I need a rootbeer recipe and a supplier

[meich75]

Safrole found in the Sassafrass root can be carcinogenic. But that is IF you are highly sensitive to it and drink a cubic asston of it all the time for a long time.

 

[seti]

Here is the recipe I have been developing and right now its great. I may make some minor changes but it is good where it stands right now.

Ingredients:
8 Qts. Water
24 oz. Honey
3 Star Anise
1/4 tsp. Salt (try without)
1/4 cp. Sarsaparilla
1/4 cp. Sassafras
1 1/2 cp. Brown Sugar (try dark)
2 Vanilla Bean (Split and scraped)
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/4 cp. Chopped Raisins
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
1/4 oz. Juniper Berries (50)
1/4 tsp. Champagne Yeast (1/8tsp/ gal)

MAKES 2 GALLONS

Instructions:
1. In a large deep pot, put in 4 quarts of water.
2. While water is heating up, place all ingredients into pot except brown sugar.
3. Let boil for 30 minutes.
4. Add brown sugar toward end of boiling time
5. Add the remaining 4 quarts of water. Turn off heat and let steep to 60-95 degrees F (70-75 degrees may be optimal). Any hotter and yeast will not survive.

- If bottling
a. Pour liquid through fine mesh funnel into Ale Pale
b. Once target temp has been reached, add yeast and stir thoroughly and fill bottles

- If putting into jug(s)
c. Pour liquid through fine mesh funnel into jug
d. Once jug has been filled add 1/4 tsp. champagne yeast

6. Let sit for 3 days then put into fridge for another 3 days to chill and slow down yeast activity.
7. ENJOY

The place where I have been getting my supplies and have great prices is www.herbco.com

Good luck and lets us know how it all turns out for you.

Does it taste better than store bought soda?

 

[saramc]

I recently made some...I like it better than commercial.

 

[Robin0782]

So I am looking to make some rootbeer now. I bought a bunch of kegs and ended up with a rootbeer keg. I've read a bunch about how you cannot get that flavor out of the keg and it will effect your beer. So I thought wjy not just make some rootbeer but I have a few questions.... If you can't get the flavor out of the keg how do you get it out of you kettle? Do you use something different to boil the rootbeer? Last, if you keg it do you pour it right out of one of your perlicks?

You can't get the flavor out of the rubber. The steel is fine. I just got an old rootbeer keg, I replaced all the rubber and its fine. I imagine the serving line would need to be dedicated to root beer only.

 

[brew-wife]

Hi,


I don't want to spend a whole lot of money on rare ingredients, but I'm assuming I'll need to get online for some of this stuff. Indianapolis doesn't have much here.

Please help me make a recipe, and offer suggestions for online venders that supply such ingredients.

So far we have only made root beer once from a Zatarain's extract. In my opinion, it needs a lot of improvement to be anything worth drinking. We are going to try making one gallon batches combining a few herb recipes until we can perfect a recipe. We are certain it needs vanilla and we are going to try brewing with oats to add more body.

Our local brew shop can get most ingredients we need for root beer but this site is also a great place to order with really good quality ingredients.
https://www.mountainroseherbs.com

 

[pkrath84]

Are these roots seasonal or something?... everyone seems to be sold out of sassafras! Does anyone know where I can get some good quality sassafras in stock?

 

[Crazy8]

I didn't think of it before but turns out you can get it on Amazon. There is a company, I forget who, that seeks a lot of stuff and is packaged in foil and has a lable on it. Do a search on Amazon for "Sassafras Root" and you should see what I was referring too.

 

[Aspenextreme]

I have wanted to make this recipe but as the other poster said I have had a hard time finding the Sassafras Root and it is always out of stock at herbco. I would rather buy from one place instead of multiple sources if possible.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[saramc]

I have wanted to make this recipe but as the other poster said I have had a hard time finding the Sassafras Root and it is always out of stock at herbco. I would rather buy from one place instead of multiple sources if possible.

Any help would be appreciated.

Try, http://www.newmorningnaturalfoods.com/bulk-herbs--spices.html

Or http://www.healthyvillage.com/product_list/26.html

 

[pkrath84]

Thanks for the rec saramc!

I couldnt figure out how to order from newmorningnaturalfoods.com but I saw it in stock at healthyvillage.com for $30. I'm sure its great quality, but being my first batch I went with 1lb on amazon for $15. I'm crossing my fingers on the quality though since there was no photo except of the sealed foil bag, lol.

Cheers!

 

[Hello]

Here is the recipe I have been developing and right now its great. I may make some minor changes but it is good where it stands right now.

The place where I have been getting my supplies and have great prices is www.herbco.com

Good luck and lets us know how it all turns out for you.

