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Author Topic: Root Beer Ale  (Read 14273 times)

Offline Dave Savoie

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Root Beer Ale
« on: February 02, 2011, 02:08:50 PM »
6.25Lbs Maris Otter
2.2 Lbs Flaked Barley
2 Lbs Wheat
US-05


    * 1 vanilla bean
    * 1 (5-inch) licorice root, broken into pieces
    * 3/4 cup chopped dried sarsaparilla root
    * 2 tablespoons dried sassafras root bark
    * 1 tablespoon chopped dried burdock root
    * 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
    * 3 heads star anise
    * 3 quarts distilled water (12 cups)
    * 2 cups lightly packed dark brown sugar
    * 1 tablespoon molasses
    * 2 (1/8-inch-wide) strips of orange zest
    * 1/8 teaspoon ale yeast (also called brewer’s yeast)

Based on my calculations one would have to multiply the ingredients by 9 to make 23L
But multiplying by 9 seems a bit High for some of the spices any input would be cool !!

My thoughts are to add all the Spices and such to a food processor then cold steep them for a few days or would it be better to use Vodka to extract the spices ?
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Offline Shawn

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Re: Root Beer Ale
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2011, 03:11:27 PM »
I'm a little confused.... multiply everything by 9 for a 5-gallon batch... you mean 9 vanilla beans? I've never used these in brewing before, but from what I've read I understand that usually 1 bean in a 5-gallon batch is "enough".

Seems like a lot of spices to me... I'd be worried it would just result in a muddled mess.

Offline Dave Savoie

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Re: Root Beer Ale
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2011, 03:13:26 PM »
This recipe is based on 4 22oz bottles

* 1 vanilla bean
* 1 (5-inch) licorice root, broken into pieces
* 3/4 cup chopped dried sarsaparilla root
* 2 tablespoons dried sassafras root bark
* 1 tablespoon chopped dried burdock root
* 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
* 3 heads star anise
* 3 quarts distilled water (12 cups)
* 2 cups lightly packed dark brown sugar
* 1 tablespoon molasses
* 2 (1/8-inch-wide) strips of orange zest
* 1/8 teaspoon ale yeast (also called brewer’s yeast)
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Offline Shawn

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Re: Root Beer Ale
« Reply #3 on: February 02, 2011, 03:18:14 PM »
Is this originally a recipe for beer, or is it for homemade root beer, and you're thinking of altering it to make rootbeer beer?

Offline Richard

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Re: Root Beer Ale
« Reply #4 on: February 02, 2011, 03:19:39 PM »
Assuming a US gallon & quart, 5 (US) gallons would be 5 * 4/3 = 6 2/3, not 9. A 6-gallon US (5gal IMP) batch would be 6 * 4/3 = 8.

Also 4 * 22oz is 88oz, whereas 3 quarts is 96oz...

I'm not really confident either way on the spice issue, although it stands to reason that if the baseline calls for an amount a scaled up version would call for an equal scaling... the various ingredients in this aren't what comes to mind when I think of "spices". Although now I think about it, I'm not sure what else you'd call something like vanilla.
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Offline Dave Savoie

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Re: Root Beer Ale
« Reply #5 on: February 02, 2011, 03:21:54 PM »
This is a Root beer recipe  not Ale but was thinking of making an Ale out of it kind of a session beer 4% ABV would end up being similar in color to a brown Ale almost no hop bitterness just creamy root beer goodness.
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Offline Dave Savoie

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Re: Root Beer Ale
« Reply #6 on: February 02, 2011, 03:23:47 PM »
88 oz = 2.6024706125 L

2.6024706125 X 9 = 23.42 L
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Offline Shawn

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Re: Root Beer Ale
« Reply #7 on: February 02, 2011, 03:27:30 PM »
Quote from: "Dave Savoie"
88 oz = 2.6024706125 L

2.6024706125 X 9 = 23.42 L


Richard is assuming 5 U.S. gallon, which is 19 L (roughly)... Dave is assuming 5 Imperial gallons, roughly 23 L, hence the discrepancy.

Right?

Offline Shawn

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Re: Root Beer Ale
« Reply #8 on: February 02, 2011, 03:29:39 PM »
Quote from: "Dave Savoie"
This is a Root beer recipe  not Ale but was thinking of making an Ale out of it kind of a session beer 4% ABV would end up being similar in color to a brown Ale almost no hop bitterness just creamy root beer goodness.


I have no experience with anything like this, but in my opinion, dumping all those spices into a beer, much less 9 times that amount... I just can't see that being too tasty.

But, if you do it, I'm sure we'd be interested to hear about the results.

Offline Dave Savoie

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Re: Root Beer Ale
« Reply #9 on: February 02, 2011, 03:30:31 PM »
Yup id call this some form of Malt Liquor

I do think it would be possible to get a really tasty beer with those spices and additives  

MMMM BBQ ribs and a large frothy glass of alcoholic root beer mmmmm good


This recipe came from 2006 BYO article
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Offline Shawn

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Re: Root Beer Ale
« Reply #10 on: February 02, 2011, 03:33:35 PM »
Quote from: "Dave Savoie"
Yup id call this some form of Malt Liquor

I do think it would be possible to get a really tasty beer with those spices and additives  

MMMM BBQ ribs and a large frothy glass of alcoholic root beer mmmmm good


This recipe came from 2006 BYO article


I figured it was from BYO... reminded me of their Jolly Rancher beer recipe.

Vodka + Root Beer = Alcoholic root beer   ;)

Offline Dave Savoie

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Re: Root Beer Ale
« Reply #11 on: February 02, 2011, 03:34:22 PM »
but not as fun :P
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Offline Shawn

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Re: Root Beer Ale
« Reply #12 on: February 02, 2011, 03:37:51 PM »
Ha, true.

But, 6 cups of chopped dried sarsaparilla root? Does it have to be grown under a full moon, and washed with the blood of a virgin goat?  ;)

Offline Richard

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Re: Root Beer Ale
« Reply #13 on: February 02, 2011, 04:16:48 PM »
Quote from: "Richard"
Assuming a US gallon & quart, [...] 6-gallon US (5gal IMP) batch would be 6 * 4/3 = 8.

Also 4 * 22oz is 88oz, whereas 3 quarts is 96oz...


Dave was going off post-boil, whereas I was going off pre-boil. My numbers were using the 3 quarts given in the recipe, not the 88oz resulting after the boil. The recipe assumes about 8% boil-off... the difference between 96oz and 88oz.

(dave's right with the 9x -- my bad)
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Offline Shawn

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Re: Root Beer Ale
« Reply #14 on: February 02, 2011, 04:17:51 PM »
Quote from: "Richard"
Quote from: "Richard"
Assuming a US gallon & quart, [...] 6-gallon US (5gal IMP) batch would be 6 * 4/3 = 8.

Also 4 * 22oz is 88oz, whereas 3 quarts is 96oz...


Dave was going off post-boil, whereas I was going off pre-boil. My numbers were using the 3 quarts given in the recipe, not the 88oz resulting after the boil. The recipe assumes about 8% boil-off... the difference between 96oz and 88oz.

(dave's right with the 9x -- my bad)


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