Birch beer

I need help I can't find a recipe for birch beer anywhere. Help please??

Let me ask what everyone else is thinking: What the heck is birch beer?

I like birch trees, and I like beer, does that count?

Birch beer seems to be a weak root beer (sassafras, etc) infused with a lot of birch bark, which came from the infused herb drink tradition in Europe.

I was on the hunt for this as well for a while, I came accross this http://www.faeriesfinest.com/E183.html?gclid=CLSl87Xw47UCFcdDMgodx2AAyA
and bought it. This is the clear kind of birch beer (unlike what the picture is). a little goes a long way. 10 drops + 4 tsp sugar + 20oz water, then add some co2..This alone tastes good enough for me, but you could also add some wintergreen flavoring to is if you like. Since i bought the birch beer extract, i dont think i have made any other soda in a month!.. very good.
Kurt

daft said:

Birch beer seems to be a weak root beer (sassafras, etc) infused with a lot of birch bark, which came from the infused herb drink tradition in Europe.

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summarized from p96 homemade soda book by schloss:

simmer 4.5 cup h2o with
6oz chopped birch bark
1oz sassafras
1 lemon incl zest
3 cloves
0.5 vanilla bean

lastly stir in 4 cup dk brn sugar and optional 2tb maltodextrin... syrup makes 1 gal birch beer

If you can, try replacing the water with birch sap. And looking the second link posted, it seems to be the inner bark that gets used--not the papery bit (and of course, the young stuff is probably better tasting).

Now go forth, and begin tasting trees!

I was just browsing the forum and decided to chime in. I'm from Pennsylvania and birch beer is huge here locally as we have the dutch and plenty of birch trees. You'd want to use brown birch. If you're ever near one in the spring time, rip off a small twig and chew on it, you'd be surprised how fantastic it tastes.

Enf0rc3r said:

I was just browsing the forum and decided to chime in. I'm from Pennsylvania and birch beer is huge here locally as we have the dutch and plenty of birch trees. You'd want to use brown birch. If you're ever near one in the spring time, rip off a small twig and chew on it, you'd be surprised how fantastic it tastes.

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+1 on this. Black birch is fabulous. If you pull some of the new green branches and peel back the bark and smell it - amazing stuff. Real birch beer is great stuff.

Enf0rc3r said:

I was just browsing the forum and decided to chime in. I'm from Pennsylvania and birch beer is huge here locally as we have the dutch and plenty of birch trees. You'd want to use brown birch. If you're ever near one in the spring time, rip off a small twig and chew on it, you'd be surprised how fantastic it tastes.

Click to expand...

I'm from Pennsylvania too that's why I made this post

BIRCH BEER SODA

Boil 6 quarts water
Add 3 lbs honey,
1/2 inch brewers licorice,
1 cinnamon stick,
2 split vanilla bean,
1/4 teaspoon salt,
1 oz. chopped, Black Birch bark,
1 oz. Birch twigs,
1/2 cup molasses,
6 cups sugar,
1/8 tsp nutmeg,
Let boil for 1-1 1/2 hours. Turn off heat.
Add 1 oz. dried wintergreen,
10 quarts cold water (1-2 ratio)
Let cool to room temp. (60-95 degrees)
Sift through seive

Carbonation method 1: Add 1/2 teaspoon dry yeast
Bottle into 4, 1 gallon plastic containers
Let stand at room temp for 3-5 days
Refridgerate for 5-7 days

Carbonation method 2: Bottle in 12 oz. glass bottles
Add 7 pieces of dry yeast
Cap and let stand at room temp for 3-5 days
Refridgerate for 5-7 days