RootBeer Mistake?

[MichiganMan]

So I am brand new to brewing, and I recently attempted to Brew non Alcoholic Root beer, By adding a tablespoon of rootbeer extract and two cups of sugar to a gallon of warm tap water which I then stirred until it was dissolved. After that I added a little bit (1/4 or 1/2 cup) or warm water (to the sugar, water, and extract) that had less then 1/4 teaspoon of regular bread yeast (Fleischmann's instant dry yeast) I stirred the mixture gently and then put it into two, two liter plastic bottles that had been cleaned with dish soap and hot water. I then let the bottles sit in a warm space for four days, and then in a cool dark place for a week. What did I do wrong? I opened one bottle today, and it doesn't taste bad, but it does not taste like good root beer. The other bottle is still sitting and waiting.

 

[Redtab78]

Got this: http://www.wayfair.com/Mr.-Beer-Mr....770-BPA49-MRZ1106&device=c&ptid=1104000080671

for my kids to do while I am making my beer...I think in reading the instructions with that kit and what you posted above there is several things.

1) sanitize the bottles after cleaning
2) recipe is very different, our kit had a packet of yeast that is different from bread yeast
3) did you boil the water first, or just use hot water? we had to boil some...

 

[camiller]

What brand of root beer extract? What exactly tasted "off"

Some thoughts:

1. use champagne yeast
2. try 3/4 tsp. rootbeer extract + 3/4 tsp cream soda extract.
3. cool dark place may still not be cool enough to cause yeast to go dormant, if it seems carbonated enough refrigerate, otherwise the yeast will keep working the sugar available, creating alcohol, over carbonate, and eventually rupture the bottle.

 

[daksin]

4 days sounds like a long time- was it very fizzy? Then, you put it in a cool place, but I'm willing to bet it wasn't cool enough to stop your yeast. You should really let the yeast go until the bottle is very hard (taught from pressure) and then put it right into the refrigerator. It shouldn't ferment more than a day or two. I'd imagine the yeast ate too much sugar and the soda tasted less sweet than you're used to- it probably had a fair amount of alcohol too.

 

[MichiganMan]

Soooo next time, just Boil the water, use Champagne yeast and chill it in a fridge as soon as it's firm?

 

[MichiganMan]

Oh also, is red star Yeast fine? I have a pack but it expired in 2008