I was talking with a shipmate who told me his grandma used to make root beer. As the conversation progress, and I peppered him with questions, he kept giving me the Air Force salute (Shrugged shoulders, muttered “I don’t knows”).
My questions are these:
a. What is root beer flavoring?
b. I know you most root beer now-a-days is artificially flavored, but if you made natural root beer, with what would you flavor it?
a. How do you make root beer?
b. Is it brewed?
c. How is it carbonated?
d. Was it always non-alcoholic?
a. What is the difference between root beer and birch beer?
b. Is birch beer flavored somehow with birch trees (bark, seeds, etc.)?
I’ve made root beer. I went to my local brew supply store, bought a bottle of root beer extract, put it into a carboy with some sugar and yeast, and in a short period of time I had a whole lot of used 2-liter bottles of non-carbonated root beer (non-carbonated on account of the yeast didn’t take off).
Conventional wisdom nowadays says to skip the yeast part and just mix the water, sugar and extract up and put it all into a soda keg, then force carbonate with bottled CO2.
CW also says never, ever make root beer in glass bottles due to the afore-alluded problems in yeast performance consistency. Remember, it’s only funny until somebody loses an eye.
Birch beer is made from the sap of birch trees (like maple syrup, only not as sweet).
“Sassafras root bark, a key to root beer’s flavor, was banned by the FDA 1960, changing the flavor root beer forever. It was determined that a chemical pound called safrole, the principal component of sassafras, was a weak hepatic carcinogen, which causes cancer of the liver. Artificial flavorings are now used.”
I followed one of the links, which gives this somewhat different answer:
"Created in the mid-1800s by Philadelphia pharmacist Charles Hires, the original root beer was a (very) low-alcohol, naturally effervescent beverage made by fermenting a blend of sugar and yeast with various roots, herbs and barks such as SARSAPARILLA, SASSAFRAS, wild cherry, WINTERGREEN and GINGER. Today’s commercial root beer is completely nonalcoholic and generally contains sugar, caramel coloring, a combination of artificial and natural flavorings (including some of those originally used) and carbonated water for sparkle. "
I actually looked this up with ulterior motives–I want to post my favorite Star Trek: Deep Space Nine quote, but I want to give a substantive answer, too.
Apparently real root beer was flavored with sassafras, which the FDA has decided is a bad thing, so now they use sassafras extract or “root beer flavoring.”
Now, my favorite quote
Quark: Take a sip of this
Garak: What is it?
Quark: It’s a human beverage called root beer.
Qarak: [dubious] I don’t know…
Quark: C’mon, aren’t you at least a little curious?
Garak sips, and makes this face: http://catthause.com/elimgarak/warrior/War070.jpg
Garak: It’s vile!
Quark: I know. It’s so bubbly, and cloying, and happy.
Garak: Just like the Federation!
Quark: And you know what’s really frightening? If you drink enough of it, you begin to like it.
Garak: It’s insidious.
Quark: Just like the Federation.
From “The Way of the Warrior”
Well, I do have to live up to my sig. I’m with Garak. I can’t stand the stuff…
Simmer herbs in water for 30 minutes. Add sugar, stir to dissolve,
and strain into a crock. Cool to lukewarm, add yeast, and stir
well. Cover crock and leave to ferment for an hour. Funnel
into sterilized bottles (old beer bottles work well), and cap tightly.
Metal caps applied with a crimping tool, or wire-hinged caps are
best. If you cork your bottles, tie or wire the corks down firmly
and store bottles on their side to encourage sealing. Use only
sturdy, returnable-type beer bottles or champagne bottles; those
with twist-top caps are not strong enough. Birch Beer is made by seeping sweet or cherry birch bark and twigs in simmering water. One part honey to 4 parts water. Carbonate with yeast as above.
A quick variation on Ethilrist’s recipe–instead of yeast or CO2 gas, drop in a big chunk of dry ice. Ready in minutes.
delphica: I read somewhere (and I wish I could remember where) that Hires wanted to market his concoction as “herbal tea” but a friend convinced him that it would sell better if he called it beer.
Yes it tastes different. In addition to the natural ingredients you have the yeast carbonation instead of CO2.
Just think of home brewed beer vs. the majors.
For a decent comparison IBC is the closest (IMHO) to fresh brewed. I do remember the days when you could bring a gallon jug to A&W and have it filled with pretty good and fresh Root Beer. That was good stuff.
If you do home brew this stuff. Drink it in a week or two. The Yeast will continue to work and build up pressure in the bottles.
If you want to try making your own root beer, http://www.leeners.com is a good site to try. They sell root beer kits, containing all the necessary ingredients, plus instructions and bottles. A friend of mine swears by this kit, so I’ve ordered one to try it out.
