalist on abbeydale rd...i can remember as a child of about 6-7yrs goin in there with my brother and sittin on the big high stools (well they seemed high to me then) at the bar and drinkin sas..my brother used to have a pint of the stuff!! and it was on draught!! they used to pull it like they do beer!! It was wonderful stuff...only sayin hadnt seen it for years!! seen a few places on here in sheffield that sell it...will try it...also will av to tell my brother in australia that i've found it in sheffield!!! He'll be comin home for some of it you watch!!! Haven't seen original tizer for years either..brother was sayin he managed to get a can of tizer in melbourne..said it was the 'original' tizer..got home..put it in the freezer for couple of minutes to cool it..and he forgot about it...next time he went in his freezer it had smashed!!but he said it wasnt the red colour it used to be..sure he said it was a greeny colour!!! funny tizer they have over there eh?? dont know why they took a lot of this 'old' stuff off the shelves...it was better 'junk' then than wot they have today..now that makes me feel really old!!and i'm not 50 yet!!

Oh stumbled across this site whilst lookin up sarsparilla!! Only talkin ystdy to my brother in Australia about the herbalist on abbeydale rd...i can remember as a child of about 6-7yrs goin in there with my brother and sittin on the big high stools (well they seemed high to me then) at the bar and drinkin sas..my brother used to have a pint of the stuff!! and it was on draught!! they used to pull it like they do beer!! It was wonderful stuff...only sayin hadnt seen it for years!! seen a few places on here in sheffield that sell it...will try it...also will av to tell my brother in australia that i've found it in sheffield!!! He'll be comin home for some of it you watch!!! Haven't seen original tizer for years either..brother was sayin he managed to get a can of tizer in melbourne..said it was the 'original' tizer..got home..put it in the freezer for couple of minutes to cool it..and he forgot about it...next time he went in his freezer it had smashed!!but he said it wasnt the red colour it used to be..sure he said it was a greeny colour!!! funny tizer they have over there eh?? dont know why they took a lot of this 'old' stuff off the shelves...it was better 'junk' then than wot they have today..now that makes me feel really old!!and i'm not 50 yet!!

I was at school at Abbeydale Grammar in the 1960s. We used to take school trips to Heeley Baths by bus. If we got changed quickly we could run up to the "SAS" shop and have a draft pint, half or a third. I thing a pint was 6d, a half 3d and a 1/3 was 2p. Us young lads always had a laugh in there because there were Durex adverts all over the place. It was a sad day when the place closed.

The other highlight of the day was the be allowed to keep the bus tickets. 50 tickets all joined together was great. Proper tickets not those crappy ones printed by the conducter. Oh the little things.

there use to be a sasparilla shop at the top of abbeydale road near to the old picture house what is now the snooker hall if it is still there, I use to always go in there from coming out of heeley baths on a saturday afternoon and it would be a pint of the stuff not a ladies drink the wee half as thats what some women drank. I wish it was still there thats where I would be all the time drinking that stuff. oh happy times bring them back thats what I say.

I used to be a pupil at Nether Edge Grammar School and at lunch time we ran down to Nether Edge Shopping Centre with our "bread Coupons" and bought a row of about five Sally Lunns and then ran down to this Drug Store on Abbeydale Road for a pinta of Sarsapirrilla. It was great and became a "must do" trip. Would love to know wher I can buy some. We also used Heeley Baths ,and called at the shop coming from there too.

I used to be a pupil at Nether Edge Grammar School and at lunch time we ran down to Nether Edge Shopping Centre with our "bread Coupons" and bought a row of about five Sally Lunns and then ran down to this Drug Store on Abbeydale Road for a pinta of Sarsapirrilla. It was great and became a "must do" trip. Would love to know wher I can buy some. We also used Heeley Baths ,and called at the shop coming from there too.

Have you ever thought how great it would be to have a handpump on the bar in a pub so that the unlucky driver could sup pints of sas instead of the crap on offer now?

I got some sarsparilla cordial today!! Whooppee!!! Its not bad..but i dont think its exactly the same taste i remember as a little girl...but its still good..gave my son (he's 24) some and he threw it away!! said it was lousy!!! they dont know wot theyre missin do they??wud still love to find the original fizzy sas tho...anyone know of any knocking around???

