Swagger Root Beer

John Kraljic is a Chief Aviation Machinist's Mate serving in the Navy and in his off time he enjoys his small root beer operation.

Two of Johns Favorite Recipes:

SWAGGER ROOT BEER

Here's my recipe for root beer. The recipe is for one gallon. If you are making five gallons, the appropriate quantities are in parenthesis.

• 5 tbs dried sassafras root bark (1 ½ cup + 1 tbs)
• 2 tbs chopped dried burdock root (1/2 cup + 2 tbs)
• 2 tsp chopped dried licorice root (3 tbs + 1 tsp)
• 2 cups sugar (10 cups)
• 1 tbs honey (5 tbs)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract (3 tbs + 1 tsp)
• 1/8 tsp ale yeast
• 1 gal water (5 gal)

Directions:

1. Place sassafras, burdock and licorice in 8 cups of water and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and let cool for 30 mins.
3. Place yeast into ¼ cup of boiled/cooled water for 15 mins.
4. Strain wort and add sugar, honey and vanilla. Place in a bath of cold water to reduce temp.
5. Add 8 cups of cool water to bottling bucket. Add wort to bucket.
6. Mix in yeast and bottle.

SWAGGER SARSAPARILLA II

Here's another version of my sarsaparilla. It has real frothy foam! The recipe is for one gallon. If you are making five gallons, the appropriate quantities are in parenthesis.

• 8 tbs dried sarsaparilla root  (2 ½ cups)
• 2 tbs sassafras root (1/2 cup + 2 tbs)
• 2 cups sugar (10 cups)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract (3 tbs + 1 tsp)
• 1/8 tsp ale yeast
• 1 gal water (5 gal)

Directions:

1. Place sarsaparilla and sassafras in 8 cups of water and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and let cool for 30 mins.
3. Place yeast into ¼ cup of boiled/cooled water for 15 mins.
4. Strain wort then add sugar and vanilla. Place in a bath of cold water to reduce temp.
5. Add 8 cups of cool water to bottling bucket. Add wort to bucket.
6. Mix in yeast and bottle.