Fermented Root Beer
Preserved cooking illustration

Fermented Root Beer

Fermented Root Beer

Fermented Root Beer

A good old fashioned root beer, wild fermented with real herbs, spices, roots and barks. Source these hard-to-find ingredients from your local herb shop or an organic source online!

Recipe adapted from Nourished Kitchen

INGREDIENTS

3 quarts of filtered water

1/4 cup sassafras root bark

1/4 cup wintergreen leaf

2 tablespoons sarsaparilla root

1/2 tablespoon licorice root

1 tablespoon ginger root

1 tablespoon dandelion root

1 tablespoon birch bark

1 tablespoon wild cherry bark 1 teaspoon juniper berries 1 cinnamon stick 1 cup raw organic sugar 1/2 cup ​mature ginger bug (made in advance) or ​​whey (strained from yogurt or one packet of kefir starter

Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Add all herbs/spices and sugar. Stir to to dissolve sugar. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Turn off the heat and pour infusion through a strainer lined with muslin cloth into a large bowl. Let cool until it reaches body temperature (less than 100°). Stir in the ginger bug, whey or kefir starter. Leave in the bowl to ferment or transfer to a large jar. Cover with dish towel or muslin cloth and secure with a rubber band if necessary. Ferment for about 24 hours. (You should see some light bubbles when you indicating fermentation activity when you give it a stir.) Transfer into brewing bottles (made from pressurized glass) using a funnel. Leave an inch of head space at the top each bottle. Allow the root beer to ferment in bottle for 1-7 days at room temperature, checking for carbonation daily. Once carbonated, transfer to the refrigerator for an additional 2 days to age. Cold storage slows down fermentation activity, but does not stop it. Always open bottles carefully over a sink. Consume within 4 weeks

Please use these recipes and information as guidance for your home fermenting endeavors. This is not medical advice nor should it replace the advice of a health care professional. Fermented foods often have a sour but clean aroma and flavor. Never consume anything that smells or tastes unpleasant. Preserved does not take responsibility for your own success and/or failures in fermentation. We have made our best effort to share up-to-date and safe techniques. However, the risks of cooking and fermenting are inherent. You are responsible for the results of your efforts and the safety of your own food in your particular location and kitchen. Thank you for your interest in preserving a closer connection to your food.