Root Beer Recipe (real ingredients!)
Servings: 8 cups root beer
Ingredients
For homemade root beer mix*
- 2 tablespoons dried sarsaparilla root
- 1 tablespoon licorice root
- 2 teaspoons anise seed
- 2 teaspoons dried ginger root
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 2 sprigs fresh mint* optional
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1-1.5 cups coconut sugar or brown sugar
For homemade root beer
- 1/4-1/3 cup root beer syrup concentrate
- 1 cup sparkling water
Instructions
For the Root Beer Syrup
- In a saucepan, combine either 1/3 cup of THIS root beer mix, OR entire mixture listed above (minus the vanilla and sugar) with 4 cups of water.
- Bring to a boil, than reduce heat to simmer. Allow to simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the water has been reduced to roughly half.
- Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer, add sweetener, and store in a jar. If using homemade root beer mix, add the vanilla extract now.
To Make Root Beer Soda
- Combine 1/4-1/3 cup root beer syrup with about 1 cup cold sparkling water (I make my own with this fancy machine). Adjust the syrup-sparkling water ratio to suit your taste. Add ice and enjoy.
Notes
*OR substitute for pre-mixed Root Beer kit. Use code "soulyrested"
I like to add fresh mint to my root beer syrup whether I'm using a homemade or bought mix. It adds a touch of extra flavor that I enjoy. I usually just use peppermint or spearmint, but any type of mint will do.
My favorite way to "jazz" this homemade root beer up is to finish each cup with a splash of lemon juice and a dallop of vanilla bean paste.