First Root Beer brewed!

Made my first rootbeer yesterday! OMG!!! it's GOOD!!! Wanted something on hand to drink when I couldn't drink beer and diddn't want caffine.(ixnay on the mountain dew after lunch!!!) I've always wanted to make a rootbeer so i just did. dove in head first just like my first batch of beer. Followed a recepie and now have an idea of what i'm going to tweak next batch! It goes as follows.

2oz Sassafras
2oz Sarsaparilla
2oz Wintergreen Herb
.5oz Star anise(crushed mine with mortar & pestle)
.5oz licorice root
1 vanilla bean(sliced lengthwise, then in thirds)
.5tsp ground ginger

Brought 2 gallons to a boil and tossed this all in. let it sit for 3 hours. In a seperate sauce pan I dissolved .5lbs of weizen DME and 2 cups of sugar. Tossed this directly into keg after cooled. Strained all the herbs etc. and dumped the tea into the keg. Topped up keg with cool filtered water. Tossed in the fridge with 15psi on it.

the taste is great, however TOO MUCH VANILLA!!!!!! Next batch i'm only using 1/4 a bean!!! I need to double or more the sugar. Maybe add a cup of molassas... The color isn't right and because of the wheat DME it's not clear, which dosn't bother me. EVERYBODY should try making some of this stuff! IT IS AWESOME!!!!!!! And the kids can enjoy it too!!!

But what would i do with the beer that needs to go into that keg filled with soda?

j/k

i have been toying with the idea now that i have a ton of kegs.

i am starting to fell inspired!

Any advice on where to acquire your ingredients? Ii've been keeping my wyw on root beer threads but I can't seem to find any of the sassafras etc.

most homebrew shops should have most of the ingredients. If they don't they can order them for you. I found my sassafras and sarsaparilla at the homebrew shop. The rest of the stuff I found at an organic food shop(Lifesource) except for the wintergreen herb. Had to go to a specialty herb shop for that. In Salem, OR the one place I found it was THE HERB LADY downtown at the Reid opera house. Friendly staff. Very helpful.

Why not just keep a keg of carbed water? It won't gunk up your lines and hoses. You can then just keep a half dozen different syrups in the fridge and mix and match on the spot depending on your tastes.

Sir Humpsalot said:

Why not just keep a keg of carbed water? It won't gunk up your lines and hoses. You can then just keep a half dozen different syrups in the fridge and mix and match on the spot depending on your tastes.

Click to expand...

That is exactly my plan....any one know a good brand of syrups?

Well, Green River is something to try if you haven't. Adding a pinch of vanilla takes it to the next level; one of the best sellers at a soda shop I worked at a few years ago.