I need a rootbeer recipe and a supplier

[smit6089]

I know this thread is quite old but I had a quick question. I currently do not have the ability to keg and force carbonate so I'm going with the natural carbonation. I understand that this should be refrigerated and consumed within a few days, but is there any way to make this shelf stable using yeast to carbonate?

 

[JohnSand]

Cider makers pasteurize glass bottles to kill the yeast.

 

[smit6089]

I may just give that a shot. I just forsee all the bottles blowing. I'm making some this weekend and I'll test a couple of bottles and see how it goes. Will report back.

 

[Crazy8]

Another alternative is pasteurization. Super easy to do and effective. It also doesn't require any additional, or special, equipment. I have done the pasteurization process effectively many times and with great success. Give that a try and see how it works out for you.

If you leave the bottles in the fridge, the yeast will slow down drastically, but eventually the bottles will likely blow. I have had 1 gallon carboy explode once, not in the fridge, at 3am. Not something you want to experience or clean up at the time.

 

[smit6089]

Thanks Crazy8. I beleive I have read another post about pasterizing in the bottle. Would you mind walking me through your process? So far I understand the process as follows- I would want to leave a little extra head space in the bottle. Place in a lidded water bath with a grate to lift them off the bottom of the pan. Place a bottle of water with a temp probe in the water bath with the bottles you want to pasturize. Heat the water slowly until your test botle reads 160f for ten seconds. Then remove from heat to slowly cool.

Any advice or insite is always welcome.

 

[Crazy8]

Thanks Crazy8. I beleive I have read another post about pasterizing in the bottle. Would you mind walking me through your process? So far I understand the process as follows- I would want to leave a little extra head space in the bottle. Place in a lidded water bath with a grate to lift them off the bottom of the pan. Place a bottle of water with a temp probe in the water bath with the bottles you want to pasturize. Heat the water slowly until your test botle reads 160f for ten seconds. Then remove from heat to slowly cool.

Any advice or insite is always welcome.

Sorry I haven't posted what I do yet. I do have the specifics written down. Ill try to get those to you today if thats ok.

 

[smit6089]

Sorry I haven't posted what I do yet. I do have the specifics written down. Ill try to get those to you today if thats ok.

Sounds great. Thank you!

 

[Crazy8]

OK, Finally I found it. Here is what I have done...

* Heat up a large pot of water to 190 degrees
* When the temp reaches 190, turn off the heat, and add the bottles to the pot. Do not crowd the pot as this may lower the temp of the water to much
* Put lid on pot and let sit for 10 minutes
* After 10 minutes, carefully remove bottles and let cool.
* If you have many bottles to do...start back at the top again and do it all over again.
* Once the bottles have cooled, return them to the fridge and live a worry free, root beer blessed life.

 

[smit6089]

OK, Finally I found it. Here is what I have done...

* Heat up a large pot of water to 190 degrees
* When the temp reaches 190, turn off the heat, and add the bottles to the pot. Do not crowd the pot as this may lower the temp of the water to much
* Put lid on pot and let sit for 10 minutes
* After 10 minutes, carefully remove bottles and let cool.
* If you have many bottles to do...start back at the top again and do it all over again.
* Once the bottles have cooled, return them to the fridge and live a worry free, root beer blessed life.

Thanks so much. I appreciate it. I assume they should also be shelf stable without refrigeration. Just try to keep them in a cool dark place?

If I can get my hands on some wintergreen leaves I'll be mixing up a batch of your newer recipie and will be trying to pasturize it. I can find spearmint and peppermint all day but no wintergreen.

 

[Crazy8]

Yes, after you pasteurize it, it should be shelf stable. Pasteurization, kills the yeast. No yeast, no CO2. No CO2, no glass bottles going BOOM! Let me know how it turns. I'd love to know. Just dont make the same mistakes I have. By that I mean, dont have your first batches be 5 gallons...lol It's breaks my heart when something goes wrong and I have to dump it all. But most importantly, have fun with it and if something doesnt turn out, dont let it discourage you. I havent made a ton of batches, but I have had to throw out a few of them. You just have to turn it into a learning experience.

 

[Firestix]

If I can get my hands on some wintergreen leaves I'll be mixing up a batch of your newer recipie and will be trying to pasturize it.

Can you please post the newer recipe? I'd like to Convert the recipe measurements to weight, for accuracy.

 

[Crazy8]

Can you please post the newer recipe? I'd like to Convert the recipe measurements to weight, for accuracy.

Here is my (sub-par) video that also has the most recent recipe in the detail sunder the video

https://youtu.be/n2jnZeu7Y3A

 

[WonderMellon]

I have been reviewing the forums for a while, but just joined so I could add my thanks for the recipe as well as ask a (possibly total newbie) question.

I have a keg system to force carbonate. Is the yeast still required? I am assuming not. Since the yeast eat the sugar, should I reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe?

So far I have tried 2 batches from a different recipe and homemade ginger bug for carbonation and they both turned out horrible

I currently have a batch made with extract and it is barely tolerable.

Crazy8's recipe is getting good reviews. The goal has always been to brew my own from raw ingredients and this looks like a great place to start.

 

[Crazy8]

Welcome to the forum WonderMellon. I personally don't have any experience with force carb systems, maybe one day, but I have been asked this question before. Perhaps someone more experienced might be able to answer this for you.

Welcome again to the forum. Hope you enjoy your time here and that you are able to come up with a good batch of root beer.

 

[MrFoodScientist]

WonderMellon,
You do not need the yeast if you're force carbonating. You can decrease the sugar, but that's up to you. Add sugar to taste and you'll be ok.

 

[WonderMellon]

Thanks Crazy8 and MrFoodScientist. I will just have to try it out and experiement.