The Root Colbeer

Well I know this isn't beer to go with my miniature brewery that I got going on in my small apartment, but since my lady doesn't like real beer I made root beer. So I really had no clue how to make a root beer so I went to Brew Brothers and milled around the two soda making books that exist. As it so happens that same weekend the two brewing proprietors were out of town and they had some loyal customers as helpers. I got to talking with one guy and he said that he made something closer to sarsaparilla. I ended up getting

7.8oz of sarsaparilla root
5 vanilla beans - whole
5 star anise

with the hopes of finding some sassafras root which I will have to venture to the east coast to find it. It grows naturally over there. Also apparently it is carcinogenic so it is not allowed for mass sale in the US. Anyways I ended up getting some root beer extract to cover the sassafras flavor.

After doing some research I did find that the sassafras root give root beer it's rootness. So because I had to find to go with the root beer extract I was a little disappointed in the fact I couldn't find the sassafras root.

Put 3 gallons of water into stockpot.

After steeping my stuff in around 140F degree water, for 80 minutes, at around half way I added in 2 tablespoons of the root beer extract to my root beer mash. When all that was done with the boil and all I put it in one of my beer primary buckets and added water up to 5 gallons. then transferred with my AutoSiphon into my keg. Now I am just waiting for it to cool so that I can force carbonate the bad boy!

Well after force carbonation this guy is delicious. It does not taste like commercial root beer which is fine with me. The carbonation is low which is alright with me. Now maybe I shall see what it tastes like with  ice cream in it foe root beer floats!