# Alcoholic Root Beer



## RyboFlav (Apr 5, 2011)

I was reminded the other day of a root beer cooler that I used to drink back in university called "Joe Stiffs". It was a vodka based cooler.

So I got to thinking... "How can I ferment some rootbeer into a delicious beverage?"

I don't think that chucking some yeast into some flat root beer is going to give me the results I'm looking for so I put the question out there to see if anyone has attempted something like this in the past.

Any ideas?

-Ryan


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## buddy (Apr 5, 2011)

I haven't tried what you are attempting to do but I think what you need to do is get some root beer concentrate. Follow the directions for making root beer and then add some alcohol to give it the kick that you are looking for.


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## cpfan (Apr 5, 2011)

In Ontario, there is Woody's Sasparilla, a 5% root beer type cooler.

Steve


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## mmadmikes1 (Apr 5, 2011)

This was from Excellent Recipes for Baking Raised Bread, from the Fleishman Company,1912.

* 1 cake, compressed yeast
* 5 pounds, sugar
* 2 ounces, sassafras root
* 1 ounce, hops or ginger root
* 2 ounces, juniper berries
* 4 gallons, water <
* 1 ounce, dandelion root
* 2 ounces, wintergreen

Procedure:
Wash roots well in cold water. Add juniper berries (crushed) and hops. Pour 8 quarts
boiling water over root mixture and boil slowly 20 minutes. Strain through flannel bag.
Add sugar and remaining 8 quarts water. Allow to stand until lukewarm. Dissolve yeast in
a little cool water. Add to root liquid. Stir will. Let settle then strain again and bottle.
Cork tightly. Keep in a warm room 5 to 6 hours, then store in a cool place. Put on ice as
required for use.


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## RyboFlav (Apr 6, 2011)

Hmmm.... it looks like the most reasonable option is what buddy is suggesting, but if I could find the ingredients for mike's recipe, I would certainly like to try it!


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## cpfan (Apr 6, 2011)

I found this on the web...

Ingredients:
1 ounce Galliano
1 ounce Kahlua
beer or club soda to fill

Instructions: In a frosted beer mug, add Galliano and Kahlua. Fill with beer
or club soda. (Beer works best to produce a foamy, root beer-like "head.")

Another site suggested using cola.

No idea what these taste like. You could substitute root beer soft drink for the beer/club soda/cola.

Steve


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## kzhen (Jul 5, 2011)

Sounds delicious! I wonder how different it would taste like as compared to regular root beer.


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## Airplanedoc (Jul 5, 2011)

FYI McCormmicks rootbeer extract is sold in the spice aisle at the grocery store, It makes pretty decent rootbeer. if you are like me and have to drive a ways to the homebrew shop or mail order.


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## barryjo (Jul 16, 2011)

*root beer*



buddy said:


> I haven't tried what you are attempting to do but I think what you need to do is get some root beer concentrate. Follow the directions for making root beer and then add some alcohol to give it the kick that you are looking for.


Many moons ago, I used Hires Root Beer Concentrate to make this. I was totally uninformed about the fermentation process. So I mixed things up per the directions and put the results into recycled Welch's grape juice bottles. 
(I was also making grape wine?) Several weeks later the bottles started exploding. Wife was not happy. And then during a weekend neighborhood party, the kids started acting strange. Seems they had found my root beer.
I have no idea what the ABV would be. Not sure I would add vodka for an extra kick. but that is my preference.


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## Runningwolf (Jul 16, 2011)

Barryjo, first off welcome to the forum. What kind of wines are you making now. I love the story. That is too funny!


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## Duster (Jul 16, 2011)

I have never tried root beer but I bet if you look up some recipes for home made ginger ale, then think about changing the ginger root out with sarsaparilla root you will be off on the right foot. never know you may come up with something you like really well, just in case you don't, i would only make 1 gallon batches


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## barryjo (Jul 19, 2011)

Thanks for the welcome,runningwolf. 
I am presently making the following: 
several Triple Berry from Sam's club fruit, several Berry Medley from Walmart, cranberry from cans and frozen, chokecherry and nanking cherry from home grown fruit, a plum from canned fruit, a chocolate-maraschino cherry from an internet recipe, and a cherry pie wine from the i-net. Just started another triple berry yesterday.
Need to start another skeeter pee.
Since I live far from a good source for ripe fruit, I have to rely on kits, cans and frozen quite a bit. 
I made an onion wine a while back that others said was good for cooking. 
BTW, it was Lon of Skeeter Pee fame who told me about this forum.


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## docanddeb (Jul 22, 2011)

That root beer would be interesting... I hope someone tries it. I saw a discussion in another forum about trying it as well.

Debbie


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