Homemade Root Beer Soda
Unleash the nostalgia of old-fashioned soda fountains with this delightful Homemade Root Beer Soda recipe, crafted from an aromatic blend of sassafras root bark, sarsaparilla root, and wintergreen leaves. Enhanced with warming spices like star anise, cloves, and cinnamon, and sweetened with molasses and brown sugar, this rich and earthy soda is naturally carbonated using active dry yeast for an authentic effervescent finish. Perfect for a refreshing summer treat or a unique addition to gatherings, this DIY root beer recipe delivers a rewarding hands-on experience and a pure, handcrafted flavor you won’t find in store-bought versions. With just 20 minutes of preparation and a touch of patience, you’ll have a batch of ice-cold, bubbly root beer soda to share and savor. Serve it over ice or paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the ultimate root beer float!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 4 cups Water
- 2 tablespoons Sassafras root bark (dried)
- 1 tablespoon Sarsaparilla root (dried)
- 1 teaspoon Wintergreen leaves (dried)
- 2 whole pieces Star anise
- 4 whole pieces Cloves
- 1 whole piece Cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons Molasses
- 2 cups Brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Yeast (active dry)
- 8 cups Cold water
Instructions
In a medium-sized saucepan, combine 4 cups of water, sassafras root bark, sarsaparilla root, wintergreen leaves, star anise, cloves, and the whole cinnamon stick.
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 25-30 minutes to extract the flavors.
Remove the saucepan from heat and let the mixture cool for 15 minutes. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a large bowl to remove the solids.
Stir in the vanilla extract, molasses, and brown sugar until fully dissolved. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.
In a separate small bowl, dissolve 1 teaspoon of yeast in 1/4 cup of warm water (about 110°F or 43°C). Let it sit for 5 minutes until frothy.
Combine the strained root beer syrup, the yeast mixture, and 8 cups of cold water in a large, sanitized container. Stir gently to mix everything together.
Pour the liquid into sanitized bottles using a funnel, leaving about 1 inch of space at the top of each bottle.
Seal the bottles tightly and let them sit at room temperature for 48-72 hours to carbonate. Check the bottles periodically by gently squeezing them; they should become firm when carbonated.
Once carbonated, refrigerate the bottles to stop fermentation. Serve chilled and enjoy your homemade root beer soda.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
1313 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 2.9 g | 4% | |
| Saturated Fat | 0.4 g | 2% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% | |
| Sodium | 224 mg | 10% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 330.5 g | 120% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 6.8 g | 24% | |
| Total Sugars | 311.8 g | ||
| Protein | 3.4 g | 7% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 612 mg | 47% | |
| Iron | 9.1 mg | 51% | |
| Potassium | 1265 mg | 27% | |
*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.
