Root Beer Questions

[msjulian]

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?

[ArtCox]

Dewayne or John Mills are the Root Beer Kings.

[john mills]

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.

[Dwayne_Delaney]

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

[john mills]

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.

[Tom Wrinkles]

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.

[john mills]

John, I could use a couple of bottles please.

I'll bring some to the meeting.

[Chris Norrick]

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.

[Michael Erwin]

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

[john mills]

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.

[Don]

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.