Root Beer Amaro Recipe

Make simple syrup

Combine filtered water (2 cups), white sugar (0.75 cups) and dark brown sugar (0.25 cups) in a saucepan. Heat gently over medium-low heat, stirring until sugar fully dissolves. Bring to a very brief simmer for 1 minute then remove from heat. Cool to room temperature (about 20–30 minutes).

Combine with spirit

Pour the cooled syrup into a clean glass jar or bottle with a tight lid. Add the vodka (1.5 cups) and seal. This creates the medium for extraction (the amaro base).

Measure cinchona bark (1.5 tbs) and chicory root (1 tbs). If cinchona is in large pieces grind lightly or break to increase surface area. Place both into a small muslin or fine tea bag (recommended) or add directly to the jar if you plan to fine-strain later. Note: cinchona is a bittering agent—do not overuse; follow quantities exactly.

Add the cinchona and chicory to the syrup+spirit jar. These provide the characteristic bitter backbone and roasted coffee-like notes.

Add dried sarsaparilla root (2 tbs) and sassafras root bark (1 tbs) into the jar (use a muslin bag if desired). These are primary root flavors that give the classic root-beer profile.

Lightly crush star anise (2 whole), allspice berries (6), cardamom pods (2), coriander seeds (1 tsp), and juniper berries (1 tsp) with the back of a spoon or mortar and pestle to release essential oils. Add them to the jar.

Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds; add both seeds and pod halves to the infusion. Add dried orange peel (1 tsp), sliced fresh ginger (1 tbs), whole cloves (3), and the cassia/cinnamon stick (1) to the jar.

Add fresh lemon and orange peels (no pith) to the jar to brighten the mixture. Do not add the flesh or pith—only the zest/peel.

Seal the jar tightly and store in a cool, dark place. Shake once daily. Taste after 48 hours for early extraction of bright aromatics, but allow a 7–14 day infusion for full complexity. Expected extraction timeline: 2–4 days for citrus/ginger/vanilla, 4–7 days for most spices, 7–14 days for cinchona/sarsaparilla/sassafras depth. Total infusion time recommended: 10 days for a balanced result.

After desired infusion time, strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve lined with coffee filter or cheesecloth into a clean container to remove solids. If you used a muslin bag, simply press gently to extract liquid; do not over-press cinchona to avoid excessive bitterness.

Taste the strained amaro. If too bitter, adjust by adding small amounts of simple syrup (made 1:1) or additional water. If too sweet, add 1–2 tsp fresh lemon juice to brighten. If the bitter component is weak, you may add an additional 0.25–0.5 tbs powdered cinchona steeped in 60 ml warm water for 15 minutes, then filter and add cautiously (only if you know safe handling of cinchona).

Bottle the finished Root Beer Amaro in a sterile bottle. Let rest for 1–2 weeks to marry flavors; flavor will mellow and integrate over time.

Serve chilled or at cellar temperature as an after-dinner digestif, 30–45 ml neat, or use in cocktails that call for amaro. Garnish with an orange twist or maraschino/luxardo cherry if desired.