Quick question, you mentioned your ingredients weren't in powder form for the most part. I see on herbo.com that sarsaparilla root is either cut and sifted or in powder form. Things like the roots would be cut and sifted then strained, right?

Also, do you ever add that maltodextrin?
Thanks!

 

[Crazy8]

Quick question, you mentioned your ingredients weren't in powder form for the most part. I see on herbo.com that sarsaparilla root is either cut and sifted or in powder form. Things like the roots would be cut and sifted then strained, right?

Also, do you ever add that maltodextrin?
Thanks!

Yes I get the root bits (Cut and sifted), not powder. So thats what I would recommend using. I have never tried powder, but I feel the root pieces would be easier to work with.

I do use maltodextrin.

 

[Hello]

Yes I get the root bits (Cut and sifted), not powder. So thats what I would recommend using. I have never tried powder, but I feel the root pieces would be easier to work with.

I do use maltodextrin.

Awesome, thank you. How much maltodextrin do you use in your recipe? It is likely one I will try.

 

[Crazy8]

Awesome, thank you. How much maltodextrin do you use in your recipe? It is likely one I will try.

I use 4oz for a 3 gallon batch.

 

[Hello]

Thank you again.

 

[choppersean]

Hang on, crazy8, your video and an earlier post you said 4 oz. maltodextrine PER GALLON. Now you said 4 oz. for a 3 gallon batch. Which is correct?

 

[Crazy8]

Hang on, crazy8, your video and an earlier post you said 4 oz. maltodextrine PER GALLON. Now you said 4 oz. for a 3 gallon batch. Which is correct?

I apologize it is actually 4oz that I use for a 3 gallon batch. However I do believe that when I very fist started I was using substantially more. I just remember it tasting awful and being way to thick. I plan on redoing some of my videos so I will be sure that gets corrected. When I wrote the "4oz/gallon" what I meant to say, and obviously makes a huge difference, was "4oz/3gallon batch" Anyway I will be sure to just write it out as "4oz for a 3 gallon batch" anyway, thanks for the catch.

 

[Snow4phil]

Is the yeast added enough to give it alcohol? I am trying to find a non alcoholic recipe that I can carbonate by bottling, not kegging. Any suggestions?

 

[Crazy8]

Is the yeast added enough to give it alcohol? I am trying to find a non alcoholic recipe that I can carbonate by bottling, not kegging. Any suggestions?

Well, depends how you look at it. Yeast eats sugar and then turns the sugar into CO2 and Alcohol. Alcoholic beverages, made with yeast, sit for long periods of time to increase the alcohol content. Root beer only sits for about 2-3 days. This isnt long enough to produce any substantial alcohol. Will alcohol be produced? Technically, yes. But so little its almost undetectable. I have heard that it would take 3 gallons (i believe) of root beer to even come close to the alcohol content of a single can of cheep beer. Something like that.

 

[tethell]

Ya I followed the recipe exactly and iv ha a bottle bomb an all the others are so fizzy when opened the just foam out everything and nothin is left but it tastes great. Any suggestions on how I can prevent this


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[MrFoodScientist]

Ya I followed the recipe exactly and iv ha a bottle bomb an all the others are so fizzy when opened the just foam out everything and nothin is left but it tastes great. Any suggestions on how I can prevent this


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

Bottle in plastic and refrigerate when the bottle is rock hard. Drink within a few days.

 

[Dynachrome]

Ya I followed the recipe exactly and iv ha a bottle bomb an all the others are so fizzy when opened the just foam out everything and nothin is left but it tastes great. Any suggestions on how I can prevent this


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

You need to be very careful with the yeast. There are specific directions.

You under-pitch by a lot. The yeast runs out of oxygen and stalls out.

 

[atli126]

in to make some of this!

 

[aruzinsky]

Hi,

I've got a pretty good handle on steeping and brewing but I've never done root beer. I've done a lot of searching on google and most of the recipes are extracts. I'd like to try my hand at something a little more homemade. I'm not against using sasparilla, wintergreen, or any other ingredient. I just want it to taste great.

I don't want to spend a whole lot of money on rare ingredients, but I'm assuming I'll need to get online for some of this stuff. Indianapolis doesn't have much here.

Please help me make a recipe, and offer suggestions for online venders that supply such ingredients.

I suggest that you first try the simplest recipe and then work your way to increasingly complicated recipes until you find one that suits your taste. That way, you won't waste money buying ingredients that you don't need. In my experience, a combination of equal parts sassafras, wintergreen and sarsaparilla are adequate.

From old books at https://archive.org/details/texts :
--------------------------------------------------
A TREATISE ON BEVERAGES OR The Complete Practical Bottler
BY
CHARLES HERMAN SULZ, Technical Chemist and Practical Bottler
COPYRIGHT, 1888. BY C. H. SULZ & OO.

