Root beer brewing recipe without sassafras

I have brewed many different roots mix (Sarsaparilla, Wintergreen, Yellow Dock, Burdock, Licorice, Dandelion, ...) but could not find anything even remotely tasting like root beer.

Do any of you have some recipes to share that do not include sassafras (I am a bit afraid of the carcinogenic safrole)?

PS: I don't really want any 'extracts' since I want to know what I am drinking.

I guess I'll google this since there is not much activity...

Probably everybody just take extracts which is the easiest but I did not like the 3 extracts I tried so far.

Any forums more specific to root beer?

Which extracts have you tried? There's Pappy's Sassafras Tea concentrate which is supposedly safrole free. It should be more like using the actual root than a full out root beer extract. You can order it directly from their store, I'm not sure what shipping to Canada would be, but you might also try Amazon, I know they have it on occasion.

Thanks I'll have a look.
Although I tought that it was the Safrole that gave the taste to the Sassafras. I don't remember where I saw this but the 'oil of Sassafras' was almost >90% Safrole.

I've made root beer using sassafras. The read the carcinogenic effects are no greater than those you get from charred meat on a grill, and who among us has given up grilling? I think the original study that caused the FDA to mark the roots as non-food safe dosed rats about 100 times the amount a normal person would consume drinking a glass of homemade root beer. Someone did the math and you'd have to drink like gallons of the stuff over a very short time period to rise to those levels, and then made the argument that you're bigger concern would be all the sugar you've consumed! (I thought that was clever.) Anyway, I'm no expert so did take this as such, I'm just saying do your research on the subject and then make your decision.

Yeah I did read a bit about this. A lot of other stuff is toxic too.

What I am wondering is if there is any other flavoring that tastes somewhat like Sassafras without the disadvantage. I don't mind taking risks from time to time but only if I don't have alternatives...

You have several options. You can use sarsaparilla root. Anise, Licorice root. Molasses. Wintergreen dried leaves. Vanilla. Birch. Clove. Browse the dry/bulk section of a health natural food store.

The blog sodamancy has a virgils clone recipe that Does not use sassafras.

virtualpaul said:

PS: I don't really want any 'extracts' since I want to know what I am drinking.

Click to expand...

Have you found any good non-extract recipes? I have spent hours on google and it appears it is mythical. I am an all grain brewer but am wanting to make root beer for my son. Something in the a and w category.