Root Beer Extract

[lavrentyuk]

My wife wants to make some Root Beer and wants to know if anybody on the list knows where to get the extract. She assures me it will make a fine drink for her and the children when out and about camping in our 19th Century re-enactments. I usually just keep an Elderflower 'squash' in old stone bottles (which keep it nicely cool) but she wants to try making this and I can't find a supplier online.

Not really very bushcrafty but she figures enough on the list enjoy more traditional food and drink she may stand a chance.

Me, I'll stick to the beer or cider.


Richard

 

[DFCA]

Hi,
Unfortunately I cant add helpfully to this thread but I would love a recipe for this too!
Closest I can get to a half decent rootbeer is bundeberg from waitrose.
Bet not many here remember McD's doing rootbeer? LOL!

All the best
Dave

 

[Mesquite]

Bet not many here remember McD's doing rootbeer? LOL!

I certainly remember it About the only decent thing McD's served When they stopped selling it I was heartbroken as I grew up loving rootbeer and missed my fix.

 

[Toddy]

What *is* root beer ?

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Mesquite]

What *is* root beer ?

cheers,
Toddy

It's a delicious drink (some folks might disagree with that though) based on Sassafras.

More info here

 

[QDanT]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Root_beer

 

[QDanT]

Mesquite beet me by 1 min

 

[Toddy]

Ah, got you.
Not native but analogous to our small ale or beer.

I thought Sassafrass was now considered bad for the liver

cheers,
Toddy

 

[DFCA]

I think most things are considered bad for SOMETHING these days!!

They still serve root beer in a chicken fast food joint that I forget the name of in the States! Last time I was in a mall in Tampa (having already eaten my fill of pretzel dogs to be fair) I discovered root beer along side chicken and fries and had to have the chicken and fries purely to justify the root beer .... you understand that of course?

 

[Nice65]

Hi,
Bet not many here remember McD's doing rootbeer? LOL!

All the best
Dave

Great shame when they stopped serving the stuff, I loved it. Sainsburys do a 2ltr bottle of it which was quite good stuff until I noticed recently it seemed a bit different and read the ingredients to find the maker had replaced the sugar with saccharin. I hate saccharin. It's still worth a try if you need a fix though.

Sorry, no great help to the original poster, just a nostalgic rant.

 

[eel28]

Bet not many here remember McD's doing rootbeer? LOL!

I remember that too, had one once, thinking it was the same as ginger beer! - how wrong I was!!! as i recall, it smelt quite a bit like ralgex!

 

[Fizzlebang]

I think without McD's selling root beer i would never have tried it...love the stuff and buy it now and again when i have nostalgic tendancies.
I know its probably frowned upon by root beer purists but I think its a great mixer for bourbon!

 

[Tony]

i like it now and then, we used to get the packets from the US that you can use to make it, even had cherry bark in it if i recall correctly.
http://www.mccormickgourmet.com/productdetail.cfm?id=6033

 

[Whittler Kev]

Just saw this video using SASSAFRAS
http://videos.howstuffworks.com/planet-green/37322-g-word-how-to-make-root-beer-video.htm
Be careful though as in the US they reccon it is carcinogenic
http://www.alcoholfree.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=2_12&products_id=337