National Black Cow Day is a holiday observed on June 10th, and it recognizes the beverage known as a Root Beer Float—otherwise referred to as a Black Cow. This beverage is simple to make, consisting only of root beer and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, yet it is loved by people around the world. Over the years, variations of the Black Cow have been invented, including ones made with frozen custard, root beer-flavored ice cream, and bourbon. Anyone who is a fan of the Black Cow or any of its different variations might just want to take the time to make themselves a cup and celebrate this holiday in style.

The History of the Black Cow

To trace the full history of the beverage known as the Black Cow, we must first examine the history of root beer. Root beer is a soft drink that was traditionally made in North America using the root of the sassafras tree. Root beverages made from sassafras were well known to Native Americans for medicinal and culinary purposes long before the arrival of the first Europeans in North America.

During the 1840s, root beer was sold in confectionery stores and made into a low-alcohol drink that was believed to be healthier than drinking local water sources. The first commercial brand of root beer was developed by pharmacist Charles Elmer Hires in 1875. The following year, he debuted his root beer at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition and then began to sell his extract. Initially, he wanted to call it root tea, but he decided to name it root beer to appeal to coal miners in Philadelphia at the time.

In 1893, Frank J. Wisner of Cripple Creek, Colorado, invented the root beer float—a drink that is sometimes now known as the Black Cow. He aimed to create a drink that local children could enjoy while walking around Cow Mountain. Because the scoop of ice cream in the root beer reminded him of the snow-capped Cow Mountains, he decided to call it Black Cow Mountain. The drink became very popular, and the name was eventually shortened to Black Cow.

Observing National Black Cow Day

The best way to observe National Black Cow Day is by making yourself a root beer float. Once people see you enjoying a Black Cow on this day, they will probably ask you to make them one too, so you might as well prepare root beer floats for all your friends and family. If you’ve made a particularly beautiful Black Cow, take a picture of it and post it on social media using the hashtag #NationalBlackCowDay. Let everyone know about your love for this frosty drink.