Root Beer Recipe

Make the spice sachet

Place sarsaparilla root, sassafras (or extract), wintergreen, star anise, cloves, sliced ginger and lemon zest into a small piece of cheesecloth or a fine mesh tea infuser and tie closed. This keeps solids out of the finished liquid while allowing flavors to steep.

Combine 1.5 liters of water and both sugars (white and brown) plus molasses in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugars dissolve completely and the mixture comes to a gentle simmer.

Add the spice sachet, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, citric acid and salt to the simmering sugar-water. Reduce heat to low and maintain a gentle simmer for 15 minutes to extract flavors. Do not boil vigorously.

Remove the pan from heat and let the mixture steep, covered, for another 30 minutes to deepen the flavors.

Remove and discard the spice sachet, pressing gently to extract the liquid. Taste and adjust: add up to 0.5 tsp more citric acid or 0.5 tsp more salt if needed, or 0.5–1 tsp additional vanilla for more rounded sweetness.

If you used whole sassafras root bark (not extract), ensure it is a safe, commercially prepared sassafras that is free of safrole (commercial extracts are marketed as safe). If you prefer, substitute additional sarsaparilla and vanilla instead.

Cool the root beer concentrate to room temperature before proceeding with carbonation. Refrigerate if you need it cold quickly.

Option A — Bottle-conditioning (natural carbonation): Sterilize 4 x 500 ml PET soda bottles or crown-top beer bottles and siphon the cooled concentrate into a clean jug. For a balanced soda, dilute concentrate with an equal volume of cold water (1:1), yielding about 3 liters of finished soda. Dissolve 0.5 tsp additional sugar into a little warm water and add to the diluted root beer as priming sugar. Sprinkle 1/8 tsp active brewer's yeast into the mixture, stir gently to distribute, and bottle, leaving 2–3 cm headspace. Cap tightly and store at room temperature (20–24°C) for 2–3 days to carbonate, then move to fridge to slow yeast activity. Check carbonation after 48 hours to avoid over-pressurizing bottles.

Option B — Quick carbonation (recommended if you have a soda siphon or carbonator): Dilute the concentrate 1:1 with cold water. Chill thoroughly. Transfer to your carbonator and follow manufacturer's instructions to carbonate to medium-high carbonation. Serve immediately over ice.

Serve: Pour chilled root beer over ice into tall glasses. If desired, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a classic root beer float.

Storage: Refrigerate opened, carbonated root beer and consume within 5–7 days. If bottle-conditioned, keep refrigerated after desired carbonation is reached.