"Root-Beer"

[Teotzlcoatl]

"Root Beer" Ethnobotanicals-

+Main Ingredients+

Aralia nudicaulis ~ "Wild Sarsaparilla" or "Rabbit Root"

Aralia racemosa ~ "American Spikenard"

Aralia spinosa ~ "Prickly Ash" or "Devil's Walkingstick"

Arctium lappa ~ "Burdock" (Root)

Betula lenta ~ "Sweet Birch" (Sap/Syrup/Resin)

Betula nigra ~ "Black Birch" (Sap/Syrup/Resin)

Betula papyrifera ~ "Paper Birch" (Sap/Syrup/Resin)

Chimaphila umbellata ~ "Pipsissewa"

Gaultheria procumbens ~ "Wintergreen" (Leafs and Berries)

Glycyrrhiza glabra ~ "Liquorice" (Root)

Glycyrrhiza lepidota ~ American Wild Licorice" (Root)

Nardostachys grandiflora and/or Nardostachys jatamansi ~ "Spikenard"

Picea mariana ~ "Black Spruce"

Picea rubens ~ "Red Spruce"

Picea sitchensis ~ "Sitka Spruce"

Piper auritum ~ "Root Beer Plant" or "Hoja Santa"

Prunus serotina ~ "Black Cherry" (Bark)

Sassafras albidum ~ "Sassafras albidum" (Roots)

Smilax glyciphylla ~ "Sweet Sarsaparilla"

Smilax regelii ~ "Sarsaparilla"

Taraxacum officinale ~ Dandelion

+Spices & Additives+

Abies balsamea ~ "Balsam Fir"

Acer saccharum ~ "Sugar Maple"

Althea officinalis ~ "Marshmallow"

Apis species ~ "Honey"(Sap/Syrup/Resin)

Ceratonia siliqua ~ "Carob"(Fruit)

Cinnamomum aromaticum ~ "Cassia" (Bark)

Cinnamomum zeylanicum ~ "Cinnamon" (Bark)

Coriandrum sativum ~ "Coriander" (Seed)

Foeniculum vulgare ~ "Fennel" (Seed)

Hordeum vulgare ~ "Barley"

Illicium verum ~ "Star Anise"

Juniperus communis ~ "Juniper" (Fruit)

Mentha species ~ "Mint" (Leaf)

Myristica fragrans ~ "Nutmeg" (Seed)

Myroxylon balsamum ~ "Tolu Balsam"

Pimenta dioica ~ "Allspice"

Pimpinella anisum ~ "Green Anise"

Saccharum species ~ "Cane Sugar" & "Molasses"(Sap/Syrup/Resin)

Syzygium aromaticum ~ "Clove" (Flower)

Vanilla planifolia ~ "Vanilla"

+Foam/Froth+

Quillaja saponaria ~ "Soapbark"

Manihot esculenta ~ "Manioc" or "Yuca" (Root)

~~~My Root & Bark Beer~~~

Aralia nudicaulis ~ "Wild Sarsaparilla" (Root)

Betula lenta ~ "Sweet Birch" (Sap/Syrup/Resin)

Chimaphila umbellata ~ "Pipsissewa (???)

Gaultheria procumbens ~ "Wintergreen" (Leaf & Fruit)

Glycyrrhiza lepidota ~ American Wild Licorice" (Root)

Sassafras albidum ~ "Sassafras" (Root)

Smilax regelii ~ "Sarsaparilla" (Root)

{Spices & Additives}-

Althea officinalis ~ "Marshmallow" (Root)

Apis species ~ "Honey"

Arctium lappa ~ "Burdock" (Root)

Ceratonia siliqua ~ "Carob" (Fruit)

Cinnamomum zeylanicum ~ "Cinnamon" (Bark)

Glycyrrhiza glabra ~ "Liquorice" (Root)

Mentha piperita ~ "Peppermint" (Leaf)

Myristica fragrans ~ "Nutmeg" (Seed)

Pimenta dioica ~ "Allspice" (Seed)

Saccharum species ~ "Cane Sugar" & "Molasses"

Syzygium aromaticum ~ "Clove" (Flower)

Vanilla planifolia ~ "Vanilla" (Fruit)

~~~”Root-Beer” Definition (Ideal)~~~

Main ingredients are roots.

