How To Make Root Beer Extract (A&W Copycat)
Rich in warm and spicy notes, this A&W-style root beer extract offers a healthier, less sugar drink, made of sassafras root and burdock root.
Ingredients
- 6 cups water
- 3 oz dried sassafras root
- ½ oz dried burdock root
- 1 tsp dried whole coriander seeds
- 1 whole star anise
- 1 whole clove
- 1⁄4 cup dark molasses , not blackstrap
- 4 wintergreen leaves , or 1⁄8 tsp wintergreen flavoring or extract
- 6 cups sugar , preferably raw, but granulated white sugar can also be used
Instructions
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Put the sassafras and burdock roots, coriander seeds, star anise, and clove in a heavy-bottomed 2-quart saucepan that has a tight-fitting lid.
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Pour the water over the top of the roots and spices and bring to a boil over high heat. Drop the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
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Add the molasses, stir, replace the lid, and return to a simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the wintergreen flavoring or extract, replace the lid and let the mixture cool to room temperature.
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Line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth, place over a large measuring cup with a pouring spout or a pitcher, and pour the cooled infusion into it to strain.
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Do not press on the contents, but let the roots rest in the strainer for about 30 minutes before proceeding. While that strains, rinse the pot used for infusion.
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Measure the sassafras infusion, return it to the rinsed pot and add an equal amount of sugar, by volume, to the pot.
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Bring the mixture to a boil, drop the heat to low and let simmer for 5 minutes. Pour the syrup into canning jars, fix clean, new, 2-piece lids on top and store in the refrigerator up to a year.
To Make A Drink:
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Use 1 tablespoon of syrup over ice to 1 cup of plain seltzer water. Stir gently. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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