Barq's Root Beer Recipe

Prepare flavor syrup

Combine 1 cup water, 0.5 cup brown sugar, and 0.25 cup granulated sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugars dissolve.

Add the sliced fresh ginger, star anise, whole cloves, cinnamon stick, vanilla bean (split) and 1 tbsp dried sassafras/sarsaparilla root (or quebracho chips) to the pot.

Bring mixture to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes to extract flavors. Do not boil vigorously.

Remove from heat and let steep for another 20 minutes with lid on to deepen flavor. Taste (careful — hot) and adjust sweetness if desired by whisking in up to 1–2 tsp extra sugar.

Strain syrup through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a heatproof container to remove solids. Press solids to extract syrup. Discard solids.

Allow syrup to cool to room temperature. This syrup is the concentrated base for the root beer and can be refrigerated up to 2 weeks.

Combine and flavor

Measure 6 cups chilled carbonated water (or chilled club soda). For each 6-cup batch, use about 3/4 to 1 cup of the prepared syrup (adjust to taste). If you prefer to build from ingredients rather than syrup, skip to next steps.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the malted barley syrup (2 tbsp), 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp anise extract (or 1 split star anise steeped briefly), 1/8 tsp wintergreen extract, and 1.5 tbsp fresh lemon juice until homogenous.

Add the 3/4–1 cup cooled flavor syrup to the bowl mixture and whisk to incorporate. Taste a small sample by mixing about 2 tbsp of the combined flavor with 2–3 tbsp of carbonated water to check sweetness, spice, and minty/wintergreen balance. Adjust extracts very sparingly — they are strong.

If using optional food-grade liquid caffeine for authenticity, add an extremely small amount per manufacturer's guidance (many home cooks omit caffeine entirely).

Slowly pour the combined flavor mixture into the chilled carbonated water while gently stirring once or twice. Avoid vigorous stirring to retain carbonation.

Fill glasses with ice (about 4 cubes per serving). Pour root beer over ice, serve immediately. Garnish with a lemon wheel or a vanilla bean if desired.

Serve yields about 4 servings (1.5 cups each) depending on glassware. Leftover syrup can be stored in refrigerator; do not store mixed carbonated soda for long periods or it will go flat.