Homemade Root Beer
Discover the nostalgic charm of **Homemade Root Beer**, a delightful brew crafted from a medley of natural herbs and spices. This recipe combines sarsaparilla root, sassafras root bark, wintergreen leaves, and hints of ginger, vanilla, and licorice for a richly aromatic base simmered to perfection. Sweetened with brown sugar and molasses, and lightly carbonated with champagne yeast, this old-fashioned root beer offers a refreshingly fizzy experience that’s perfect for sharing. With just 15 minutes of prep and simple fermentation, this DIY beverage is a fun and satisfying way to create your own carbonated masterpiece. Serve it over ice or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an unforgettable treat! Perfect for those seeking a vintage-inspired drink made with authentic ingredients, this recipe is sure to impress.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 8 cups Filtered water
- 2 tablespoons Sarsaparilla root
- 2 tablespoons Sassafras root bark
- 1 tablespoon Wintergreen leaves
- 1 teaspoon Licorice root
- 1 tablespoon Ginger root (peeled and sliced)
- 1 Vanilla bean (split open)
- 1 Star anise
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- 5 Cloves
- 1 cup Brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Molasses
- 0.25 teaspoon Champagne yeast
Instructions
In a large pot, combine the filtered water, sarsaparilla root, sassafras root bark, wintergreen leaves, licorice root, ginger root, vanilla bean, star anise, cinnamon stick, and cloves.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently for 25 minutes.
Remove the pot from heat and strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a large bowl to remove all the solids. Discard the solids.
Stir in the brown sugar and molasses until fully dissolved. Let the liquid cool to room temperature (about 70–75°F or 20–24°C).
Once the liquid has cooled, sprinkle the champagne yeast evenly over the surface and gently stir to combine. Avoid using too much yeast to prevent over-carbonation.
Pour the root beer mixture into clean, sterilized bottles, leaving about 1–2 inches of headspace at the top.
Seal the bottles tightly and leave them at room temperature for 24–48 hours to carbonate. The exact time will depend on the temperature and the yeast activity.
After carbonation, transfer the bottles to the refrigerator to halt further fermentation and chill the root beer.
Open the bottles carefully (as they may be under pressure) and enjoy your homemade root beer within 1–2 weeks for the best flavor.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
138 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 0.3 g | 0% | |
| Saturated Fat | 0.0 g | 0% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% | |
| Sodium | 14 mg | 1% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 36.1 g | 13% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 1.1 g | 4% | |
| Total Sugars | 33.8 g | ||
| Protein | 0.3 g | 1% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 58 mg | 4% | |
| Iron | 1.4 mg | 8% | |
| Potassium | 188 mg | 4% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
