BrewProject

Recipes 

I am new to brewing and just started up my first brew. Fermenting nicely in my primary now.

So now, I have started considering the many varieties of flavors I can brew in the future. One of which will just be a plain Root Beer for the kids...

Can anyone give me a brief description of how to make a non-alcoholic, carbonated beverage with my brew equipment?

Also who has a good Root Beer recipe...

thanks

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Primary 1:
Blue Moon Clone

Primary 2:
Nut Brown Ale

Secondary 1:
Available

Secondary 2:
Available

Kegged and Drinking:
American IPA, Special Holiday Ale

Bottled and Drinking:
Irish Red Ale, Summer Saison Belgian Ale, Pumpkin Ale, Fat Tire Clone

Planning: Chiplote Ale, Blueberry Wheat, Cherry Stout, Chocolate Cherry Stout and been thinking about something crazy like a Wintergreen Stout

homebrewer_99

Recipes 

While I can appreciate your jumping into this whole-heartedly, I must tell you that given the time and $$$ at brewing homemade root beer, it's much simpler to go pick up a 2 liter bottle for $.99.

I don't like poo-pooing other peoples ideas, dreams, etc., but I couldn't keep my mouth shut on this one...sorry...did not mean to offend...

__________________
HB Bill

BrewProject

Recipes 

no offense taken...

can you elaborate on the time, $$$'s and process?

__________________
Primary 1:
Blue Moon Clone

Primary 2:
Nut Brown Ale

Secondary 1:
Available

Secondary 2:
Available

Kegged and Drinking:
American IPA, Special Holiday Ale

Bottled and Drinking:
Irish Red Ale, Summer Saison Belgian Ale, Pumpkin Ale, Fat Tire Clone

Planning: Chiplote Ale, Blueberry Wheat, Cherry Stout, Chocolate Cherry Stout and been thinking about something crazy like a Wintergreen Stout

homebrewer_99

Recipes 

Sure...the entire process of boiling water, buying and adding sugar, mixing, sanitizing the bucket and bottles, bottling time, wasting caps that could be used for beer, etc.

I find it much easier to just go get a cheap bottle of root beer next time you're at the store.

IMO, the ONLY good thing about it was saying you made it yourself.

Plus you can talk to this guy about it: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/flat-root-beer-11212/

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HB Bill

BrewProject

Recipes 

i saw that thread, not sure what went wrong with his carbonation, but neither is he...

not to offend you, but, the process you describe sounds like brewing beer and although I have only mixed up one batch so far, it was fun to me. (except for the cleaning and sanitizing ).

anyway, my question of the process comes more from a time factor. obviously there is no fermentation time needed for root beer. but what about the carbonation time?

is it just a mix/boil, then bottle with a specific yeast that creates no alcohol?

i am clueless on the non-alcoholic aspect of this stuff...

__________________
Primary 1:
Blue Moon Clone

Primary 2:
Nut Brown Ale

Secondary 1:
Available

Secondary 2:
Available

Kegged and Drinking:
American IPA, Special Holiday Ale

Bottled and Drinking:
Irish Red Ale, Summer Saison Belgian Ale, Pumpkin Ale, Fat Tire Clone

Planning: Chiplote Ale, Blueberry Wheat, Cherry Stout, Chocolate Cherry Stout and been thinking about something crazy like a Wintergreen Stout

casebrew

Recipes 

I'd say boil and keg carbonate, then use a counter-flow filler. Or serve from the keg. With all that sugar to feed the yeast, you have cases of bottle bombs. It was my first attempt at brewing when I was 15 years old. Good thing I left the cases in the garage. I've never exploded anything since.

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So far, I've had more experience thinking than I've had brewing....you don't think they are mutually exclusive, do you?

57 batches so far,
33 wine, mostly Loquat, peach, plum, prickly pear
22 beers and ciders
1 sauerkraut
1 Tequila, from a prickly pear wine experiment that didn't work. I call it "Prickly Heat"

Rhoobarb

Recipes 

That's exactly it! I'm looking to make some root beer, just for the helluvit, sometime soon. Here's a good reference, and another and another.

I'd recommend using a top-notch root beer extract like Gnome or, if you're going to force carbonate, try some Sprecher extract!

homebrewer_99

Recipes 

It was only my opinion. I tried making it many years ago and got a lot of bottle grenades (see, I've been there too... )

__________________
HB Bill

sailman

Recipes 

How I think about it is... its not how much time and money it takes but its something that you and the kids can do together. Its stuff like that that you cant pass up. BLG and I made some with her kids. I can tell you it will be done again.

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Bottled: Cherry Wheat
Bottled: Raspberry Wheat
Bottled: Traditional Mead
Bottled: Cheesefood's Caramel Cream Ale

Fermentor (2): Common Cider
Secondary: Holiday Cider

Rhoobarb

Recipes 

Oh, I got that. Sorry if I came off otherwise. I think the idea of using PET bottles might be a good one. I, too, have heard too many stories about bottle grenades when doing sodas. Plus, I need my glass bottles for actual homebrew!