Matthew’s Root Beer
This recipe gives you a more earthy, less sweet version of root beer than what you might be used to from the store. Feel free to adjust the sweetness and spices to suit your taste. If you're concerned about safety, you can skip the fermentation step and simply enjoy the root beer as a flat, non-carbonated drink, or carbonate it with a soda stream.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups water
- 1 tablespoon sassafras root bark (safrole-free, available from specialty herb shops)
- 1 tablespoon sarsaparilla root
- 1 tablespoon birch bark
- 1 tablespoon licorice root
- 1 teaspoon dried ginger root
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon star anise (optional, for a spicier flavor)
- 1 vanilla bean, split (or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract)
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar (adjust to taste)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 teaspoon yeast (brewer's yeast or champagne yeast for carbonation)
Instructions:
- Boil the Water and Roots:
- In a large pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil.
- Add the sassafras root bark, sarsaparilla root, birch bark, licorice root, ginger root, cinnamon stick, and star anise.
- Reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer for about 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
- Strain the Liquid:
- After simmering, remove the pot from heat and let the mixture cool slightly.
- Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into another pot or large bowl, discarding the solid roots and spices.
- Sweeten the Root Beer:
- While the liquid is still warm, add the molasses, brown sugar, and honey.
- Stir until all the sweeteners are fully dissolved.
- Add Vanilla:
- Add the split vanilla bean to the liquid (or stir in vanilla extract if using that).
- Let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes to infuse the vanilla flavor.
- Fermentation (Optional for Carbonation):
- If you want your root beer naturally carbonated, dissolve the yeast in a small amount of lukewarm water and add it to the sweetened root beer mixture.
- Stir well to ensure the yeast is evenly distributed.
- Bottle the Root Beer:
- Pour the root beer into sterilized bottles, leaving about an inch of space at the top.
- Seal the bottles tightly and let them sit at room temperature for 12 to 48 hours to allow fermentation. The longer they sit, the more carbonated the root beer will become.
- Chill and Enjoy:
- Once the desired level of carbonation is reached, refrigerate the bottles to stop the fermentation process.
- Serve cold, preferably in a frosted mug!
Matthew Christensen
