How to Make Root Beer - an Easy Homemade Root Beer Recipe (2024)

Have you ever wondered how to make root beer? Or why it’s called root beer? Well, those little mysteries are unravelled for us: root beer is made of a complex combination of different roots. Learn how to make root beer from scratch with this simple recipe.

How to Make Root Beer - an Easy Homemade Root Beer Recipe (1)

Supposedly, root beer was originally invented by Charles Hires, a pharmacist from Philidelphia who made many tonics from various roots and teas for health reasons. He made a version that was sold with the promise of purifying the blood and making cheeks rosy.

Nowadays, you can find root beer at just about any grocery store or restaurant. The more I’ve travelled, the more I see that root beer is a distinctively North American treat. We just can’t get enough of the unique, earthy drink. Since root beer has natural and garden-grown roots (ha!), it’s one of the best sweet drinks to make yourself.

If you love the drink, why not learn how to make root beer yourself? It’s not as hard as you may think.

This post will cover…

  • What is Root Beer?
  • Root Beer Ingredients
  • How to Make Root Beer
  • Ingredients:
  • Make it!
  • Frequently Asked Questions About Homemade Root Beer
  • More Recipes to Try!
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What is Root Beer?

The primary flavour you will recognize is sassafras, but many other roots come into play to make the famous beverage, like sarsaparilla, birch, wintergreen, licorice, and burdock. Together, they create a unique earthy taste.

In terms of soda, root beer reminds me of fall days. It’s sweet, full of rooty and distinct flavours, with notes of vanilla and brown sugar.

The more commercial root beers taste more syrupy than the classic flavours. Homemade root beers will have much more kick to them, especially when incorporating all the different roots.

In learning that root beer is just a combination of different roots, I was inspired to try my own version with ingredients found in the recipes that I thought would taste good together. I’ve made it many times now, and I think it is perfect!

Root Beer Ingredients

Root beer is a complex drink! To get such a unique flavour, you’re going to need a combination of the following ingredients:

  • Ginger root: root beer tends to have a little spice to it thanks to ginger.
  • Sarsaparilla: it has a slightly bitter flavour and is one of the root beer’s main profile notes.
  • Sassafras: the other main component of root beer, it has a strong earthy taste with mild lemon notes. Modern commercial root beer no longer contains sassafras.
  • Licorice root: unlike the candy, licorice root isn’t as pungent of a flavour. Instead, it’s mild and slightly bitter but hints at that distinct licorice flavour.
  • Burdock root: one of the sweetest roots, burdock also has a mild nutty undertone and earthy taste.
  • Mint leaves: some people note that root beer has a mild minty taste. While not the main flavour note, mint still makes its way through.
  • Anise pod: anise has a similar taste to licorice and a natural sweetness.
  • Dark brown sugar: brown sugar has molasses added to it, giving it an ultra-sweet and deep flavour that works well for root beer compared to white refined sugar.
  • Vanilla extract: a hint of vanilla helps to offset all the bold root flavours and compliment the sweet aspects of the drink.

How to Make Root Beer

Learning how to make root beer is quite simple once you have sourced all your ingredients. Then, you make make it over and over again when you get that sweet root beer craving!

Ingredients

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Make it!

Combine all ingredients except sugar and vanilla in a saucepan and bring to a simmer for 30 minutes.

Stir in the sugar and vanilla until dissolved. Simmer on the lowest heat setting for another 30 minutes until the mixture is thicker and syrupy. Strain out all the bits, then cool.

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Mix 1/2 cup chilled syrup with 1 ½ cups soda water (seltzer). Ensure that both the seltzer and the syrup are chilled, as the difference in temperature causes the eruption of fizz up and over your glass. Also, add syrup to soda, not the other way around.

I found the final drink incredibly flavourful, with all the complexity you would expect from having such diverse flavours mixed together and a creamy mouth feel.

How to Make Root Beer - an Easy Homemade Root Beer Recipe (5)

I like adding as much or as little syrup as I want and controlling the sweetness, particularly when making a root beer float (which I have now done more times than I should)!

Frequently Asked Questions About Homemade Root Beer

How long does homemade root beer last?

After you make your syrup for your root beer, it needs to be refrigerated. It can sit in the fridge for up to a week before you’ll need to make a new batch.

Is root beer healthy?

Given the amount of sugar used in root beer, it would not be considered a healthy drink. While the actual roots of the root beer ingredients are known to have health benefits and are often used in traditional herbal medicine, the best way to get these benefits is by making herbal tea.

Is root beer just sarsaparilla?

Sarsparilla is made from the sarsaparilla vine. Traditionally, it used to be quite bitter. Root beer is also made from sarsaparilla, but sassafras used to be the main component and flavour of the drink. However, sassafras became a banned ingredient in the USA, so the two flavour profiles merged, and the sugary version became popular. While they may have different names, they have a similar flavour profile for the most part.

Can you eat sarsaparilla?

Yes! The root of wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis) is used to make root beer. You can also make jelly or wine from the fruit. The leaves are also edible, but the root is the most common way to eat the plant.

More Recipes to Try

  • Artisinal Herb-Infused Vinegar
  • 3-Ingredient Pumpkin Dog Treats
  • Mojito Mint Popsicles with Lemon and Honey
  • Homemade Ginger Ale Syrup + Ginger Mint Lemonade Recipe

How to Make Root Beer - an Easy Homemade Root Beer Recipe (6)

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

How to Make Root Beer

This homemade root beer recipe is one of the most delicious drinks you'll ever taste!

Cook Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Keyword: root beer

Servings: 8 people

Calories: 250kcal

Cost: $15

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Set aside sugar and vanilla, and combine all other ingredients together in a saucepan. Simmer together for 30 minutes.