Root-Beer Essence. Ottawa or Otaki Root Beer.
Oil of sassafras, wintergreen, anise, of each three fluid drachms. Cut with pumice and sugar in a mortar and gradually dissolve in nine fluid ounces of alcohol of 95 per cent, then add by degrees nine fluid ounces of water. To
this essence various additions are made to suit the taste. Extract of
liquorice root or of wild cherry bark, extract of ginger, capsicum, solution
of citric acid, etc., are the usual admixtures, and then the essence or
"extract" as erroneously called is made to sail as Ottawa, Otaki, etc.,
root-beer extract.

Root Beer.
Take of molasses three gallons, add to this ten gallons
of boiling water. Let this stand for two hours, then pour into a barrel,
and add: powdered or bruised sassafras bark, one-half pound; wintergreen
bark, one-half pound; sarsaparilla root, one-half pound; fresh
yeast, one pint. Water sufficient to make thirty to thirty-five gallons.
Let this ferment twelve hours, when it can be drawn off and bottled.
Instead of using the barks, the root-beer essence may be used for flavoring.
Another formula is: five ounces sassafras: three ounces wild
cherry bark; four gallons of molasses; five ounces allspice; five ounces
wintergreen bark; one to one and one-half ounces of hops, and the same
quantity of coriander seed. Pour boiling water on these ingredients, and
let them stand twenty-four hours; strain, then add one to two pints of
yeast and enough water to make thirty gallons. The next day draw off
and bottle.
--------------------------------------------------
KRAMER'S Book of Trade Secrets FOR THE Manufacturer and Jobber
BY
ADOLPH KRAMER
1905
SIOUX PUBLISHING COMPANY, PUBLISHERS, Sutherland, Iowa

Root Beer Essence
1 oz. Oil of Sassafras.
3/4 oz. Oil of Wintergreen.
3/8 oz. Oil of Anise.
1/8 oz. Oil of Cloves.
3 3/4 oz. Oil of Alcohol.
4 oz. of Water.
6 ozs. Caramel.
If bitterness is needed, add tincture of
quassia, 1 oz.

Root Beer Extract
1 pt. Fluid Extract of Sarsparilla.
2 ozs. Fluid Extract Calamus.
4 fl. drs. Oil Sassafras.
1 fl. dr. Oil Wintergreen.
1 fl. dr. Oil Anise.
1 pt. Alcohol.
Water to make 1 gallon.
Caramel to Color.
Mix the caramel with 2 pints water, add
the fluid extracts, then the oil previously
mixed with the alcohol, and finally
enough water to make one gallon.

Root Beer
Boiling water 5 gals.
Add Mollases 1 1/2 gal.
Allow to stand 3 hours, then add:
Bruised Sassafras bark 1/4 lb.
Wintergreen bark 1/4 lb.
Sarsparilla root 1/4 lb.
Fresh Yeast 1/2 pt.
Water enough to make 15 to 17 gallons.
After this has fermented for 12 hours it
can be drawn off and bottled.

Root Beer
Pour boiling water on
Sassafras 2 1/2 ozs.
Wild Cherry bark 1/2 ozs.
Allspice 2 1/2 ozs.
Wintergreen 2 1/2 ozs.
Hops 1/2 oz,
Coriander seed 1/2 oz.
Mollases 2 gals.
Let the mixture stand 1 day. Strain
and add Yeast 1 pt.
This beer may be bottled the following day.

Root Beer Extract
Tincture of Ginger 12 ozs-
Extract of Vanilla 12 ozs.
Oil of Sassafras 4 ozs.
Oil of Wintergreen 2 ozs.
Oil of Anise 1 oz.
Oil of Orange 1/4 oz.
Oil of Cloves 1/4 oz.
Alcohol 1/2 gal.
Simple Syrup 3 1/2 gals-
Tincture of Soap Bark 4 ozs.
Salicylic Acid 1 dr.
Caramel 1 1/4 gals.
Water q. s. to make up to 6 gallons.
Dissolve the oils and the salicylic acid in
in the alcohol; mix the syrup, water and
caramel and add the other ingredients.

 

[Smoke101]

Here is the recipe I have been developing and right now its great. I may make some minor changes but it is good where it stands right now.


