OVHA Chat

I want to make a batch of root beer for thanksgiving this year. I have yet to try may hand at it. What is the best method to make and what will I need to dispense from my kegerator?

Dewayne or John Mills are the Root Beer Kings.

msjulian wrote:I want to make a batch of root beer for thanksgiving this year. I have yet to try may hand at it. What is the best method to make and what will I need to dispense from my kegerator?

Dewayne got me into making root beer. I've only used Zatarain's root beer extract to make what I drink from tap now. It's easy to mix. 1 bottle makes 4-5 gallons. Add sugar to taste. Play around with what you like best... Table sugar, turbonado, dark & light brown sugar, honey, agave syrup, Splenda, saccharin... Etc. you can also addd some additional body building sugars like malto dextrine.
My latest recipe:
1 bottle Zararain's root beer extract
2# table sugar
1# honey
1/2# dark brown sugar
1/2# light brown sugar
3/4# malto dextrine
1/2 oz pure vanilla extract
5 gallons charcoal filtered tap water
You don't need any special equipment than what you already have for beer (I do have a dedicated cornie and dispensing line due to the rubber parts taking on the rootbeer aroma that I don't want in my beer).
I have found that higher carbonization is better, which works better with a longer serving line to balance just like beer.
Since there is no yeast, there is no alcohol, keeping it kid friendly. I've bottled from keg just like regular beer.

Zatarain's has had my extract on back-order for a month now.

Dwayne_Delaney wrote:Zatarain's has had my extract on back-order for a month now.

If you, or anyone else is looking for some, I have about 18 bottles. Cost me just over $2 ea. but $2 will get you yours. I can bring to the meeting.

If you, or anyone else is looking for some, I have about 18 bottles. Cost me just over $2 ea. but $2 will get you yours. I can bring to the meeting.

John, I could use a couple of bottles please.

Tom Wrinkles wrote:John, I could use a couple of bottles please.

I'll bring some to the meeting.

john mills wrote: My latest recipe:
1 bottle Zararain's root beer extract
2# table sugar
1# honey
1/2# dark brown sugar
1/2# light brown sugar
3/4# malto dextrine
1/2 oz pure vanilla extract
5 gallons charcoal filtered tap water

I just made a half batch of this recipe with the addition of some Dark Belgian Candi Sryup I've had laying around for a couple of years and it's the best batch yet. John's recipe is a winner. That Malto Dextrine is really giving it a nice lasting head and it seems to be carbonating faster than normal.

Great recipes. Now, what about pressure? For carbonating? For serving? Hose length? Etc.?

In talking with the RC guys after Tap & Cork, sodas utilize a different tap than beer. The tap is a larger diameter shaft with a slightly different plunger operating internal.
Serving from RC's jockey box, lines weren't any different in length, but they may be a different diameter, I couldn't tell. But I would be willing to bet they were 1/8 ID (thats the size of the ones I replaced on my cold plate from Pepsi). Serving pressure was 30psi.
Serving from home I use either a 5' cobra tap at 10psi, or 10'cobra tap at 15psi.

I use a 20' cobra tap (3/16" ID) at @ 22#psi.
The discharge tube is wrapped around the outside of the cornie to keep it at serving temperature.