i tried mabi. not gross but nothing i really liked. but you know, root beer sounds like it should be more related to beer, no? and i saw in the movies or tv shows adults ordering root beer for kids. is it alcoholic? mabi is, but only slightly...
You've really never had it? Wow. IBC, Virgil's and Hank's are some "gourmet" brands. The local brewery makes their own. A&W and Hire's are big names.
Here are some of the ingredients that go into Virgil's, to give you an idea of the flavor:
Anise, licorice, bourbon vanilla, cloves, cinnamon, wintergreen, molasses, nutmeg, sweet birch, balsam oil, pimento berry oil, and oil of cassia.