Ginger-Bug Old-Fashioned Root Beer Second Ferment
Servings: 1 quart
Calories:
Ingredients
Root Beer Base
- 3½ cups non-chlorinated water
- 1 tablespoon sarsaparilla root
- 1 teaspoon roasted dandelion root
- ½ teaspoon licorice root
- ¼ –½ teaspoon filé powder ground sassafras leaf
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon OR 1 small cinnamon stick
- 2 –3 whole cloves
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- ⅓ –½ cup cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon food-grade wintergreen extract or less, to taste
For the Second Fermentation
- ¼ cup strained very active ginger bug liquid
Instructions
Make the Root Beer Base
- Add the water, sarsaparilla root, roasted dandelion root, licorice root, filé powder, cinnamon, cloves, and fresh ginger to a saucepan.
- Bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, then remove from the heat and allow everything to steep, covered, for another 15–20 minutes.
- Strain the mixture very thoroughly through a fine-mesh strainer. Because filé contains natural mucilage, you may want to strain it a second time through a finer filter.
- While the liquid is still warm, stir in the sugar until completely dissolved.
- Allow the mixture to cool completely to room temperature. Once cool, stir in the vanilla and wintergreen.
- Taste the base at this point. It should taste somewhat sweeter and more concentrated than you ultimately want because fermentation will consume some of the sugar and carbonation will change the flavor perception.
Add the Ginger Bug
- Stir ¼ cup of strained, active ginger bug liquid into the completely cooled root beer base.
- Pour into pressure-rated glass fermentation bottles designed for carbonated beverages, leaving approximately 1–2 inches of headspace.
Second Fermentation
- Allow the bottles to ferment at room temperature for approximately 1–3 days.
- Natural fermentation can generate substantial pressure, so use only glass bottles specifically manufactured to withstand carbonation. Ordinary glass jars, juice bottles, decorative swing-top bottles, and other non-pressure-rated glass should not be used for sealed second fermentation.
- Once sufficiently carbonated, transfer the bottles to the refrigerator to slow fermentation. Chill thoroughly before opening and open carefully.
Notes
Adjusting Your Next Batch
If you want more traditional sassafras character, increase the filé from ¼ teaspoon toward ½ teaspoon.
For creamier root beer, increase the vanilla to 1½ teaspoons.
For more root-beer bite, increase the fresh ginger to 1 teaspoon.
For a deeper, darker old-fashioned flavor, replace 1–2 tablespoons of the cane sugar with blackstrap molasses.
For more sarsaparilla character, increase the sarsaparilla root to 1½ tablespoons. No nutrition values have been provided because the finished product has too many variables, namely fermentation time.
If you want more traditional sassafras character, increase the filé from ¼ teaspoon toward ½ teaspoon.
For creamier root beer, increase the vanilla to 1½ teaspoons.
For more root-beer bite, increase the fresh ginger to 1 teaspoon.
For a deeper, darker old-fashioned flavor, replace 1–2 tablespoons of the cane sugar with blackstrap molasses.
For more sarsaparilla character, increase the sarsaparilla root to 1½ tablespoons. No nutrition values have been provided because the finished product has too many variables, namely fermentation time.