RECIPE DETAILS
DIY Root Beer Recipe
- Prep 2 hrs 30 mins
- Cook 15 mins
- Active 40 mins
- Fermentation Time 60 hrs
- Total 62 hrs 45 mins
- Serves 16 servings
- Makes 1 gallon
Homemade root beer is earthy, bold, and sweet all at the same time.
Ingredients
- 1 gallon filtered water, divided
- 1 tablespoon sarsaparilla root bark (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon sassafras root bark (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon birch bark (see notes)
- 4 sprigs chocolate mint (see notes)
- 3 star anise pods
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed ginger
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1/8 teaspoon ale yeast
Directions
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Combine 2 quarts water, sassafras, sarsaparilla, birch, mint, star anise, ginger, and vanilla in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat, cover, and let steep for 2 hours.
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Strain liquid through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth into a large pot. Add remaining 2 quarts water along with brown sugar and molasses. Stir until mixture is integrated, then cover.
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Let cool to 75°F (24°C), then stir in yeast and let it sit for 15 minutes. Fill plastic bottles with mixture, leaving 2 inches of space at top. Screw on caps. Keep bottles at room temperature for 36 hours, then open a bottle slowly and carefully to see if it is carbonated enough. If it is, then go on to step 4. If not, reseal the bottle and let rest for another 12 to 24 hours until desired carbonation is reached.
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Place bottles in the refrigerator for 2 days before drinking. You can store refrigerated root beer for about 1 month.