Root Beer Recipe

Combine sugars and water

In a medium saucepan, combine 4 cups water, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup white sugar and 2 tablespoons molasses. Stir to dissolve the sugars before applying heat.

Add flavorings

Add 2 tsp sassafras (or 2 tsp sassafras extract), 1 cinnamon stick, 1 star anise, 1 tsp wintergreen (or a few drops wintergreen extract), 1 tsp broken licorice root, 1 tsp ground ginger, 3 whole cloves, and 1 tablespoon orange peel to the saucepan. Add a pinch of salt.

Simmer and steep

Bring mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugars have fully dissolved. Reduce heat to low and simmer very gently for 15 minutes, uncovered, to extract the flavors from the spices and roots. Do not boil vigorously; maintain a low simmer.

Cool and strain

Remove the pan from heat. Let the syrup steep off heat for 20–30 minutes to deepen flavors. After steeping, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a clean container, pressing on solids to extract syrup. Discard solids.

Finish syrup

Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice into the warm syrup. Taste and adjust: add up to 1/2 tsp more wintergreen or 1/2 tsp extra sassafras if you prefer a stronger rooty note. Allow syrup to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled. The syrup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Mix: For a standard serving, mix about 3 tablespoons of chilled root beer syrup with 1 cup (240 ml) cold carbonated water. Start with 2–3 tablespoons syrup and adjust to taste; more syrup makes a sweeter, stronger root beer. For larger batches, combine 1 part syrup to 8 parts carbonated water as a starting ratio (adjust to taste).

Serve: Fill a glass with ice (if desired), pour in the carbonated water, then gently stir in the measured syrup. Stir once gently to preserve carbonation.

Optional float: For a classic root beer float, add 1–2 scoops vanilla ice cream to a glass, then pour 1 cup carbonated water over the ice cream and stir in 3 tablespoons syrup, or pour syrup first and then top with soda to control foam.

Storage note: Keep unused syrup refrigerated up to 2 weeks or freeze in small portions for longer storage. Shake or stir before using if settled.