How to Make Root Beer

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A seasonal treat to keep you perky during all your autumnal activities, homemade root beer is easy to make with the right supplies. On a stove, you can make the drink base yourself with ingredients, and ferment it with yeast and molasses for flavor. Alternatively, you can use a store-bought root beer extract to mix with water and sugar, and allow it to cool down with dry ice.

Ingredients

Brewed Root Beer

  • 4 US qt (3.8 L) of water
  • 1/4 oz. (7.08 g) dried sassafras root bark
  • 1/4 oz. (7.08 g) dried birch bark
  • 1/4 oz. (7.08 g) dried sarsaparilla root
  • 1/8 oz. (3.54 g) of dried licorice root
  • A 1 in (2.5 cm) piece of unpeeled ginger, sliced thin
  • 1 vanilla bean, split
  • 2 cups (470 mL) of molasses
  • 1/8 tsp. (0.6 g) of active dry yeast

Makes 4 litres (140  fl oz)

Root Beer with Extract

  • 4 US qt (3,800 mL) of cold water
  • 2 to 3 cups (470 to 710 mL) of granulated sugar, depending on how sweet you want it
  • 3 US tbsp (44 mL) of root beer extract
  • 1 to 2 lb (0.45 to 0.91 kg) of dry ice, broken into pieces

Makes 4 litres (140  fl oz)

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Making Brewed Root Beer

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  1. In a medium sized pot, add 1/4 ounce (7.08 g) of sassafras root bark, 1/4 ounce (7.08 g) of birch bark, 1/4 ounce (7.08 g) of sarsaparilla root, 1/8 ounce (3.54 g) of dried licorice root, a 1 inch (2.5 cm) piece of ginger, and 1 split vanilla bean. Pour 2 US quarts (1.9 L) of water into the pot, and then bring it to a boil. [1]
    • Wait for the bubbles to just begin rising to the surface, but don’t keep it boiling after that.
  2. After it’s reached a boiling point, remove the pot from the heat and place the lid onto it. Leave it to cool down and infuse for a 2 full hours. [2]
    • Steep the ingredients in the mixture without stirring them.
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  3. Place the sieve over a container you can put the mixture into, and pour it through the filters. Once in the container, add an additional 2 US quarts (1.9 L) of filtered water, and stir thoroughly until it’s mixed together. [3]
    • After adding the extra water, allow it to cool to 75 °F (24 °C).
    • Be sure to clean the container you’re filtering the mixture into beforehand with soap and hot water.
  4. Stir in 2 cups (470 mL) of molasses and 1/8 teaspoons (0.6 g) of active dry yeast into the root-infused liquid and place a cover on it. Set it aside, and allow it to ferment for 15 minutes. [4]
  5. Use a funnel when adding the root beer to the bottles to avoid spilling. Fill the bottles to 2 inches (5.1 cm) below the cap to allow for a pocket for the carbonation. [5]
    • Clean out the bottles with warm soapy water, and allow them to air dry before pouring the root beer in them.
  6. Screw on the lids of the bottles tightly, and set them out on your kitchen counter or table overnight to allow them enough time to ferment. [6]
    • Set the bottles upright instead of laying them on their sides.
  7. After letting them sit at room temperature, place the soda bottles in your fridge to cool for several days. After 5 days, the yeast will have broken down the molasses for a milder flavor with a slight alcohol content. [7]
    • For a stronger molasses taste, remove the root beer from the fridge after 2 days.
  8. Gas will have built up inside the bottles that may cause the root beer to erupt out if you shake it too much while opening it, or open it too quickly. Wait for the gas to stop hissing before continuing to turn it. Once you have it open, serve your root beer over ice.
    • To store, simply place the lid back on the bottle and secure it tightly again. Drink the remaining root beer within a couple of days of you opening the bottle to enjoy it before it goes flat, or loses its flavor.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Making Root Beer with Extract

