Rootbeer Recipe

Combine aromatics

In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups water, sassafras, sarsaparilla, star anise, black peppercorns, allspice, juniper berries (if using), sliced ginger and bruised lemongrass. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

Simmer to extract

Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes to extract flavors. Stir occasionally and crush the whole spices gently with the back of a spoon to release oils.

Sweeten and strain

After 20 minutes, remove from heat. Stir in brown sugar, granulated sugar, and molasses until fully dissolved. Add the pinch of salt and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean saucepan or bowl, pressing on solids to extract liquid. Discard solids.

Adjust brightening and store

While still warm, stir in citric acid (or 1 tablespoon lemon juice if using) and 1/2 teaspoon wintergreen extract (or crushed fresh wintergreen leaves steeped then strained). Taste and adjust: add more citric acid for brightness, more vanilla for roundness, or a touch more sugar if too tart. Cool to room temperature, then transfer syrup to a clean jar. Refrigerate; syrup will keep 2–3 weeks chilled.

Mix concentrate with carbonated water: For a ready-to-drink root beer, combine 1 part syrup to 4 parts chilled carbonated water as a starting ratio (for sweetness and strength). For the quantities above, mix about 2 cups syrup concentrate with 8 cups carbonated water. Stir gently to combine, trying not to lose too much fizz.

Serve over ice: Fill glasses with ice, pour the mixed root beer over ice. For root beer floats, add 1 scoop vanilla ice cream per serving and top with a little extra syrup if desired.

Storage and notes: Keep unused syrup refrigerated up to 2–3 weeks. If you prefer a stronger spice profile, use a 1:3 syrup-to-water ratio. If using commercially prepared extracts only (no roots), reduce wintergreen and sassafras extract amounts to taste; always use food-grade sassafras extract or avoid sassafras bark if concerned and rely on sarsaparilla and other botanicals.