Description
Learn how to make your own delicious homemade root beer with this easy recipe. This naturally sweetened, fermented soda is bursting with traditional flavors and is perfect for a fun DIY project.
Ingredients
Scale
Root Beer Base:
- 10 cups filtered water
- 1/2 cup sassafras root bark
- 1/4 cup sarsaparilla root
- 1 tablespoon dried wintergreen leaves (or 1 teaspoon wintergreen extract added later)
- 1 tablespoon licorice root (optional)
- 1 tablespoon dried ginger root
- 1 tablespoon whole cloves
- 1 tablespoon star anise
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tablespoon orange peel
Sweeteners and Yeast:
- 1 1/2 cups organic cane sugar
- 1/2 cup molasses or honey
- 1/8 teaspoon ale yeast or champagne yeast (for natural carbonation)
Instructions
- Prepare the Root Beer Base: In a large pot, combine water, sassafras, sarsaparilla, wintergreen, licorice root, ginger, cloves, star anise, cinnamon sticks, and orange peel. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20–30 minutes. Let steep for 30 minutes.
- Strain and Sweeten: Strain the liquid, discard solids. Stir in sugar and molasses/honey until dissolved. Cool to room temperature.
- Add Yeast: Once cool, add yeast and stir gently. Pour into bottles, leaving headspace.
- Ferment and Chill: Let bottles sit at room temperature for 2–4 days to carbonate. Refrigerate to stop fermentation. Serve chilled.
Notes
- Open bottles slowly over a sink to release pressure safely.
- Use non-chlorinated water for best results.
- For a caffeine-free option, try other roots and spices like burdock or vanilla bean.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Fermenting, Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8 ounces
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 10mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
