Hey all you amazing root beer peeps! I am The Root Beer Person’s significant other, Val! I’m the guest writer today with superior wit and unparalleled charm. If The Root Beer Person is a tenured root beer university professor steeped in knowledge and wisdom, I am but a humble undergraduate student trying to take a sip from that great mug of knowledge for one of my electives.
Home-brewed root beer has a slight alcoholic content (around 1%). If chocolate mint is unavailable to you, substitute spearmint. Be sure to sanitize the plastic bottles before use.
Let cool to 75°F, then stir in yeast and let sit for 15 minutes. Pour the mixture into empty plastic bottles, leaving about 2 inches of space on top. Screw on caps. Keep the bottles at room temperature for 36 hours, then open a bottle to see if it is carbonated enough. If not, reseal the bottle and let rest for another 12 to 24 hours until desired carbonation is reached.
Now that you know its history, have you ever wondered how to make root beer? Below, you will find a classic homemade root beer recipe. The process is much like brewing beer and ultimately does produce a root beer with a very low alcohol content (about 0.05% ABV), due to the addition of brewer’s yeast to the mix.
*This root beer has a small alcohol percentage (.05%) due to the yeast and sugar fermentation process.
Line a fine mesh strainer with cheesecloth, and pour liquid through strainer into a large pot. Add the remaining 2 quarts water along with turbinado sugar and molasses. Stir until mixture is integrated, then cover.
Combine 2 quarts water, sassafras, sarsaparilla, birch, mint, star anise, ginger, and vanilla in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat, cover, and let sit for 2- 2 ½ hours.
It’s nice to meet y’all!
I am not a usual root beer person, but part of being in a good relationship means that you share your root beer with your significant other–or else they’ll stage a hostile takeover of your intellectual property, and ruin your reputation. Okay, so maybe that won’t happen, but I do think that root beer is tasty and I do steal the occasional sip from my partner’s brew. If that’s not the basis for a great relationship, I don’t know what is.
How to Make Old Fashioned Root Beer that Won’t Kill You
FAQ
Does root beer have alcohol content?
Is craft root beer alcoholic?
Does A&W root beer contain alcohol?
Does homemade beer have alcohol?