Ingredients:
8 Qts. Water
24 oz. Honey
3 Star Anise
1/4 tsp. Salt (try without)
1/4 cp. Sarsaparilla
1/4 cp. Sassafras
1 1/2 cp. Brown Sugar (try dark)
2 Vanilla Bean (Split and scraped)
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/4 cp. Chopped Raisins
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
1/4 oz. Juniper Berries (50)
1/4 tsp. Champagne Yeast (1/8tsp/ gal)

MAKES 2 GALLONS

Instructions:
1. In a large deep pot, put in 4 quarts of water.
2. While water is heating up, place all ingredients into pot except brown sugar.
3. Let boil for 30 minutes.
4. Add brown sugar toward end of boiling time
5. Add the remaining 4 quarts of water. Turn off heat and let steep to 60-95 degrees F (70-75 degrees may be optimal). Any hotter and yeast will not survive.

- If bottling
a. Pour liquid through fine mesh funnel into Ale Pale
b. Once target temp has been reached, add yeast and stir thoroughly and fill bottles

- If putting into jug(s)
c. Pour liquid through fine mesh funnel into jug
d. Once jug has been filled add 1/4 tsp. champagne yeast

6. Let sit for 3 days then put into fridge for another 3 days to chill and slow down yeast activity.
7. ENJOY

The place where I have been getting my supplies and have great prices is www.herbco.com

Good luck and lets us know how it all turns out for you.

Regarding the recipe, is there a reason to use both vanilla bean and vanilla extract? Or can you do without the extract?

 

[Crazy8]

I actually don't use either anymore. I would highly recommend using vanilla flavoring. For a 3 gallon batch I use 1 cup of vanilla flavoring. That stuff seems to turn out much better. Hope that helps.

 

[Crazy8]

Man oh man. I am going through all of this again to find a couple things and it was awesome to come back and read this. I am thinking about brewing again thanks to a couple people who recently posted on my video and interested in "kits". I still have everything including most of the ingredients. All I need to get is a bag of Sassafras. Those of you who have tried my recipe, any luck, improvements, everything turn out good? Id love to hear from you guys on your successes. Well it's great to be back and I look forward to talking with you all again.

 

[manolama]

Those of you who have tried my recipe, any luck, improvements, everything turn out good? Id love to hear from you guys on your successes.

Thank you so much for this recipe! It looked like one of the best on the web that I could find and despite a few tweaks on my part, it turned out really well. I only wanted a gallon instead of two so here's what I did:

4 Qts. Water
1 1/2 cp. Granulated sugar (didn't have any really good honey on hand)
3 Licorice Root sticks (didn't have any Star Anise)
1/4 cp. Sarsaparilla chips
1/4 cp. Sassafras chips
3/4 cp. Dark Brown Sugar
4 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg powder
1/4 oz. Juniper Berries (50)
1 tsp. Wintergreen leaves
1/4 tsp. Champagne Yeast (1/8tsp/ gal)

3 days of bottle conditioning and 3 days in the fridge were perfect. And for folks asking about the alcohol content with the yeast, I couldn't taste it and certainly didn't get a buzz. It was nicely carbonated though a little sweet so I may cut back on the sugar a bit next time.

Thanks again for the great recipe Crazy8!

 

[Crazy8]

Thank you so much for this recipe! It looked like one of the best on the web that I could find and despite a few tweaks on my part, it turned out really well. I only wanted a gallon instead of two so here's what I did:

4 Qts. Water
1 1/2 cp. Granulated sugar (didn't have any really good honey on hand)
3 Licorice Root sticks (didn't have any Star Anise)
1/4 cp. Sarsaparilla chips
1/4 cp. Sassafras chips
3/4 cp. Dark Brown Sugar
4 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg powder
1/4 oz. Juniper Berries (50)
1 tsp. Wintergreen leaves
1/4 tsp. Champagne Yeast (1/8tsp/ gal)

3 days of bottle conditioning and 3 days in the fridge were perfect. And for folks asking about the alcohol content with the yeast, I couldn't taste it and certainly didn't get a buzz. It was nicely carbonated though a little sweet so I may cut back on the sugar a bit next time.

Thanks again for the great recipe Crazy8!

WOW! Thank you very much for those comments. I'd say "one of the best on the web" is some pretty big shoes to fill, but thank you very much. I am glad you enjoyed the recipe and that things worked out for you. I've been curious about licorice root. I know we all have different tastes, but from a scale of 1-10, where do you think you'd put your recipe at on that scale? It does look quite good. I may have to get some licorice root and test it.

Alcohol content is very low. I have heard people say that it barely registers. However it is that they test it. I have also heard that 3 gallons of root beer don't even contain the alcohol content of a beer. So yeah, you'd have to drink a TON of it to even flirt with a buzz...lol

 

[JohnSand]

Interesting thread. My first "brewing" was an attempt at root beer from sassafras. I found the recipe in an old book or magazine. But it had only ingredients, not much process. I did not chill the bottles quickly, they were all gushers, but tasty. I just used sassafras and sugar I think, picking the roots locally. I may try again.