Colorado Invention: The Root Beer Float Inspired By Snowy Peaks

The root beer float was invented right here in Colorado and was inspired by the snowy peaks of Cow Mountain.

When Was the Root Beer Float Invented?

A root beer float is made up of root beer and vanilla ice cream. We love both root beer and ice cream and the combination is perfection. The ice-cold, bubbly, creamy root beer float was invited in August of 1893 in Colorado.

Who Invented the Root Beer Float?

The root beer float was invented by Frank J. Wisner, who was the owner of Cripple Creek Brewing in Cripple Creek, Colorado. It came to him all of a sudden and we're so glad he acted upon his idea to create something delicious - the root beer float.

What Inspired the Root Beer Float?

Frank J. Wisner was inspired to create the root beer float by nature. He was looking up at Cow Mountain in Colorado on a cool summer night in August. Frank J. Wisner saw the moonlit view of the snowy peaks of Cow Mountain near Pikes Peak which made him think of a root beer float.

He thought the snowy peaks look like ice cream floating in soda, which prompted him to invent the root beer float. Although he didn't name it the root beer float, he actually named it after the mountain that inspired it and called it the Black Cow Mountain float.

Frank J. Wisner started serving the Black Cow Mountain float to his customers on August 19, 1893. Here we are 128 years later and we're still enjoying what Frank J. Wisner's invented after being inspired by the snowy peaks of Colorado's Cow Mountain.