Must be 100% organic.

Most, if not all main botanical ingredients should come from North America.

May be either fermented or forced carbonated.

Must contain Aralia, Sassafras, Smilax or another similarly flavored root as a main ingredient.

Must contain Gaultheria procumbent also known as "Wintergreen" as a main ingredient.

May or may not contain other botanicals, herbs, plants, syrups, oils, or spices, such as- “Nutmeg”, “Anise”, “Birch” and many, many more.

May or may not contain cane sugar, molasses, honey, etc.

Edited August 12, 2010 by Teotzlcoatl

[vual]

The ginger root beer sounds lovely, you dont need yeast with root beer?

Why must the ingredients come from North America? Just to keep in tradition? 0_o

Sounds lovely whats the instructions or one just puts everything into a fermenting tank and waits a few weeks?

[bℓσωηG]

has anyone b4 posted teh recipe for san pedro wine?

[Auxin]

You do realize, I hope, that many plants you listed are not from north america.. in fact most arent

I like the mention of Glycyrrhiza lepidota tho.

What does Aralia nudicaulis root taste like? (dont say Sarsaparilla ) Any intended medicinal activity by adding it? (its an adaptogenic ginseng relative)

[Zaka]

Irie Teotz,

You might also like to check out Colubrina elliptica (Maubi).

I don't have one growing yet but will soon.

Making juice is so easy. Just soak the twigs in warm water for 30 mins, sweeten & cool.

Got that Root beer taste too!

Respect

Z

[Teotzlcoatl]

You do realize, I hope, that many plants you listed are not from north america.. in fact most arent

I know. Note the word "ideal"...

The ginger root beer sounds lovely, you dont need yeast with root beer?

You need yeast or you need to force carbonate.

Why must the ingredients come from North America? Just to keep in tradition? 0_o

Root Beer was originally made by Native Americans and early American Colonist, so the ingredients would have all came from North America.

Sounds lovely whats the instructions or one just puts everything into a fermenting tank and waits a few weeks?

No, no... it's supposed to be a comprehensive list of all the botanicals ever used in root-beer! Just pick a few, lol

What does Aralia nudicaulis root taste like? (dont say Sarsaparilla ) Any intended medicinal activity by adding it? (its an adaptogenic ginseng relative)

LOL... I was gonna say Sarsaparilla

The whole thing is supposed to be medicinal!

You might also like to check out Colubrina elliptica (Maubi).

Never heard of it... do they really use it to brew root beer?

Edited August 5, 2010 by Teotzlcoatl

[vual]

thanks for answering my questions teotz, Any idea on the traditional yeast native american's would use or traditional force carbonation methods?

If one was to force carbonate the drink would it be alcoholic, or for a alcoholic version would one need the yeast to feed on the natural sugars of the roots??

I am going to give it a go, thanks.

[t st tantra]

hey man ,this is just my opinion[lol] but this could have been quite a useful resource if you had not decorated it as usual with over opinionated trash.....keep up the useful part of your work and maybe drop the opinions?

t s t .

[Teotzlcoatl]

keep up the useful part of your work and maybe drop the opinions?

Thanks, but I like it the way it is

I advocate everyone to post their own def. of root beer if they think mine is incorrect.

Any idea on the traditional yeast native american's would use or traditional force carbonation methods?

Good question about what type of yeast... I'm not exactly sure... I've heard Ale yeast is best... but I have a hunch that at some point a specific type of yeast or culture was used specifically for root beer... does anybody have any info on this?

The Native Americans and Colonist used natural fermentation... forced carbonation did not become common until the late 1800s.

If one was to force carbonate the drink would it be alcoholic, or for a alcoholic version would one need the yeast to feed on the natural sugars of the roots??

Force carbonation = non-alcoholic.

Natural fermentation = alcoholic, but likely a low percentage of alcohol (.3%-1%).

I am going to give it a go, thanks.

[Yeti101]

I've noticed that there is a bit of mention of the use of Mesemb type roots in African beers in some places

Edit: can't type for shite.

Edited August 5, 2010 by Yeti101

[Zaka]

Irie,

So picked up a bottle to show you.

Respect

Z

[Teotzlcoatl]

*updated*

check out my new "all-american" root beer recipe under "my root & bark beer"