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  1. Use 4 US quarts (3,800 mL) of cold water, 2 to 3 cups (470 to 710 mL) of sugar depending on how sweet you’d like your root beer, and 3 tablespoons (44 mL) of root beer extract in a large pitcher. Stir the ingredients together until the water and extract have mixed well, and the sugar is fully dissolved. [8]
    • Taste the mixture to see if more sugar or extract needs to be added.
  2. Drop 1 to 2 pounds (0.45 to 0.91 kg) of dry ice chunks into the pitcher and mix it together with a spoon to cool it down and keep it from sticking to the bottom. Upon contact, the root beer mix should bubble, and the dry ice fog will spill over the side of the pitcher. [9]
    • Wear insulated gloves or use tongs when handling the dry ice.
    • Add the dry ice to the pitcher in a well-ventilated room to avoid inhaling its fog.
  3. Use the spoon to continually keep turning the ice around in the pitcher, cooling down the root beer. Keep this up until the dry ice is nearly dissolved, which should take around 10-15 minutes. [10]
  4. Be careful to avoid placing any remaining large pieces of dry ice in the cups so others won’t burn themselves with it. [11]
    • Feel free to enjoy in front of a leaf-strewn yard, an open fire pit, or while greeting trick-or-treaters on Halloween.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    Will there be a yeasty taste to the root beer?
    Community Answer
    Probably not, root beer extract is very intense. That's why people who brew beer and wine don't use equipment from root beer because it will make other stuff taste like root beer.
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  • Question
    Can this be done in one day?
    Community Answer
    In much smaller quantities. Divide everything by 10 and you get a small glass of root beer in a day. The yeast needs time to eat, that's why it takes so long.
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  • Question
    Is it possible to make root beer with zero calories? Can I substitute something else for the sugar, or is it required for the yeast to carbonate it?
    Community Answer
    Yeast requires real sugar to carbonate the root beer, so the yeast method probably won't work. If you have a soda stream or similar device, you can make a sugar-free, close to zero calorie drink.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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      Tips

      • When brewing root beer, artificial sweetener cannot be used to replace the sugar. Actual sugar (in this case in the molasses) is required for yeast to generate carbon dioxide which carbonates the beverage. Without sugar, there is no carbonation. You might experiment with less sugar and add a substitute to make up for the lower sweetness. You can add 1/4 oz. (7.08 g) of corn sugar (dextrose) or cane sugar to carbonate the soda and sweeten with a substitute.
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      • Use bottled water instead of tap water to guarantee better freshness.
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      • There will be a sediment of yeast at the bottom of the bottle, so the last bit of root beer will be turbid. Decant carefully if you wish to avoid this sediment.
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      Warnings

      • Do not leave the finished root beer in a warm place for long. After a couple weeks or so at room temperature, especially in the summer when temperatures are high, enough pressure may build up to cause the bottle to explode!!
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      • There might be alcohol in this homemade soft drink. The alcoholic content which results from the fermentation of this root beer has been found, through testing, to be between 0.35 and 0.5 %. Comparing this to the 6% in many beers, it would require a person to drink about 1.5 gallons (5.7 L) of this root beer to be equivalent to one 12  fl oz (350 mL) beer. For people who cannot metabolize alcohol properly or have religious prohibition against any alcohol, consumption should be limited or avoided.
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      Things You'll Need

      For Brewed Root Beer

      • Cheesecloth
      • A sieve
      • A funnel
      • Measuring cups
      • Measuring spoons
      • 4 clean, dry 1 liter (0.3 US gal) plastic soft drink bottles with cap
      • A pot with a lid

      For Root Beer Made with Extract

      • Measuring cups
      • Measuring spoons
      • A pitcher
      • A Styrofoam cooler to store the dry ice
      • A big spoon to stir with
      • A ladle to serve
      • Cups
      • Gloves or tongs to hold the dry ice

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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Homemade-Root-Beer
      2. ↑ https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Homemade-Root-Beer
      3. ↑ https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Homemade-Root-Beer
      4. ↑ https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Homemade-Root-Beer
      5. ↑ https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Homemade-Root-Beer
      6. ↑ https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Homemade-Root-Beer
      7. ↑ https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Homemade-Root-Beer
      8. ↑ https://www.melskitchencafe.com/15-minute-homemade-root-beer/
      9. ↑ https://www.melskitchencafe.com/15-minute-homemade-root-beer/
      1. ↑ https://www.melskitchencafe.com/15-minute-homemade-root-beer/
      2. ↑ https://www.melskitchencafe.com/15-minute-homemade-root-beer/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To make root beer, start by mixing 4 quarts of cold water, 2 cups of sugar, and 3 tablespoons of root beer extract in a large pitcher. Then, taste the mixture to see if it's sweet enough. If it's not, add 1 more cup of sugar. Next, drop some dry ice into the pitcher to chill it and make it bubble. Make sure you're in a well-ventilated area so you're not inhaling the dry ice fog. Finally, stir the mixture for 10-15 minutes or until all of the ice in the pitcher has fully melted. To learn how to brew your own root beer, keep reading!

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