  • Stir in the vanilla and sugar until dissolved. Simmer again for another 30 minutes until the mixture is thicker and has the consistency of syrup.

  • Strain out the mixture into a jar or container, then let cool.

  • Pour 1/2 cup of chilled seltzer water into a glass, then mix in 1/2 cup of chilled syrup. Make sure both are chilled for the most fizz possible.

  • Sip and enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 250kcal

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How to Make Root Beer - an Easy Homemade Root Beer Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients for root beer? ›

What Is Root Beer—And What Is It Made Of? The main ingredients in root beer are pretty much the same as any other soda: water, high fructose corn syrup, caramel coloring, and flavoring, both natural and artificial. However, root beer's unique flavor comes from sassafras, a tree root native to the United States.

What is the best root beer extract for homemade root beer? ›

Best Extract for Homemade Root Beer

I won't dissuade you from using widely-recognized brands out there, but I will tell you that my favorite extracts are Watkins root beer extract or Zatarains root beer extract. Both of these extracts are extremely delicious and have an intense but well-balanced root beer flavor.

How was traditional root beer made? ›

Root beer was originally made with sassafras root and bark which, due to its mucilaginous properties, formed a natural, long lasting foam, a characteristic feature of the beverage. Root beer was originally carbonated by fermentation. As demand and technology changed, carbonated water was used.

What are the ingredients in A&W root beer? ›

CARBONATED WATER, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, CARAMEL COLOR, SODIUM BENZOATE (PRESERVATIVE), NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, QUILLAIA EXTRACT.

How to make a beer at home? ›

Brew
  1. Pour 10 liters of fresh, cold water into the 10 gallon plastic pail (carboy). ...
  2. In your largest pot, bring seven liters of water to a boil.
  3. Add one can of malt extract. ...
  4. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve.
  5. As soon as the sugar is dissolved, pour contents into the carboy.

How is beer made step by step? ›

The beer brewing process involves malting, milling, mashing, extract separation, hop addition and boiling, removal of hops and precipitates, cooling and aeration, fermentation, separation of yeast from young beer, aging, and maturing.

What two flavors make root beer? ›

Some describe root beer as an 'adulterated sarsaparilla' because it contains a mix of flavour enhancing ingredients. Most brewers choose to add vanilla, wintergreen, liquorice root, nutmeg, acacia, anise, molasses, cinnamon, clove or honey to their recipes.

How much alcohol is in homemade root beer? ›

(Homemade root beer that gets its carbonation from fermentation in the bottle generally has less than 0.25–0.35% alcohol. Force carbonated root beer is entirely non-alcoholic.)

What is a good root beer mix? ›

Root Beer Mixes
  • Black Beard: Abita Root Beer, Vanilla Vodka top with whipped cream.
  • The Barrel Shot: Abita Root Beer, Vanilla Vodka top with whipped cream.
  • Tootsie Roll: Kahlua, vanilla vodka & Abita Root Beer.
  • The Brown Snapper: Amaretto, whiskey & Abita Root Beer.
Dec 22, 2014

What did Native Americans use to make root beer? ›

The Origins of Root Beer

Indigenous peoples in the Americas have long been using sassafras and sarsaparilla—the central ingredients to root beer—for culinary and medicinal purposes, including infused beverages.

How did pioneers make root beer? ›

The colonists did not have barley or other grains for brewing at first, so they used the ingredients that were available: berries, bark and roots. The alcohol was the preservative. The beer was boiled and brewed like tea to blend the flavors and kill the germs. It was then cooled and fermented with yeast.

What does A&W stand for? ›

Allen partnered with former Lodi employee Frank Wright. They leased their first two Root Beer stands to other operators so they could expand into the larger city of Sacramento. This was around the same time the partners coined the new name A&W®, “A” for Allen & “W” for Wright.

Is root beer healthier than Coke? ›

Although root beer is widely grouped in with other sodas, it has a significant difference: it rarely has any traces of citric or phosphoric acid. This makes root beer healthier for teeth when compared to typical colas. Root beer acidity is also much lower than other sodas on the market.

What are the ingredients in dad's root beer? ›

Dad's is a unique root beer with a loyal following. Although new flavors have been introduced into the root beer category over the past 100 years, the essential ingredients are still wintergreen, licorice, and vanilla. Dad's remains the flagship product of The Dad's Root Beer Company.

Is A&W root beer healthier than Coke? ›

Root beer acidity is also much lower than other sodas on the market. It generally has a pH between 4.03 to 4.75 which is far less acidic than other types of sodas. With a lower acidic content, less harm occurs to the enamel.

Is root beer still made with sassafras? ›

Sarsaparilla was made from the Sarsaparilla vine, while Root Beer, roots of the sassafras tree. These days, Root Beer recipes do not include sassafras as the plant has been found to cause serious health issues.

What makes root beer have its flavor? ›

The primary flavor found in any old-fashioned homemade root beer recipe is sassafras, a deciduous tree in North America. The characteristic sweet flavor comes from the tree's roots, giving us the name root beer. Now, the primary flavor we associate with root beer is wintergreen, not sassafras.

What is the flavor of root beer? ›

“There are a variety of flavor profiles of root beer on the market, but at the heart is a wintergreen profile with secondary vanilla, anise, and herbal, earthy notes.

Is Dr Pepper root beer? ›

No. Dr Pepper is not a root beer. It's not an apple, it's not an orange, it's not a strawberry, it's not a root beer, it's not even a cola. It is a drink with a unique blend of 23 natural and artificial flavours.

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