Real Homemade Root Beer
- Ready In:
- 96hrs 10mins
- Ingredients:
- 4
- Yields:
-
1 2-liter bottle
- Serves:
- 8
ingredients
- 1⁄4 teaspoon active dry yeast (not instant)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon root beer extract
- 2 liters water, room temperature (tap water is OK, but bottled water will help avoid chlorine and other additives)
directions
- Use the funnel to pour the sugar in the bottle.
- Add the yeast.
- Toss the sugar and yeast around in the bottle so it mixes well. Just swish it around, don't shake it violently. Make it so there is a little depression in the center of the dry mixture.
- Add the root beer extract via the funnel.
- Add some of the water by pouring it over the tablespoon so get the extract residue into the bottle.
- Fill up the bottle about half way with some more water.
- Put the cover on the bottle and GENTLY swish to get the sugar/yeast mixture slightly dissolved.
- Add the rest of the water to about 1 to 1-1/2 inches from the top, then cap this TIGHTLY.
- Let stand in a cool place (65 to 72 degrees F) for three to four days.
- Do not shake the bottle or move it around unnecessarily. Leave it be.
- After about 24 hours of brewing itself, the bottle will start to feel hard as the pressure builds.
- After three/four days, the bottle should be very hard -- resist the urge to shake it up or open it, you will ruin your root beer. Place in refrigerator overnight. This arrests the yeast action.
- After chilling, decant into a glass and enjoy.
- Note: There will be leftover yeast in some sludge at the bottom of the bottle. Be careful decanting as you get to bottom of the bottle. That yeast will be skunky.
- Another note: The yeast is still working! Drink this up right away, keep it chilled.
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