How to Make Root Beer at Home: A Simple Guide

Root beer, a beloved North American soda, has a rich history and a distinctive taste that blends sweet, spicy, and herbal flavors. It was traditionally made using various plant roots, most notably sassafras, and other natural ingredients. Over time, the modern commercial version has become more artificial, but making your own root beer at home offers a chance to experience a more authentic, flavorful, and customizable version. This guide will walk you through the process of making homemade root beer from scratch, from gathering ingredients to fermenting and enjoying your creation.

What You Need to Make Root Beer

To make homemade root beer, you need a few key ingredients and basic kitchen equipment. The following recipe combines traditional root beer ingredients and modern brewing techniques to make a naturally carbonated drink. Below are the ingredients and equipment you’ll need:

Ingredients:

Sassafras root bark (or sassafras extract): This gives root beer its classic flavor. Make sure to use safrole-free sassafras extract due to health concerns associated with safrole, a compound found in the original sassafras oil.
Sarsaparilla root: Another traditional ingredient that adds depth and a slightly bitter, earthy taste.
Wintergreen leaves: Provides a refreshing, minty flavor and is an essential part of root beer’s signature taste.
Licorice root: Adds natural sweetness and a mild spiciness.
Vanilla extract: Contributes a smooth and creamy flavor, enhancing the overall richness of the drink.
Star anise: Provides a sweet, licorice-like flavor that complements the other ingredients.
Honey or molasses: Natural sweeteners that not only add flavor but also help with the fermentation process.
Yeast (champagne yeast or brewer’s yeast): Used for carbonation. It ferments the sugar in the mixture, producing carbon dioxide.
Water: The base of your root beer.

Optional Ingredients: You can also experiment with other herbs and spices such as ginger, cinnamon, or clove to add a unique flavor twist.

Equipment:

A large pot for boiling the ingredients
A fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth
Clean bottles with caps (plastic is recommended for beginners)
Funnel
Measuring cups and spoons

Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Root Beer

1. Prepare Your Ingredients

Before you start, ensure all your ingredients are fresh and measured out correctly. If using dried roots and herbs, you might want to grind or crush them slightly to release more flavor.

Sassafras root bark: 2 cups (or 2 teaspoons of safrole-free sassafras extract)
Sarsaparilla root: 1 cup
Wintergreen leaves: ½ cup
Licorice root: ¼ cup
Star anise: 2 tablespoons
Honey or molasses: 1 to 1½ cups
Vanilla extract: 1 teaspoon
Water: 4 liters
Yeast: ¼ teaspoon per liter of root beer

2. Make the Root Beer Base

In a large pot, combine the sassafras root, sarsaparilla root, wintergreen leaves, licorice root, and star anise with the water. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Let it simmer for about 30 minutes to extract the flavors from the roots and herbs. During this time, the water will absorb the unique flavors and aromas of the ingredients.

3. Strain the Liquid

After 30 minutes of simmering, remove the pot from the heat and strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into another clean container. This strained liquid is your root beer base, or “wort.” Discard the remaining solids.

4. Sweeten the Root Beer

While the wort is still warm, stir in the honey or molasses and the vanilla extract. Make sure the sweeteners dissolve completely, as this will provide the necessary sugars for the fermentation process. The amount of sweetness can be adjusted to your taste. Root beer is typically quite sweet, so feel free to experiment with the levels of molasses or honey to find your ideal flavor balance.

5. Cool the Mixture

Allow the sweetened root beer base to cool to room temperature. It is important that the liquid cools down completely before adding the yeast, as high temperatures can kill the yeast, preventing proper carbonation.

6. Carbonation with Yeast

Once the mixture has cooled, it’s time to carbonate your root beer. Dissolve about ¼ teaspoon of champagne yeast or brewer’s yeast into the liquid. Stir gently to distribute the yeast evenly. This yeast will ferment the sugars in the wort and produce carbon dioxide, which naturally carbonates the root beer.

7. Bottle the Root Beer

Using a funnel, carefully pour the root beer into bottles, leaving about 1 to 2 inches of space at the top of each bottle. This space allows for the expansion of the liquid as it carbonates. If you’re new to homebrewing, plastic bottles are a safer option because they won’t explode under pressure like glass can. Seal the bottles tightly with caps.

8. Fermentation

Store the bottles at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours. During this time, the yeast will ferment the sugars, producing bubbles and carbonation. Check the bottles periodically to see how firm they feel. If the bottles are hard to squeeze, the carbonation process is complete.

9. Refrigerate and Serve

Once the root beer has fully carbonated, transfer the bottles to the refrigerator to stop the fermentation process. Refrigeration also prevents over-carbonation, which could cause the bottles to explode. After cooling, your homemade root beer is ready to enjoy!

Tips for Success

Flavor balance: Experiment with different amounts of sassafras, wintergreen, and licorice to create a flavor profile you enjoy. Add small amounts of cinnamon, clove, or nutmeg for a spicier version.
Safety note: Always monitor the fermentation process to avoid over-carbonation, which could lead to bottle explosions. Plastic bottles are preferable for first-timers as they allow you to gauge carbonation levels safely.
Alcohol content: Although homemade root beer undergoes fermentation, the alcohol content is usually negligible if fermented for just 1 to 2 days. However, if you prefer to avoid even trace amounts of alcohol, you can skip the yeast and carbonate the root beer with a soda siphon or by mixing it with pre-carbonated water.

Conclusion

Making root beer at home is a rewarding and customizable process that lets you control the flavors and sweetness while tapping into a fun brewing tradition. Whether you like your root beer creamy and sweet or bold and herbal, this recipe allows you to experiment with ingredients to create your perfect blend. Follow these steps, and soon you’ll have delicious, homemade root beer to share with family and friends.

Beer – Wikipedia

Root beer – Wikipedia

Family Food – love a happy home (loveahh.com)