As BabyGirl says "It's Summer"....and in her thread by the same name, JoAnna turned me onto making homemade root-beer, since I can't buy it here in Turkey...Well I've been researching recipes and I see that the basics are the same in most. And I'll go with the Root-Beer Extract style...The big differances seem to be in how to get the carbonation...Seltzer water, or brewers yeast, or Co2 (I don't really know how to do that one yet).... So what do you all recommend....Thanks
I have never made it by myself. But yeast can cause bottles to break on you. So if you want to go the safe rout don't do that. But I imagine that it gives it more flavor and possibly a better end product... Some googling is needed. PS. Could do some pics and let us know how it goes and put it in the recepie section. I know I for one would be interested.
I have never done it either, but I wish you the best! Who knows, you could become the Root Beer King of Turkey! If you have any trouble getting the extract, let me know and I'll see if I can help any.
If you have access to the right equipment, force carbonating with Co2 is certainly the quickest and easiest (IMO). I'm a home brewer and keg 95% of what I make, force carbonating in the keg. My procedure: Put my beer in one of those 5 gallon syrup cans from the soda bottling industry (Legally obtained of course) and chill. After beer is chilled, apply Co2 @ 28 PSI for 48 hours. Back PSI to serving pressure of 10-12 PSI You might find you like a little more carb, and could carb a little longer, but the above works pretty well for most beer styles I brew. Good luck! -Moe
I normally do the CO2 method as well. When I use Root Beer Extract, which is most of the time, (I have a scratch recipe that I can't give you) I modify the sugar. Most extracts call for 8 cups of white sugar for the 4 gallon batch. Here is my recipe. 4 gallons Water (I normally buy the water in 1 gallon jugs) 6 cups white sugar 2 cups Turbinado (natural suger - not brown sugar but it is brownish in color) 1 1/2 cup Fireweed Honey 1/4 cup pure vanilla extract (the uber good stuff) Boil 1 gallon of water While that is going put your jar of honey in the sink and fill the sink with hot water. Let the jar sit in the water for a while. Once your water is boiling turn off the heat and move the pot to a cool burner. (you do not want to scorch the honey or sugar when you add it.) Once the honey is heated to the point where you can pour it take the jar out of the sink and start stirring the water before you start adding the honey. Once you get a good swirl going in the water start adding the honey. Once the honey is blended with the water add the sugars and the vanilla. Then bend your head over the pot and take a big whiff - it is an amazing smell. Now add your Root Beer extract. keep stirring. You have now created a smell that will bring everybody in the house to the kitchen. As to your method of carbonating. Here are my opinions on them, of course this is just been my experience with them, others have had different results than I have. Yeast carbonation - Takes two weeks or more to get a good carbonated level. Adds a small (very small) amount of alcohol to the root beer. (this is what happens when yeast eats the sugar and farts out CO2) This alcohol adds an off flavor to the root beer that not alot of people like. Can cause bottles to explode suddenly. Can also foam up to the point where it will drain the entire bottle when it is opened. Carbonation level is always increasing - the older your root beer the heavier the carbonation level becomes. As you can tell the yeast method is not my favorite way to do it. Seltzer water - to hard to bottle an already carbonated liquid unless you build a counter pressure bottle filler. Using a keg and force carbonating with CO2. (my favorite - once you do this you will never go back) Use Moe's method from above OR What I do is chill the Root beer down to serving temp. Then charge the soda keg to 45 PSI and lay it down on the floor in front of my favorite chair. (put a towel under it so you do not get nailed my any SWMBO's that may be around) Now put your foot on the keg and slowly rock the keg back and forth. Turn off the pressure while rocking the keg. Every 5 min or so turn the pressure back on to charge the keg and then off again. After about 30 min you will have a carbonated beverage. Stand the keg upright and let it set for another 30 min. Then pull the pressure relief valve on the top of the keg in short bursts until the keg is no longer pressurized. Now charge the keg to 10-12 PSI to maintain the carbonation level and serve the beverage. Best served over ice cream! Enjoy - don't give any to your friends or you will be making root beer all the time! CHEERS :eatdrink004
I can't help you with your home brew, but I just came home from the store with a sixer of IBC. Hope your venture is successful.
okay, I've had the idea to try this in the back of my head for sometime now....now I've got to try and figure out where to get the equipment
You can go to local home brew store or you can search on line my personal favorite on line place is beer beer and more beer they have tons of supplies. B
Wow...This is way cool...Thanks JoAnna for getting the ball rolling...Hey I just dug my new Handle...I am the "Future Root-Beer King of Turkey", ain't that Wild ?...:happy102 I can order the extract from New Orleans or Hires, thanks...I believe.
I brew my own root beer regularly, and force-carbonate it in a 5 gallon keg with CO2. It is really easy, and I don't have much to add from the above, other than the added honey and vanilla make a major difference (it is so much better). Also for a bit thicker mouth feel I also add a little malto-dextrine (about 4 ounces per 5 gallon batch). I got my keg kit from www.kegconnection.com they were great. For brands of root beer extract, there are a bunch out there. I personally recommend Gnome or Zatarains, both are very good (Gnome is my favorite)
Wow, thanks everybody...In the last few days I've gone from being completly clueless(my natural state) to having a good idea of how I want to go about this... Everybody's been great as usual....Thanks And Billr, your directions are so well laid out...I think even I can make this happen :happy102
It is very nice title. I want to try to make this stuff now.... Too bad kegs are a decent hunk of change. But with the root beer stand in turkey you should be able to earn it all back. Just dont get into the root beer black market. Bad stuff happens there
Well Lloyd, I can't help with the recipe, but it appears that part is taken care of anyway. I tell you what; in honor of your new custom title, I offer my Quality Assurance services to you at no charge. Round trip flights from Tampa to Istanbul are only $1,000.00 in September. Think you will have a product tasting ready by then?
If the Stingster is going to make the scene, I might have to go with one of the Brewer's Yeast recipes...We might have some pretty potent Root-Beer by Sept....::
in honor of reading this thread I stopped and picked up a 6 pack of Goose Island Root Beer on my way home. In a few minutes I'm going to put a big scoop of ice cream in a mug and fill with root beer!
I am glad to help - although I did read through my post just now and I realized that the part about putting the hot water in the sink for warming the honey and then the part about boiling water in the pot might get a little confusing but it is to late to edit the post. I may take some time tomorrow to out the instructions in the recipe area of the the forum. Making Root Beer is a great and fun family thing to do. However be warned the stuff is so good you will end up making it for all of your family and friend get togethers. I love the custom title btw!
