Judging a Rootbeer

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by GreenKrusty101, Apr 16, 2015.

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  1. GreenKrusty101

    GreenKrusty101 Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2008 Nevada

    Found myself judging a rootbeer in a beer comp recently (last beer of the day). It was incredibly delicious at 9% ABV, but got dinged horribly because technically it was not a beer (even though it was entered in Cat. 23).

    Couple questions:

    1. Anyone made a malted rootbeer? (instead of all sugar)
    2. What kind of yeast would you use for a hard rootbeer?
     
  2. ShanePB

    ShanePB Initiate (0) Sep 6, 2010 Pennsylvania

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  3. Brew_Betty

    Brew_Betty Initiate (0) Jan 5, 2015 Wisconsin

    I did a root beer stout once. Used a basic mild stout recipe with sassafrass, sarsaparillla, wild cherry bark, wintergreen and vanilla beans. It was pretty good and did have an obvious root beer flavor.
     
  4. inchrisin

    inchrisin Pooh-Bah (2,013) Sep 25, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah

    9% Is a heavy rootbeer. I've seen some that are naturally carbonated rootbeers that weigh in at like .05% ABV. These weren't malted, and most of the sugar comes from honey. I'd go with an English strain that doesn't attenuate well. Maybe a Scottish yeast.

    Are you able to get a hold of the brewer, or is that against HIPA? :slight_smile:
     
  5. GreenKrusty101

    GreenKrusty101 Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2008 Nevada

    I cheated and looked...the brewer appeared to be a seasoned veteran...I'm basing that on club membership and the fact he specified 9% ABV...and it was actually very good.

    Sooo good, in fact, that I brewed a rootbeer today...for my grandson...5 gal to keg with 1/2 to a new purchase (2.25 gal Chinese keg later)...I' ll let you know how that goes : ) ...bottom line I should have ~ 1/2 a keg of a hard rootbeer after I decide which yeast to use and how strong I want it to be.
     
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  6. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    I thought judges were allowed to look at the forms, after the competition is finished. I assumed so, because I have had some judges email me afterward.
     
  7. GreenKrusty101

    GreenKrusty101 Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2008 Nevada

    I'm not sure there is a problem really...I was finished, but there were still some judges working still, at other tables, so my curiosity was a faux pas if nothing else I guess.

    I think half the stewards are spies/entrants, though : )
     
  8. Brew_Betty

    Brew_Betty Initiate (0) Jan 5, 2015 Wisconsin

    Back in the day, Root Beer had like 20-30 ingredients.
     
  9. GreenKrusty101

    GreenKrusty101 Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2008 Nevada

    I'm glad a root beer extract exists...20-30 ingredients sounds like too much work for glorified soda
     
  10. Brew_Betty

    Brew_Betty Initiate (0) Jan 5, 2015 Wisconsin

    Sassafrass is stupid expensive these days and not easy to find. It's the most root beery of all the ingredients. You can get good root beer flavor from 4-5 ingredients. Extract is easier, cheaper and provides good or better results.
     
  11. Brew_Betty

    Brew_Betty Initiate (0) Jan 5, 2015 Wisconsin

    1890s Rootbeer ingredients - allspice, birch bark, coriander, juniper, ginger, wintergreen, hops, burdock root, dandelion root, spikenard, pipsissewa, guaiacum chips, sarsaparilla, spicewood, wild cherry bark, yellow dock, prickly ash bark, sassafras, vanilla beans, hops, dog grass, molasses and licorice.
     
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  12. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Dog grass. I don't think I wanna know.
     
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  13. GreenKrusty101

    GreenKrusty101 Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2008 Nevada

    What, no cocaine or snake oil?
     
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  14. CurtFromHershey

    CurtFromHershey Initiate (0) Oct 4, 2012 Minnesota

    Yeah pretty sure you're just making shit up now :astonished:
     
  15. Brew_Betty

    Brew_Betty Initiate (0) Jan 5, 2015 Wisconsin

    I didn't make anything up.
     
  16. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    “Here is a list of ingredients and countries from a 1922 pamphlet about Hires Root Beer.

    Birch Bark - United States, New England

    Chirreta – India

    Dog Grass – Germany

    Ginger – Africa

    Ginger – China

    Ginger – Jamaica

    Hires special plant

    Hops – United States, Northwest

    Juniper Berries – Italy

    Licorice – Spain

    Licorice – Russia

    Sarsaparilla – Honduras

    Sugar – Cuba

    Vanilla – Mexico

    Wintergreen – United States, North Carolina

    Yerba Mate, Brazil”

    http://www.greydragon.org/library/brewing_root_beer.html

    Cheers!
     
  17. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Here's a picture of some root beer.

    [​IMG]
     
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  18. Lukass

    Lukass Pooh-Bah (2,891) Dec 16, 2012 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah

    I did a root beer brown ale a while back. It was basically Northern Brewer's Caribou Slobber brown ale, but I added flat Barq's root beer to the chilled wort before fermentation. Gave the yeast some extra simple sugars to munch on. Overall I wasn't too proud of it, but my wife liked it!

    I used Danstar Windsor Ale Yeast and it seemed to get the job done.
     
  19. CurtFromHershey

    CurtFromHershey Initiate (0) Oct 4, 2012 Minnesota

    Nice try buddy, check your facts next time.


    (I'm being sarcastic and/or an a-hole, btw)
     
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  20. machalel

    machalel Initiate (0) Jan 19, 2012 Australia

    I like root beer & would really love to make a root beer from scratch, but i'm realistic... no way am I going to be able to get all those ingredients and work out what % of each to use... :S
     
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