Finding a good scratch root beer recipe

Hi All- This is my first post on the site, although I've kept an eye on these forums for a while. I thought I'd just say hello and post the recipe I've been using.

I've scoured the internet forever, read a ton of books and have asked a ton of people who've made read beer, but I never found a recipe I thought looked that great. One day I stumbled across Swagger Rootbeer. John, a truly fantastic home-brewer has a great site and since his recipe seemed like something I would enjoy I made it.

Even though I made his, I also wanted to tweak it a bit so it would be more my own. Here is what I ended up with (2 Gallon Recipe):

• 10 TBS DRIED SASSAFRAS ROOT BARK
• 4 TBS CHOPPED DRIED BURDOCK ROOT
• 4 TSP CHOPPED DRIED LICORICE ROOT
• 4 TBS DRIED WINTERGREEN LEAF
• 4 TSP CHOPPED DRIED DANDELION ROOT
• 2 CINNAMON STICK
• 2 TSP FRESH GINGER
• 4 CUPS SUGAR
• 2 TBS HONEY (ALL NATURAL, ORGANIC, SHOULDN'T COME IN A JAR SHAPED LIKE A BEAR)
• 4 TSP VANILLA EXTRACT
• 1/4 TSP MALTODEXTRIN
• 1/4 TSP ALE YEAST
• 2 GAL WATER (I used bottled)

1. Place first 7 ingredients in 1 gallon of water and simmer for 45 minutes. Within the last 15 minutes I added in Maltodextrin. (Wasn't quite sure at first when to do this, but it seemed to work well)
2. Remote from heat and cool for 30 minutes.
3. Rehydrate yeast in 1/4 cup boiled/cooled water for 15 minutes.
4. Strain Wort. I do this twice, once using a fine mesh strainer and another using unbleached coffee filters
5. Add Sugar, Honey and Vanilla and stir well.
6. Add remaining water, stir well.
7. Mix in yeast, stir well.
8. Bottle- I used PET bottles 500ml size. In a few days (when bottle is as hard as soda you would get in the store, put in the refrigerator).

I really, really liked the way this root beer came out. It still has a similar flavor to Swagger Root Beer, but I was trying to find a way to get that "bite" that makes root beer so good to me. The fresh ginger gives it a slight kick. I think the next time I make it I'll double the ginger, but I don't want to overpower the other flavors.

It took me a long time to find a recipe I was willing to try to make (thanks again to Swagger!). I hope anyone here who wants to make Root Beer from scratch gives both of our recipes a shot.

Have fun brewing!

asabassa1120 said:

Even though I made his, I also wanted to tweak it a bit so it would be more my own. Here is what I ended up with (2 Gallon Recipe):

• 10 TBS DRIED SASSAFRAS ROOT BARK
• 4 TBS CHOPPED DRIED BURDOCK ROOT
• 4 TSP CHOPPED DRIED LICORICE ROOT
• 4 TBS DRIED WINTERGREEN LEAF
• 4 TSP CHOPPED DRIED DANDELION ROOT
• 2 CINNAMON STICK
• 2 TSP FRESH GINGER
• 4 CUPS SUGAR
• 2 TBS HONEY (ALL NATURAL, ORGANIC, SHOULDN'T COME IN A JAR SHAPED LIKE A BEAR)
• 4 TSP VANILLA EXTRACT
• 1/4 TSP MALTODEXTRIN
• 1/4 TSP ALE YEAST
• 2 GAL WATER (I used bottled)

Have fun brewing!

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Can you provide rough estimates of conversions between volume and weight measures? Just for the herbs I'd have to order...the sassafras, burdock, etc. seems like online suppliers sell it by the pound or quarter pound. If I were to get 1/4lb of each, would that be enough for 5 gallons?

Thanks!
Jeff

I really appreciate you posting this. How did it turn out? I've been looking at getting my nephew into brewing with me and he loves him some root beer (he's 10). Been scouring everywhere for a good non-extract recipe.

Hi, I would like to try This, how do I go about bottling and how long do I leave it in a warm place to carbonate, thanks

I would like to make a 5 gallon batch, best I've had is Ibc root beer, hopefully it will taste like that

asabassa1120 said:

• 10 TBS DRIED SASSAFRAS ROOT BARK
• 4 TBS CHOPPED DRIED BURDOCK ROOT
• 4 TSP CHOPPED DRIED LICORICE ROOT
• 4 TBS DRIED WINTERGREEN LEAF
• 4 TSP CHOPPED DRIED DANDELION ROOT
• 2 CINNAMON STICK
• 2 TSP FRESH GINGER
• 4 CUPS SUGAR
• 2 TBS HONEY (ALL NATURAL, ORGANIC, SHOULDN'T COME IN A JAR SHAPED LIKE A BEAR)
• 4 TSP VANILLA EXTRACT
• 1/4 TSP MALTODEXTRIN
• 1/4 TSP ALE YEAST
• 2 GAL WATER (I used bottled)

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Why do you use only a 1/4 tsp of maltodextrin for a 2 Gallon batch? I use a pile (4oz) for 3 gallons. Are you trying to add body?

