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Old Root Beer

A nostalgic homemade old root beer recipe that brings the classic soda experience to your kitchen.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 2 days
Servings: 8 cups
Course: Beverage
Cuisine: American
Calories: 100
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main
  • 4 cups of water
  • 1 cup of brown sugar
  • 1 cup of granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon of sassafras root
  • 1 tablespoon of sarsaparilla root
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon of yeast
  • 1 tablespoon of ginger root grated
  • 1 tablespoon of wintergreen leaves

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Wooden spoon for stirring
  • Strainer or cheesecloth
  • Glass bottles with caps
  • Funnel

Method
 

  1. In a large pot, bring 4 cups of water to a rolling boil.
  2. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the boiling water and stir until fully dissolved.
  3. Stir in the sassafras root, sarsaparilla root, grated ginger, and wintergreen leaves.
  4. Reduce the heat, and let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes.
  5. Remove the pot from heat and strain the liquid into a clean container.
  6. Once the liquid has cooled to room temperature, add the yeast and vanilla extract.
  7. Using a funnel, pour the mixture into glass bottles, leaving some space at the top.
  8. Cap the bottles and leave them at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours to ferment.

Notes

Always refrigerate the root beer after fermentation to stop the fermentation process and prevent overflow.