{This post is sponsored by Mountain Rose Herbs}
I wasn’t allowed to drink much soda pop growing up (thanks Mom!), but I did have the occasional root beer when we went out to eat. It was always my favorite with its distinctive flavor that was so different than the regular boring colas. Little did I know back then that the root in root beer meant just that—roots! Traditional root beer is actually made with real roots and herbs. Fast forward a bunch of years, and here I am putting the root back in root beer with this fermented root beer recipe that’s made with a ginger bug!
The Roots and Herbs in Traditional Root Beer
Many different roots and herbs have traditionally been used to make root beer over the years, but the primary one is sassafras root and bark.
In recent years, because of a debatable controversy over the safety of sassafras root due to its safrole content, wintergreen has become the primary flavoring agent.
Beyond sassafras and wintergreen, many other roots, herbs, berries, and spices can be added for more flavor, depending on your preference.
Some common ones are birch bark, sarsaparilla, licorice root, wild cherry bark, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, dandelion root, burdock root, juniper berries, and anise.
Fermented Root Beer Recipe
I decided to stay pretty traditional and use sassafras, sarsaparilla, and birch bark, all from Mountain Rose Herbs (my favorite place to purchase high quality, organic herbs and spices).
Feel free to add in any other herbs, spices, and roots that you’d like.
Make the Ginger Bug
The first step in making this fermented root beer is to make a ginger bug. Since ginger root is also a common ingredient in root beer, this seemed like the perfect choice.
You can follow my recipe for making a ginger bug here.
Boil the Roots & Herbs
Combine the water and herbs in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let the root and bark tea come to room temperature.
Just smelling these herbs brewing brings back childhood memories of drinking root beer!
Ferment the Root Beer
Strain out the herbs and put the tea into a wide mouth gallon jar.
Stir in the sugar, molasses, ginger bug, and ginger slices, then cover the jug with a piece of cheesecloth secured with a rubber band.
Put the jar in a quiet corner in your kitchen and let the root beer ferment. Give it a vigorous stir with a wooden spoon once per day. It should start to bubble up within 3-4 days, then it’s ready to bottle.
Bottle the Root Beer
Strain out the the ginger pieces and transfer the root beer to flip top bottles using a funnel, making sure to leave an inch or two of head space.
Let the bottles sit at room temperature to build up carbonation for at least a week before drinking your root beer. Serve cold and enjoy!
This homemade root beer is so delicious, exactly what real root beer is meant to taste like. I think it’s my new favorite fermented soda!
It even foams up like it’s supposed to, no artificial foaming agents needed (yes, that’s a thing).
Now go get yourself some roots and bark and make some refreshing fermented root beer!
Homemade Fermented Beverages
If you’re interested in making more homemade fermented sodas and beers, I have a few recipes for you:
Fermented Root Beer
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 gallon water
- 1/2 cup dried sassafras bark
- 1/2 cup dried sarsaparilla root
- 1/2 cup dried birch bark
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1/2-1 cup ginger bug
- 3 slices fresh ginger root
Instructions
- Combine the water and herbs in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let the root and bark tea come to room temperature.
- Strain out the herbs and put the tea into a wide mouth gallon jar.
- Stir in the sugar, molasses, ginger bug, and ginger slices, then cover the jug with a piece of cheesecloth secured with a rubber band.
- Put the jar in a quiet corner in your kitchen and let the root beer ferment. Give it a vigorous stir with a wooden spoon once per day. It should start to bubble up within 3-4 days, then it's ready to bottle.
- Strain out the the ginger pieces and transfer the root beer to flip top bottles using a funnel, making sure to leave an inch or two of head space.
- Let the bottles sit at room temperature to build up carbonation for at least a week before drinking your root beer. Serve cold and enjoy!
Notes
- Many other herbs can be used to make homemade root beer, including wintergreen, licorice root, wild cherry bark, cloves, dandelion root, burdock root, juniper berries, and anise.
- Mountain Rose Herbs is the best place to get organic dried herbs and spices.
Hi,
Gee, I’d love to try this, but $50 + shipping for the roots to make, how much? 4 oz of roots can’t go that far. And that doesn’t count the cost of the other ingredients. So, like $60+ for a gallon of root beer? Not for me, thanks.
I’m made the root beer recipe, and after it left lots of bubbles at the top of the jar after a few days, but no bubbles rising within the jar, I bottled my second ferment. I put it in a large plastic soda bottle, and after 24 hours, the bottle was rock hard. I released the pressure, but there wasn’t any fizziness in the bottle. After 4 more hours, I opened it up to drink, but still not much carbonation. Any suggesting to get a very fizzy product?
You need to get a different bottle for your second ferment; like one of those flip top kinds that are all glass. Something like the Ilyapa 16 Ounce Amber Swing Top Glass Beer Bottles for Home Brewing – Carbonated Drinks, Kombucha, Kefir, Soda, Juice, Fermentation, Glass Bottle with Airtight Rubber Seal Flip Caps.
It’s really important to have these types of bottles for your second ferment because they can handle the pressure that will take place to allow carbonation to occur in that second ferment.
Another thing, never let off the pressure until you’re ready to drink, this basically will kill your process. Those bottles need to sit under pressure for about 5-7 days depending on how cold the area is that you put them in (could be longer).
Btw, I was a chef for 8 years and specialized in fermentation/preservation; my last kitchen job was at Canlis in Seattle if you want to see if I’m legit or not lol
Happy fermenting!
I read you need to burp the flip top bottles in the second fermentation everyday so it doesn’t explode. I’m almost to that step and nervous and confused on what to do!
I once tried making ginger bug soda and doing the second ferment in old soda bottles- definitely did not work. I tend to make do with what I have, and that would be a super cool way to reuse them, but my dad (who is really good at ferments) said they just don’t work, and he was right!!! I think this is one thing you actually need those pretty flip top bottles for. I wonder why though?? Maybe the old plastic bottles don’t have a tight enough seal?
Old second hand plastic emits toxins which likely kill the prebiotic ferment. Never reuse water or soda plastic bottles due to toxicity.