A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2005 Where does rootbeer come from?

Hi Everyone!
I reciently got addicted to A&W rootbeer ^.^ Annnnnnnnnnd i was thinking, "Hmmmmmmm, where's root beer come from?" and Lisa said "From Root Beer extract!" and i'm like "oh okay... where's the extract come from?"

So ya, i wana grow rootbeer lol. What do i buy? o.O I've been searching around on google for a while now, and haven't been able to turn up anything >.<

Thanks!!
~Phoebe

try this l;ink for the history of root beer making
http://www.stoutbillys.com/stout/infonsf/Library/0FF30A5F.htm

Phoeeeeeeeebe!

When I saw this post I said, "That sounds like something I would ask!"

Then, I clicked on it...
...and it's MINI-ME! ! ! ! !

Good question, Phoebe!
Keep it up...
MAKE ME PROUD!

Cindy

rootbeer is made from sassafras roots. sassafras is also a natural blood thinner and sassafras tea was recommended to heart patients before the days of the current meds. that and foxglove tea is what kept folks alive... don't know what is in the sassafras, but foxglove has digitalis

that was also a way to poison folks without the poison being "obvious" as the symptoms of digitalis overdose is severe, chronic loose bowels.

back to your original question, pheobe, you can grow sassafras... in the south, it is considered a "weed tree" as it is mostly spindly and weak. i want to say it grows kinda like dogwoods... i used to have a gazillion of them on my fence line in the house i first owned.

the only trees i had were sassafrass, one dogwood, one oak, and 10 pecans.

you cut the lateral roots, rinse them well, and then you can boil them or just let them soak for a few days. that is what gives rootbeer the dark color and the flavor.

My father~in~law is a champion meat smoker! He is really just the best and people come from everywhere for his bar~b~que...he uses sassafrass wood in his smoker.

Oh, Vanessa...it just kills me when someone posts something like that, and my reply is not suitable for the forum!

So, you're safe this time!

Cindy

YOu now...somehow I expected to hear from you after I read how I worded that!
No need to fret Cindy Friend...my imagination has taken me to where you are and I am laughing out loud.

Another way of getting root beer is to go up to the corner store - get a six pack and have one a day while you're planting your tulips this spring.

Digitalis? Ya' just get a bunch of old calculators and soak 'em in a bucket of water for two days.

;-)

oh cool! Sasafras! *thinks* i think me mother is growing that somewhere in the house. i'll have to go check before they move back over the summer. But ya, i might even have that growing randomly in me collection of plants I do have a mystery plant that's spindily, a lil viny, and likes to climb around n stuff

*hops* Thank you!!
~Phoebe

I thought I was the "champion meat smoker"??

I do enjoy smoking!!

I have heard of this before but never tried it.

THE MANY USES for DRY ICE

HOME MADE ROOT BEER
To make one gallon of root beer: One pound sugar One gallon water Two ounces root beer extract Add 1 to 2 pounds of Food Grade Dry Ice to carbonate. Tip for carbonation: put in a triple size plastic container (1/3 liquid and 2/3 air) and put the lid on tight.

EDIT: A Large Gott type cooler works good here!

The pressure will dissolve more into the mix and make it fizzier. Otherwise have Club soda to add for carbonation. If you let the root beer fog too much you will loose the carbonation. Bring several pounds extra dry ice and put in as you are serving in order to let the kids see the fog affect. You must keep the root beer from freezing. Dry ice is -109.3°F and it will freeze the liquid. Add extra water if freezing starts. Do not ladle Dry Ice into cups. Put regular ice directly into cups for additional cooling.

I have had it this way and it was cooler then ICE COLD and very very good!!!!!


http://www.amer-rest-equip.com/usare_other_uses_dry_ice.html

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My father~in~law is a champion meat smoker!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amigatec.......he has about 57 years experience! (he is 80 now and still going strong)
He is a Pastor and started smoking meat for fund raisers for the youth program, building fund...etc...It is nothing for them to raise $2,000.00 bucks at an evening B~B~Que...and I think that is AWESOME considering that the town we live in has a population of 998 (acording to the new census)He just lets people come and eat for a donation...or they can get it to go...no set price.
As far as I can remember, he has always used sassifrass wood in the smoker. It isn't easy to find around here, so he has the road graders & hunters scout for trees for him and most of the time they will cut & deliver them for him.
He wants to teach hubby the "trade" because he is getting up in the years. He makes his own sauce and a HUGE tub of his "special" home~made lemon~ade for every event.