Homemade Root Beer Recipe

Have you ever wondered how to make root beer? Or why it’s called root beer? Well, those little mysteries are unraveled for us: root beer is made of a complex combination of different roots. Learn how to make a delicious homemade root beer with this simple recipe.

Supposedly root beer was originally invented by Charles Hires, a pharmacist who made many tonics from various roots and teas for health reasons. He made version that was sold with the promise of purifying the blood and making cheeks rosy.

What’s in Homemade Root Beer?

The primary flavor that you will recognize is sassafras but many other roots come into play to make the famous beverage like sarsaparilla, birch, wintergreen, licorice, and burdock.

In learning that root beer is just a combination of different roots, I was inspired to try my own version with ingredients found in the recipes that I thought would taste good together. I’ve made it many times now and I think it is perfect!

How to Make Root Beer

Ingredients:

• 4 ½ cups water
• 1 large thumb of thinly sliced fresh ginger root
• 2 ½ tbsp sarsaparilla
• 2 ½ tbsp sassafras
• 2 ½  tbsp licorice root
• 1 ½  tbsp burdock root
• 1 tbsp dried mint leaves
• 1 star anise pod
• 4 cups dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp real vanilla extract

Make it!

Combine all ingredients except sugar and vanilla in a saucepan and bring to a simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in the sugar and vanilla until dissolved. Simmer on lowest heat setting for another 30 minutes until mixture is a bit thicker and syrupy. Strain out all the bits then cool.

Mix 1/2 cup chilled syrup with 1 ½ cups soda water (seltzer). Make sure that both the seltzer and the syrup are chilled as it’s the difference in temperature that causes the eruption of fizz up and over your glass. Also add syrup to soda, not the other way around.

I found the final drink to be incredibly flavourful, with all the complexity you would expect from having such diverse flavors mixed together and a creamy mouth feel.

• Artisinal Herb-Infused Vinegar
• 3-Ingredient Pumpkin Dog Treats
• Mojito Mint Popsicles with Lemon and Honey
• Homemade Ginger Ale Syrup + Ginger Mint Lemonade Recipe

Print Recipe

How to Make Root Beer

This homemade root beer recipe is one of the most delicious drinks you'll ever taste!

Keyword: root beer

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 cups water
• 1 large thumb thinly sliced fresh ginger root
• 2 1/2 tbsp sarsaparilla
• 2 1/2 tbsp sassafras
• 2 1/2 tbsp licorice root
• 1 1/2 tbsp burdock root
• 1 tbsp dried mint leaves
• 1 star anise pod
• 4 cups dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp real vanilla extract

Instructions

• Set aside sugar and vanilla, and combine all other ingredients together in a saucepan. Simmer together for 30 minutes.
• Stir in the vanilla and sugar until dissolved. Simmer again for another 30 minutes until the mixture is thicker and has the consistency of syrup.
• Strain out the mixture into a jar or container, then let cool.
• Pour 1/2 cup of chilled seltzer water into a glass, then mix in 1/2 cup of chilled syrup. Make sure both are chilled for the most fizz possible.
• Sip and enjoy!