How is Root Beer Made?
Root beer is made by fermenting a mixture of herbs with sugar and yeast. The fermentation process generates carbon dioxide, carbonating the drink and giving it an effervescent flavor. Numerous companies produce root beer with a wide range of flavors, depending on what herbs they use; it is also fairly easy to make at home, for people who want to experiment with home brewing. Be aware that if you make root beer at home, it can turn out slightly alcoholic; the alcohol content is generally negligible, but if alcohol consumption is an issue for health or religious reasons, you may want to stick with commercially produced root beers.
Various mixtures of herbs, roots, and bark have been brewed into beverages which were consumed by people of all ages for centuries. In the 1800s, root beer in its modern formulation emerged, thanks to an herb known as sassafras, which is native to the Americas. Root beer with sassafras became a popular drink in the United States and in Europe, and the soft drink's popularity endured; some people think of root beer as the original soda.
To make root beer, brewers mix herbs like vanilla, licorice, wintergreen, cherry bark, sarsaparilla root, nutmeg, anise, and molasses. The herbs are blended with sugar and a small amount of active yeast before being poured into a fermentation tank, to which water is added. Typically the root beer is finished with a few days, at which point it is refrigerated to stop the fermentation process. Most producers decant their root beer into bottles for sale, although root beer can also be sold in kegs.
Sassafras is no longer used in root beer in the United States, because the Food and Drug Administration has determined that it is a mild carcinogen. It is possible to find root beer made with sassafras in some other parts of the world, or to add sassafras to home-made root beer, but this may not be advisable due to the health risks. Numerous other herbs are perfectly safe, and these can create the desired flavor.
If you want to make root beer at home, you will need a clean plastic bottle, a funnel, sugar, yeast, and herbs or root beer extract. Root beer extract is simpler to use than herbs, although it may not create the desired flavor; you may want to play around with a few brands to find one that works.
To make one gallon (four liters) of root beer with herbs, grind ½ ounce each of various herbs from the selection above; if you can, use sarsaparilla, vanilla, and wintergreen at the very least. Simmer the herbs with a gallon of water, and then stir in one and one half cups sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of yeast. Pour the mixture into a plastic bottle or bottles. Allow the root beer to rest in a room temperature location for up to two days; check the bottle periodically to see if it is hard. Once the bottle is firm to the touch, refrigerate the root beer, and remember to open it carefully when you serve it. You should also decant the root beer carefully, as there will be sediment at the base of the bottle.
To make one half gallon (two liters) of root beer with extract, start by pouring one cup of sugar into the bottle, and then add ¼ teaspoon of yeast, shaking the bottle to make sure that the sugar and yeast are well blended. Add one tablespoon of root beer extract, and then pour in water up to the neck of the bottle. Allow the root beer to ferment as above.
Written by S.E. Smith
