Smitty's Draft Root Beer Recipe
A Columbia favorite with young and old. Brewed in-house and served on draft. Delicious!
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Ingredients
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Main Ingredients
Flavorings
Method
Preparation
- 1
Boil the Base
In a large pot, bring 10 cups of water to a boil over medium-high heat.
- 2
Dissolve Sugar
Once boiling, add 2 cups of granulated sugar to the water, stirring until fully dissolved.
- 3
- 4
Simmer
Reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer for 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to infuse.
Fermentation
- 5
Cool Down
After 30 minutes, remove the pot from heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature.
- 6
Strain the Mixture
Once cooled, strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth to remove the solid ingredients.
- 7
Add Yeast
In a small bowl, dissolve 1 teaspoon of yeast in a few tablespoons of warm water. Once activated, add it to the strained liquid and stir.
- 8
Ferment
Transfer the mixture to a clean fermentation container, cover it with a cloth, and let it sit at room temperature for 24-48 hours until bubbles form and fermentation begins.
Final Steps
- 9
Carbonate
Once fermentation is complete, gently mix in 4 cups of carbonated water to the fermented root beer base.
- 10
Serve
Chill the root beer in the refrigerator before serving. Serve on draft or in chilled glasses with ice.

