How to make Root Beer, fermenation method
In the fall, the plants return their vital energy to their roots as they prepare for the cold, dormant winter. So this is the optimal time to dig and harvest the roots – burdock, dandelion, comfrey… Sassafras, Sarsaparilla…
What more delicious way to bring the nourishing, healing properties of the roots into our diet than making our own…Homemade Root Beer?
When we simmer the roots to bring their flavors into our soda syrup we’re also extracting the vitamins and minerals and other healing components into the water.
In this recipe, I’ve combined sassafras and sarsaparilla with burdock, licorice and astragulus to make a nourishing healing fall tonic.
Sassafras root is an alterative meaning it will induce change to bring about health.
Sarsaparilla will help purify the blood and also tone the urino-gential tract and the nervous system.
Burdock and astragulus are nourishing for the immune system and licorice is calming and thirst quenching. All the roots also bring numerous vitamins and minerals to the brew.
After we’ve created this healthy syrup we will then ferment the brew for several days, adding all those great microorganisms that enhance our digestion.
As you can see, this soda is much more than a delicious family treat; it is truly a fall health tonic!
So, let’s get on to the recipe….
This recipe is adapted from a root beer recipe in Stephen Cresswell’s Homemade Root Beer Soda and Pop and my experience in a soda making class taught by Jennifer Sundstrom and an article called Artisanal Home Soda Fermentation by Charles Eisenstein that can be found on the Weston Price Foundation website.
The process takes a couple of weeks; so don’t get started just before leaving on vacation.
STEP 1: Creating Culture
The first step is to create your soda culture. To do so you will need:
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A 2 to 3 inch piece of ginger root
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About a half a cup of sugar (white sugar is fine or you can use sucanat or maple syrup…)
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And a quart mason jar 3/4 full with water
Fill the mason jar to 3/4 full with filtered water (it’s best if you can remove the chlorine).
Add 1 Tablespoon of ginger and 2 teaspoons of sugar.
Stir well.
Cover with cheese cloth and allow to sit out for 24 hours.
Add 2 teaspoons of ginger and 2 teaspoons of sugar and stir well each morning for a week.
If possible stir 2 or 3 times per day.
After a week it should become slightly bubbly and pleasant smelling. At this point it is ready to be used in your soda making. If you are not going to use it all right away, you can cap it and keep it in your refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
STEP 2: Making the Root Beer
The next step is to create your syrup. For this root beer syrup you will need:
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2 Tablespoons sassafras root
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2 teaspoons sarsaparilla root
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2 teaspoons burdock root
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2 teaspoons licorice root
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5 or 6 tongues of astragulus root
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1 gallon of filtered water
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1 1/2 cups of brown sugar
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1 cup of soda culture
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a gallon jar and a large pot
Put 1⁄2 gallon of filtered water in a large pot. Add your roots. (Feel free to add different roots or omit any of these you don’t enjoy. This is just a recipe to get you started.)
Bring the water to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes.
Stir in your sugar or other sweetener.
(Remember that the microorganisms are going to consume this sugar during the process of fermentation and transform it. This is what creates the soda’s fizz. So refined sugar is not as bad a choice as it is for non-fermented foods.)
Continue to steep for about 4 hours.
Taste what you’ve created. Does the root beer taste seem strong enough? If not maybe you want to make and add another root decoction or steep bit longer. (This is not an absolute process.)
Strain.
Pour this liquid into a gallon jar.
Fill the jar almost to the top (you’ll need to leave some space to add your cup of culture) with cool filtered water, and allow the liquid to cool to room temperature.
Now add your one cup of culture (don’t worry if some of the ginger gets into your brew – it won’t be enough to add it’s flavor).
Stir well. Cover with cheesecloth and allow to sit out on your counter. Leave the brew to sit for 3-7 days, stirring well 2 or 3 times a day.
The longer it sits the more it will ferment and the more of the sugars will be consumed. If you want a sweeter soda stop the fermentation earlier. For my root beer I only let it sit until it started bubbling – about 3 days.
Taste your soda after 3 days and see if you like it. Bottle it when you are ready.
To bottle the soda, strain it and then pour it into some kind of bottle that can seal. You can use these fancy sorts of bottles (available at home brewing supply stores) or simply well cleaned bottles with screw tops – the options are many.
Leave the bottles to sit out overnight (or longer if it is not fizzy enough after one day). The fermentation process will continue and the closed bottles will trap the bubbles, so your soda will turn out nicely carbonated.
Use caution when opening your sodas. If you’re worried about too much carbonation put a bowl over the top and a bowl underneath, in case they fizz over the top of the bottle. I’ve found this isn’t as necessary with the root beer as with the fruit sodas since the fruits themselves add so much extra sugar. If your sodas are as fizzy as you like in the morning, put them into the fridge to slow the fermentation process.
Be aware – bottles left too long on the counter can explode if the pressure builds up too much. Also, the fermentation process will continue in the fridge, though much more slowly. Bottles left too long in the fridge may also explode. So don’t forget to drink the soda after you’ve made it.
Pour into a glass with ice and enjoy, or serve to your eager children or guests. We had a work party this year to clear some ivy out from under our trees and this root beer went great with the pizza!
Fun & Cheap Gift Idea: Root Beer Kits!
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Order 4 ounce packs (the smallest size) of the following roots (not powdered): sassafras root, sarsaparilla root, burdock root, licorice root, astragulus root (slices, or cut & sifted root if slices not available)
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Measure out the roots as directed in the lesson above and put them into small baggies.
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Print these instructions to include in your package. You can cut off the surrounding edges to make a small set of instructions that you could tape together and neatly fold up.
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Use your creativity to make a beautiful gift. Use a fancy bag, make labels, decorate them. You could even include some fancy bottles if you have a home brew supply store nearby. You could even include the sugar pre-measured as well.
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It’s an inexpensive and thoughtful gift that teaches about herbs. Have fun!
We hope your root beer is the hit of your Holiday party!
-Kimberly