Homebrew Rootbeer recommedations

[joegbeer]

Long time brewer, family wants a root beer. Wondering if I could get pointed to a good recipe and direction. Thanks.

 

[Jim R]

I got this same request once fro family. They thought it must be the same process as making beer but I quickly learned that it really isn't. I never got around to trying it but if I did, I might follow this guys directions and just use carbonated water with his syrup.

 

[joegbeer]

Thanks for the video, very insightful. If I do his recipe (sounded good), I'd make a 1.25 gallons of his syrup with 3.75 gallons of water and just force carb it in a keg.

 

[Ragman]

yeah after watching the video it looks like adding the yeast removes some necessary flavors. Force carb might be better.

Would be really cool to have a 3rd tap on my keezer for Root Beer.

 

[seatazzz]

I have a friend who makes excellent root beer (non-alcoholic) with root beer concentrate, sugar, and water; once it's mixed up all you have to do is carbonate it.

 

[Drifted88]

I’ve made this a few times. Delicious but was super astringent my first time trying.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...er-recipe-and-a-supplier.362079/#post-4515677

 

[Velnerj]

If you want a bit of a rabbit hole you can look at this thread :
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/i-need-a-rootbeer-recipe-and-a-supplier.362079/
Apparently Crazy8's recipe is legit. Can't say because I haven't tried it yet. But if I were to attempt I'd probably do a version of it.

 

[Coastalbrew]

My family loves Virgil's root beer, and my wife found this recipe the other day. I'm going to give it a shot over the Christmas holiday and see how it goes.

Homemade Virgil's Root Beer Clone
http://sodamancy.blogspot.com/2012/06/recipe-homemade-virgils-root-beer-clone.html?m=1

 

[FromZwolle]

i just recently did a root beer for my wife and son. we used the gnome syrup, but replaced 75% or so of the cane sugar with brown sugar. i also added 6 oz or so of maltodextrin as i read it's a little thin on the body without it.

big hit! they killed that keg too fast. i didn't try any as i don't do sweets of any kind, but it smelled like a nice classic root beer.

https://www.morebeer.com/products/gnome-root-beer-soda-extract.html

 

[Nate R]

Fwiw... if you plan on kegging and serving via your normal beer set-up... be advised soda, especially root beer, will leave a certain unique flavor in your lines and rubber gaskets. Not all people will find it bad i guess... but i added a 5 gallon commercial keg of root beer for my nephews once... lots of fun for sure. But i had to change my beer line and worse- all the gaskets on my perlick faucet. That smell and lingering odor will not go away. YMMV.

 

[Velnerj]

Fwiw... if you plan on kegging and serving via your normal beer set-up... be advised soda, especially root beer, will leave a certain unique flavor in your lines and rubber gaskets. Not all people will find it bad i guess... but i added a 5 gallon commercial keg of root beer for my nephews once... lots of fun for sure. But i had to change my beer line and worse- all the gaskets on my perlick faucet. That smell and lingering odor will not go away. YMMV.

This is why it's better to make a syrup/concentrate and just run soda water out of your keg. Maybe not as fun but a lot less hassle.

 

[NSMikeD]

I’ve done root beer from scratch and from extract. I recommend using the extract. Also, a small piece if licorice candy (many home brew shops will carry it along with the extract and yeast) will enhance the flavor, and underscore it being crafted root beer.

molasses, mucavado (dark brown sugar) and turbinado (light brown sugar) also add subtle notes on the sugar front.

it’s a fun family project. When my son was a kid, for his birthday we did a root beer blind tastes test. That evolved in making our own. Now as an adult when he comes over for dinner, I pick up a few bottles for us with the same level of excitement as picking out a bottle of wine.

enjoy.

 

[NSMikeD]

This is why it's better to make a syrup/concentrate and just run soda water out of your keg. Maybe not as fun but a lot less hassle.

While I do enjoy making our own, I probably do this more often. I have a soda stream for this (I also make lemon lime syrup with fresh lemons and limes). I also learned how to refill those bottle using dry ice which is about a tenth the cost of the replacement canisters. Easier than using my keg CO2