Root Beer??? anyone?

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Don't forget to change out the o-rings in your kegs after the root beer is gone. I know two people who have ruined entire batches of beer because they neglected to do so.
 
Here you go. Everything you need to know about making root beer. :D

As part of a well rounded philosophy of life, I believe that it is important to never close out a day without learning a lesson. Today I was fortunate enough to have learned several, which I share with you now, in no particular order. For those who were unaware, Troy, April and I made some homemade Root Beer on Saturday.
  • Root Beer is sticky.
  • Before attempting to serve homemade Root Beer, it is important to have well constructed tapping gear.
  • 30 feet of hose connected to the tapper still produces pure foam at 40 PSI.
  • If you think the connection is tight enough, it isn’t.
  • 40 PSI is a lot.
  • The spectacle of a beer volcano (a good story in its own right) pales before the sheer awesome power of a Root Beer detonation.
  • My kitchen has many nooks and crannies where sticky stuff can drip.
  • My kitchen will forevermore smell of Root Beer.
  • The CSI shows are right. If a person’s body is in front of an explosion, you really can find a “blast shadow” where the body absorbed the impact, thus protecting things in the “shadow.”
  • Root Beer is cold.
  • 40 PSI, applied to a 5 gallon keg, is sufficient pressure to accelerate Root Beer to transonic speeds.
  • My butt will block a Root Beer detonation quite well.
  • Root Beer hurts.
  • Root Beer is sticky.
  • Root Beer is not recommended as a body wash.
  • Electronic items and Root Beer Bombs do not mix.
  • When cleaning Root Beer, do not stand in one place too long.
  • Root Beer dries FAST.
  • Root Beer, when dried, can be used as a virtually indestructible cement.
  • Aerospace firms should investigate the sticky power of Root Beer for purposes of bonding composite parts of high-performance aircraft.
  • Root Beer adheres to socks just as well as to shoes.
  • Do not plan on getting anything else done on a day when you have a Root Beer Bomb.
  • My refrigerator needed new art work anyway.
  • If you are going to have a Root Beer explosion you will be very lucky if, by pure chance, you are standing next to the keg when it happens.
  • If, by chance, you are not standing next to it, the Root Beer will KEEP exploding until the CO2 runs out.
  • The CO2 will NOT run out if the pressure canister is still attached to the keg.
  • 40 PSI is a lot.
  • Once you have done the dishes and they are dry, put them away immediately. That way you won’t have to wash them again should a Root Beer Bomb detonate in your kitchen.
  • Burning Root Beer does not smell as good as you might think or hope.
  • It is impossible to get ALL the Root Beer off of electric burners.
  • Burning Root Beer generates smoke.
  • I’m not even sure I like Root Beer.
 
Being as childish as I am, I laughed again at Nurmey's root beer experience.

I'm not a huge root beer fan, but we've had good luck. Well, except for the root beer jello (too much maltodextrine, apparently) that is. An extract, some sugar, and either yeast or a keg set up is all you need!
 
The kegging sounds scary....I think I'll just stick with just bottling my root beer. Kids love having some of Daddy's "brew". No boil... just extract, sugar, yeast....wait 3 weeks...
 
Funny thing is we will be making it again this weekend. We will however make SURE the taps are attached with very good clamps. :D


Nurm.....your root beer experience nearly caused me to hydrate my monitor with the orange juice I was trying to drink while reading.

Just remember next time you make root beer....if you think the seals are tight enough, they're not:)
 
lol - that was funny

hey Grinder - get you one of these ( Austin Homebrew Supply ) and some table sugar and you're all set

I don't dedicate an entire keg to it, but I use my gas line to carb it up in a soda bottle so I don't have to make 5 gallons at once. It tastes really good and the instructions are on the side and pretty easy. The only thing is, I don't think you need 4#s of sugar as per the instructions - to my tastes thats too much, but I don't really drink it - I made it just for the novelty of making it once and now my kids like to drink it.
 
Nurm, I'm sick, and was laughing so hard I almost ran out of oxygen. Thank you for sharing. Yes, root beer is sticky, and as a body wash, not exactly recommended...
Having been covered in it before, I can agree.
 
Here you go. Everything you need to know about making root beer. :D

As part of a well rounded philosophy of life, I believe that it is important to never close out a day without learning a lesson. Today I was fortunate enough to have learned several, which I share with you now, in no particular order. For those who were unaware, Troy, April and I made some homemade Root Beer on Saturday.
  • Root Beer is sticky.
  • Before attempting to serve homemade Root Beer, it is important to have well constructed tapping gear.
  • 30 feet of hose connected to the tapper still produces pure foam at 40 PSI.
  • If you think the connection is tight enough, it isn’t.
  • 40 PSI is a lot.
  • The spectacle of a beer volcano (a good story in its own right) pales before the sheer awesome power of a Root Beer detonation.
  • My kitchen has many nooks and crannies where sticky stuff can drip.
  • My kitchen will forevermore smell of Root Beer.
  • The CSI shows are right. If a person’s body is in front of an explosion, you really can find a “blast shadow” where the body absorbed the impact, thus protecting things in the “shadow.”
  • Root Beer is cold.
  • 40 PSI, applied to a 5 gallon keg, is sufficient pressure to accelerate Root Beer to transonic speeds.
  • My butt will block a Root Beer detonation quite well.
  • Root Beer hurts.
  • Root Beer is sticky.
  • Root Beer is not recommended as a body wash.
  • Electronic items and Root Beer Bombs do not mix.
  • When cleaning Root Beer, do not stand in one place too long.
  • Root Beer dries FAST.
  • Root Beer, when dried, can be used as a virtually indestructible cement.
  • Aerospace firms should investigate the sticky power of Root Beer for purposes of bonding composite parts of high-performance aircraft.
  • Root Beer adheres to socks just as well as to shoes.
  • Do not plan on getting anything else done on a day when you have a Root Beer Bomb.
  • My refrigerator needed new art work anyway.
  • If you are going to have a Root Beer explosion you will be very lucky if, by pure chance, you are standing next to the keg when it happens.
  • If, by chance, you are not standing next to it, the Root Beer will KEEP exploding until the CO2 runs out.
  • The CO2 will NOT run out if the pressure canister is still attached to the keg.
  • 40 PSI is a lot.
  • Once you have done the dishes and they are dry, put them away immediately. That way you won’t have to wash them again should a Root Beer Bomb detonate in your kitchen.
  • Burning Root Beer does not smell as good as you might think or hope.
  • It is impossible to get ALL the Root Beer off of electric burners.
  • Burning Root Beer generates smoke.
  • I’m not even sure I like Root Beer.

OMG! AAARRRGGGGG! Dude, The Root Beer went everywhere but, in the Kegs. BOOM! lol
I laughed SOo hard I farted.
 
Wow. I was just thinking I should make some Root Beer for the 4th of July. Thanks. I now know to make it by going to Safeway and buying 2 liter bottles already filled with it.
My condolences for your lesson.
 
Hi all,
My son and I just made our first batch of root beer together! its been in the bottle for about 3 days now and we have been opening a bottle a day per my LHBS to check the carbonation level. Its almost to our liking. The only thing is the taste seems off. Do we need to let this sit and condition in the fridge and if so will it change the taste by much? It is very honey driven in the flavor.

Thanks Gene & Hunter.

The recipe we used;
3lbs Honey
2lbs Cane Sugar
1 Bottle Root Beer extract 4oz
1 pack Red star Champagne yeast (yellow package)
 
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