Hi sccsux, I came to Sheffield in 1987 and remember it. Do you know when it closed please?

According to my diary, Jack Lee (great bloke) closed up and retired in May 1989. His was the last shop in Sheffield where you could get brewed sarsparilla - he made it himself at the back of the shop. It was dispensed in pints and half-pints from beer-engines in Jack's bar, and for few pence extra you could have a dash of "blood tonic" added (no idea what the tonic was but it gave the brew a stronger flavour). When we weren't old enough to go in a pub, my mates and me would prop up the bar at Jack's with pints of sarsparilla. A few years later I would call at Jack's for "something for the weekend".

Sorry cant spell it. Holland and Barrats and other health/herbalstores stock it but as a cordial, its about two pound a bottle and tastes ok but not like the bottled pop i had as a kid in the seventies. Ben Shaws use to make it, but i dont see their products these days, its all coke and pepsie now.

there use to be a sasparilla shop at the top of abbeydale road near to the old picture house what is now the snooker hall if it is still there, I use to always go in there from coming out of heeley baths on a saturday afternoon and it would be a pint of the stuff not a ladies drink the wee half as thats what some women drank. I wish it was still there thats where I would be all the time drinking that stuff. oh happy times bring them back thats what I say.

me too the goodold days hey :hihi::hihi:

Does anyone know how to brew this stuff? We could rake it in off the back of this thread!

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4 oz Sarsaparilla
4 oz Sassafras
1 oz licorice
4 oz Wintergreen leaves
5 pounds sugar
4 gallons water.

Boil everything for about 1/2 hour. Strain into a bucket and when cool add brewers yeast. Let it ferment for 3/4 days then strain off again into a pressure barrel.

Give it 24 hours to build up a head and that should keep you going all summer

The finished product will contain about 3% alcohol, so if you are making it for the kids cut back the sugar by 50%

I remember the Sarspirilla shop next to the Abbeydale Pictures. Had a pint of it after I'd been to Heeley Baths ... I thought it was absolutely vile! Never had any since!

I remember the Sarspirilla shop next to the Abbeydale Pictures. Had a pint of it after I'd been to Heeley Baths ... I thought it was absolutely vile! Never had any since!

Folks tastes change. I once bought a Capri because I though it was cool.

4 oz Sarsaparilla
4 oz Sassafras
1 oz licorice
4 oz Wintergreen leaves
5 pounds sugar
4 gallons water.

Boil everything for about 1/2 hour. Strain into a bucket and when cool add brewers yeast. Let it ferment for 3/4 days then strain off again into a pressure barrel.

Give it 24 hours to build up a head and that should keep you going all summer

The finished product will contain about 3% alcohol, so if you are making it for the kids cut back the sugar by 50%
I don't think this can be the recipe used for the sas sold in the old shops.They were temperance bars for those who had taken the pledge.I don't think there could have been any alcohol in it. I had heard that the one on Abbeydale Rd was there because the local landlord was bigin the temperance society and would not give any leases for pubs.There is still a large area round there with no pubs-from the Broadfield there is not another 'til Highfields,non the other way 'til Chesterfield road and non up the hill @til Nether Edge.Don't know if all thats true but it sounds feasable .

I don't think this can be the recipe used for the sas sold in the old shops.They were temperance bars for those who had taken the pledge.I don't think there could have been any alcohol in it. I had heard that the one on Abbeydale Rd was there because the local landlord was bigin the temperance society and would not give any leases for pubs.There is still a large area round there with no pubs-from the Broadfield there is not another 'til Highfields,non the other way 'til Chesterfield road and non up the hill @til Nether Edge.Don't know if all thats true but it sounds feasable .

Anything fermented will contain a small amount of alcohol. The old ginger beer that our mothers made had alcohol in small quantities. If you don't want too much alcohol keep the sugar levels down. Without the ferment you can't get the fizz unless you invest in a carbonation set up, which I am sure did not happen in the old temperance bars. The fact that the ones I remember used hand pumps to serve the stuff suggests it was a barrel conditioned product. ie fermented.

I agree with that but was the sasperila fizzy ? I can't remember.

I agree with that but was the sasperila fizzy ? I can't remember.

No. It was rather like handpulled mild but with a rather thinner head. Perhaps a bit more flavour