16 replies to this topic

[CaptRon]

So I bought a root beer extract which all the instructions say is to use sugar and yeast for bottle carbing, but I am going to be kegging and force carbing. So do I need to back off the sugar being none of it is going to be consumed by yeast or just make it as stated without yeast and force carb it?

[Genesee Ted]

Does anyone have any tried and true scratch root beer recipes?

[CaptRon]

There was a book about soda making at my lhbs. I might pick it up next time as it had all kinds of scratch recipes . I don't know how easy it is going to be to find the ingredients though.

[zymot]

Please Note: This post is mostly speculation and questions by somebody who has never made a soft drink. AKA - FWIWI thought sodas typically were made with water saturated with sugar. Coke, Pepsi, root beer, all have as much sugar as you can dissolve into a given volume of water.If your recipe is for bottle carbing, wouldn't you assume all the sugar added will be consumed by the yeast andproduce CO2? You wouldn't put 1 lb of sugar in 5 gallons and say, "4 ounces are for carbing, 12 ounces are for sweetening the root beer." If you put 1 lb of sugar in 5 gallons of root beer with yeast and bottled it, you would get gushers and/or bottle bombs.This is why I never made root beer. You can't bottle and carbonate a drink with sugar in it. Or at last sugar that is used to sweeten it. I I could keg, I would use not yeast, add a ton of sugar and force carbonate.To answer the OP, I would make the root beer, add zero sugar and taste it. If it need sugar, I would add it.

[jammer]

My son and I made a cola from extract, and kegged and carbed it. we just followed the directions on package. turned out great. It recommended using the PET bottles when you do bottle because of the higher pressure.

[Kremer]

I use the Zatarains root beer extract, 4 cups brown sugar (2#), and 48 splenda packets. Keg and force carb.This is 1/2 sugar or less compared to the recipe on the bottle and tastes great to me, all sugar is to slick and syrupy tasting, the splenda lets it have some bite.

[CaptRon]

Please Note: This post is mostly speculation and questions by somebody who has never made a soft drink. AKA - FWIWI thought sodas typically were made with water saturated with sugar. Coke, Pepsi, root beer, all have as much sugar as you can dissolve into a given volume of water.If your recipe is for bottle carbing, wouldn't you assume all the sugar added will be consumed by the yeast andproduce CO2? You wouldn't put 1 lb of sugar in 5 gallons and say, "4 ounces are for carbing, 12 ounces are for sweetening the root beer." If you put 1 lb of sugar in 5 gallons of root beer with yeast and bottled it, you would get gushers and/or bottle bombs.This is why I never made root beer. You can't bottle and carbonate a drink with sugar in it. Or at last sugar that is used to sweeten it. I I could keg, I would use not yeast, add a ton of sugar and force carbonate.To answer the OP, I would make the root beer, add zero sugar and taste it. If it need sugar, I would add it.

Well, there are a couple of options in the instructions:Low calorie - 4-6 tbsp of sugar to each gallon of mix, then add artificial sweetener to taste.Full sugar recipe - 2 cups sugar per gallon. It says for the natural carbonation using yeast that it makes no alcohol. That goes against everything I know about yeast, isn't alcohol one of the byproducts of the yeast consuming the sugar? Alcohol and Co2???

[zymot]

Well, there are a couple of options in the instructions:Low calorie - 4-6 tbsp of sugar to each gallon of mix, then add artificial sweetener to taste.Full sugar recipe - 2 cups sugar per gallon. It says for the natural carbonation using yeast that it makes no alcohol. That goes against everything I know about yeast, isn't alcohol one of the byproducts of the yeast consuming the sugar? Alcohol and Co2???

There is sweetening and there is carbonation. You can't tell the yeast to eat only the first 4 ounces and then stop and leave the last couple pounds for sweetening.Two cups per gallon? That is way more sugar than used to prime a beer. Way more sugar = way more carbonation = explosive.Yeast will consume sugar and one of the byproducts is alcohol. At 4 ounces per 5 gallons, that is almost no alcohol. Some? Yes, but not enough to be a distraction. "Regular" apple cider can have some alcohol, but so little nobody worries about it.If they tell you to use 2 cups per gallon, there is no way you should put that in a bottle. For carb in a keg with a good auto pressure release valve.

[Kremer]

I made up a batch of rootbeer a couple years ago and accidentally left it in my basement a few weeks force-carbed up. Evidently there were a few yeasties that got in there..... it started seeping from the pressure relief. I thought the valve might have been bad so I sat the keg in the sink and released pressure to swap the lid. I was greeted by about a phone booth's worth of foam. once I got the pressure down I removed the lid and dumped it, more incredible foam.Now they get force carbed overnight after being mixed up and go in the fridge the next morning.

[CaptRon]

I made up a batch of rootbeer a couple years ago and accidentally left it in my basement a few weeks force-carbed up. Evidently there were a few yeasties that got in there..... it started seeping from the pressure relief. I thought the valve might have been bad so I sat the keg in the sink and released pressure to swap the lid. I was greeted by about a phone booth's worth of foam. once I got the pressure down I removed the lid and dumped it, more incredible foam.Now they get force carbed overnight after being mixed up and go in the fridge the next morning.

So do I just use the amt of sugar they say or back it off some being I'm force carbing?

[Kremer]

So do I just use the amt of sugar they say or back it off some being I'm force carbing?

doesn't really matter. only say a couple percent of the sugar is for carbonation.

[Braindead]

I always keg my rootbeer and force carb at 30 psi. I only use that keg for rootbeer as it tends to linger.

Edited by Braindead, 19 December 2012 - 12:26 AM.

[Braindead]

Holy crap!! Braindead!!!!!

Took me awhile, but I done did find most of the clan.

Edited by Braindead, 19 December 2012 - 10:15 PM.

[Braindead]

Welcome to our new home! How has life been?

Pretty tuff the past 5-6 years, but trying to climb back up out of the hole. Trying to get in touch with my Bud Hightest, that's what led me here the Hightest Honey Haven web site. I lost touch with him, and trying to see how he is doing and trying to back into some home brewing again. How have you been Bud?

[positiveContact]

Pretty tuff the past 5-6 years, but trying to climb back up out of the hole. Trying to get in touch with my Bud Hightest, that's what led me here the Hightest Honey Haven web site. I lost touch with him, and trying to see how he is doing and trying to back into some home brewing again. How have you been Bud?

I recognize your name from the board of verde. welcome back. always nice to see a familiar face from the days of old

[Braindead]

My year has been utter shit. Even the last few days on top of it all.

I'll double that. It's great talking to you again and seeing alot of the old gang here. We need to find HighTest and do a group brew for old time sake?

[Genesee Ted]

Find ol HT and I am down!Just to add to this thread, I read that Sprecher is soon or has already released an alcoholic 5% ABV fermented root beer