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Recipe

Root Beer

The herbs for this wonderful homemade version of root beer can be sourced online or at a well-stocked health foods store - they are well worth seeking out! I have added links to the ingredients so that you can see what each herb looks like. I found all the herbs at a local health food store and they were relatively inexpensive - I have listed the details at the end of this recipe.

Special Tools

Ingredients

  • SodaStream Jet® - a home machine that carbonates water on-demand
  • French press coffee maker

Root Beer Concentrate

Ingredients

  • 4 cups fresh water
  • 1/2 ounces sassafras root
  • 1/2 ounces birch root
  • 1/2 ounces sarsaparilla root
  • 1/4 ounces licorice root
  • 1/4 ounce dried ginger root
  • 2 vanilla bean pods, sliced open
  • 24 ounces organic light brown sugar

Method

  1. Pour fresh water into a medium-sized stainless-steel saucepan; place over medium heat.
  2. Using a kitchen scale set to "ounces", carefully measure each herb, adding measured quantity to saucepan as you go.
  3. Slice open vanilla bean pods; add to saucepan; stir to combine all herbs.
  4. Place lid on saucepan and bring mixture to a boil; turn off heat, place lid on saucepan and set aside to steep for 1 hour.
  5. Return saucepan to medium heat; bring mixture to a boil; turn off heat, place lid on saucepan and set aside for another hour.
  6. Pour entire contents of saucepan into a 6-cup french press coffee maker; strain out solids by pressing down on coffee maker sieve; pour liquid from french press into clean medium-sized stainless-steel saucepan; discard solids.
  7. Place saucepan over medium heat; add 24 ounces light brown sugar; stir to dissolve; bring mixture to a boil; boil for 10 minutes.
  8. Remove pan from heat; cool concentrate in pan or pour off into a sterile glass storage jar; refrigerate until cold.

To make root beer on-demand: Mix 1/4 cup root beer concentrate with 1 cup carbonated water; add ice; stir and enjoy!

Concentrate Yield: about 7 cups. Root Beer Yield: about 35 cups (280 ounces, or about 20 cans of 12 ounce soda, or just over 2 gallons).

Remember, you can only carbonate water - do not attempt to carbonate water mixed with the concentrate - it will damage your carbonator.