first rootbeer question...

lissa said:

i've been thinking about making rootbeer for years. my goal has always been to make it from roots/spices/herbs, but i finally decided to give it a go with extract to see what the process is like. so i picked up a bottle of mccormick's and did a quart in a plastic bottle. i set it to brewing on thursday evening, setting it near a heat vent so it would stay reasonably warm. i watched the bubbling with the delight of a child, lol, and periodically checked the bottle for firmness. all seemed to go right according to schedule. this morning i put it in the fridge to chill.

just opened it...it's yummy, and has a pleasant amount of carbonization but has a definite 'beer' aroma and tastes a little like alcohol.... my question is, am i just smelling/tasting the yeast (i used bread yeast), or is a day and a half long enough for root beer to develop enough alcohol to smell/taste?

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Yooper said:

It could very well be the bread yeast. Next time, try a small amount of Red Star Champagne yeast. The alcohol that is present is a minute amount, and I'd have no qualms giving it to children. But bread yeast has a definite funny flavor that I find unpleasant in root beer. I've used McCormick's, and it's usually pretty good.

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