I like this recipe, but what instructions are there for bottling and carbonating, this is my first time,

Just for reference with some of the questions and showing the quantities I use, here is my "Signature" recipe.

“Signature Recipe”
MAKES 5 GALLONS
20 Qts Water
60 oz. Honey
10 Star Anise (TRY WITHOUT)
5/8 tsp. Salt
5/8 cp. Sarsaparilla
5/8 cp. Sassafras
5 cp. Pure Cane Sugar (Stick to light brown sugar)
2 1/2 cp Vanilla Flavoring
5/8 cp. Chopped Raisins
5/8 tsp. Nutmeg
1/8 tsp. Champagne Yeast (per gallon)
7 oz. Maltodextrine


Instructions:
1. If using a 12qt pot and making a 3gal (12qt) batch, put in 8qts of water into the pot. Always use only a fraction of the total water, as to leave a portion left for cooling the batch down with.
2. While water is heating up, place all ingredients into pot (either directly or inside a brew bag) except brown sugar and honey.
3. Lightly boil/simmer for 30 minutes.
4. After 30 minutes, stir in the Maltodextrine.
5. After stirring in the Maltodextrine is added, let 15 minutes pass then add the brown sugar and honey.
5a. Take off heat. Continue to stir until sugar is completely dissolved.
6. In your Ale Pail, or similar 5gal bucket, fill with 1gal of fresh cold water and pour the warm brew through a fine mesh funnel, into the Ale Pail.
- If bottling
a. Once target temp has been reached fill each of the bottles.
NOTE: Target temp is important since yeast will die at anything hotter than 95 degrees. Temps 60-95 degrees is acceptable, but I try to go no higher than 75. I like to play it safe.
b. Measure out (or sprinkle) the amount of yeast needed for each bottle. Cap and let sit until carbonated to desired amount.
NOTE: I have measured this a couple ways and think I will get a small scale to do it now. I have taken a 1/8tsp of yeast and divided it 8 ways (since I have 16oz bottles and 1gal/16oz=8). I have also done the light sprinkling method. Both of which have worked for the most part but I am sure there is a much more accurate way of measuring such a small amount.
- If putting into 1 gallon carboys
c. Pour liquid into jug
d. Once jug has been filled to the appropriate level, add 1/8 tsp. champagne yeast
6. Let sit for 3 days then put into fridge for another 3 days to chill and slow down yeast activity.
NOTE: One option would be to pasteurize the bottles after 3 days, assuming they have peak carbonation after 3 days. Let sit longer if needed.
Pasteurization: is done by bringing water to a temp of 160 degrees F and placing the finished carbonated product into the water. Once placed into the water, put a lid over the pot and let sit for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, take bottled product out of the pot and let cool. Repeat as needed.
7. ENJOY

FINAL THOUGHTS:
1. I have noticed that most of my brew takes 3 days to carbonate to the perfect amount.
2. When I make my (big) batches I try to use at least one, usually two, 2 liter bottles with some of my root beer in them. This way I can feel the bottles tighten up when they are carbonating. This allows me to use them as a gauge of sorts on the level of carbonation inside the bottles. When they become almost impossible to squeeze on the top dome part of the bottles, I call it done. 
3. 2 liter bottles will use about 1/16tsp of yeast each.
4. Take a lesson learned from me, DO NOT brew late at night and double the quantities of yeast (accidentally of course) in your carboys. You will end up waking up to 1 gallon bottle bombs. Not pleasant.

If we were kegging this recipe instead of bottling how much sugar could be omitted?

That I am not sure of. I have heard or people kegging this, but I am not sure what alterations had to be made in order to do that.

BigVWman said:

If we were kegging this recipe instead of bottling how much sugar could be omitted?

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None, or if altering the sugar, you would adjust it to your desired sweetness. You would omit the yeast, and force carbonate with C02 (instead of yeast).

I don't typically drink soft drinks, but I do love to drink carbonated water, which is easy to make by sanitizing RO water and placing in keg and pressurizing at about 25 PSI for a week or so (sanitizing isn't necessary, but I find it a good disipline). If I do want a sweet soft drink, I just add some Torani syrup to the carbonated water, but the flavors are not standard soft drink flavors, I'm particularly fond of their Rasberry, however.

Are there any good root beer extracts pre made without sweetener added?

jefflane510 said:

Can you provide rough estimates of conversions between volume and weight measures? ...Thanks!
Jeff

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What a great point! Why use volume measures at all? Just convert everything to weights, then convert to percentages similar to baker's percents, and you may then scale to any water or sugar amount, depending on what ingredient you choose to base it on.

I just made your 2 gal recipe last night and it's pretty good. I was wondering on this one, what is the maltodextrine for? Follow up question what's the major difference flavorwise between the two recipes? Thanks!