Any one here do home brewing?

[DeTrevni]

Well, I'm starting to make my own root beer, and since I've never done this before, I've got a few questions. I've read all kinds of stuff about it, but none has answered this one question: How do I know when it's properly carbonated? I'm bottling them in glass 12 oz. bottles. Do I just pop one open and taste it? The book I have suggests checking from 36 to 72 hours, but I don't know what I'm checking for. The book also says proper flavor isn't achieved until it has aged for 1 to 2 weeks, so I don't know what flavor I'd be looking for! Gah!

[WaffleBaron]

http://beeradvocate.com/

Theres a homebrewing section there. Someone can probably help you. I've never done root beer so I'm not sure if a hydrometer reading would work.

[spike_ball999]

I've never made root beer, but go buy yourself a can and then you can see what you should be looking for

I used to make my own wine. It was very cheap, easy and tasty. Kind of fun too.
I might try it again soon.

[DeTrevni]

Heh. I had a feeling not too many people would know about ROOT beer!

[MicroMiniMe]

Heh. I had a feeling not too many people would know about ROOT beer!

Well if all your looking for is for bottling, it depends on the available sugar to ferment and the active yeast remaining. Does root beer ferment (in the primary batch) for more than a few hours even? Root beer is so sugary does it require glucose/dextrose addition just before bottling?
If you have a lot of active yeast and a lot of available sugar, you will blow caps if left at room temp after a few days. If the active yeast is mostly inactivated with potassium sorbate or whatever the stop reaction ingredient is, it will take much longer to ever blow the caps.

If you bottle in clear bottles you can always try and bottle ferment a few days and then move the bottles into direct sunlight or near freezing temps to kill off the yeast and stop the gas production.

[Muzikman]

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

Sounds easy enough.

Much easier than Lagering beer.

[Altimas]

This should help you some:

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Root-Beer

[Pneumagger]

lol... fir some reason I thought you meant distilling.
nevermind - lol

[rkjunior303]

calling TheTramp.

[DeTrevni]

This should help you some:



http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Root-Beer

That's pretty cool, but it's for a plastic bottle. I guess trial and error is the best way to tell on glass bottles.

[Altimas]

Yeah it seems really easy and I absolutely LOVE Cold Rootbeer in a nice Frosted Mug, I think I may try it I just need to find the rootbeer extract.

[Altimas]

Found Cream Soda too and its even easier!

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Cream-Soda

[DeTrevni]

Heh, I've got a book that teaches you how to make root beer the OLDE way, by mixing all the roots and ingredients directly together. It also tells you how to make your own extract, and how to use store-bought extract. It also tells you how to make all kinds of soft drinks. Basically any plant can be made into an extract. Think "asparagus cola!" But seriously, I might experiment with cinnamon and peppermint some.

When I get me a bucket to sanatize the bottles in, I'm off to make some good old fashioned good stuff!

[billybob_81067]

Heh, I've got a book that teaches you how to make root beer the OLDE way, by mixing all the roots and ingredients directly together. It also tells you how to make your own extract, and how to use store-bought extract. It also tells you how to make all kinds of soft drinks. Basically any plant can be made into an extract. Think "asparagus cola!" But seriously, I might experiment with cinnamon and peppermint some.

When I get me a bucket to sanatize the bottles in, I'm off to make some good old fashioned good stuff!

Asparagus Cola FTW! You should seriously try it just for the hell of it. I'd make your piss stink!

[DeTrevni]

No...

Just, God no!

/me shudders at the thought