This easy 15-minute homemade root beer is so fun and festive to make! Plus, it’s the tastiest root beer ever. Honestly.
When I was a kid, homemade root beer was a staple. Well, a staple because I remember my dad making it with us around Halloween every year. So I guess it would be considered a seasonal staple once a year? Something like that?
We thought it was awfully exciting, which meant lots of screaming and dancing, watching the dark root beer bubble and pop as the white mist poured out of the container.
Brian, who loves root beer with all his heart (I think it’s the only thing, besides barbecue sauce, that he brags about a little bit, in the best sense of the word).
What do you think of this homemade root beer? “Man, this root beer is really good.” I’ll stick with that.
Best Extract for Homemade Root Beer
Of course, a lot depends on what you use as your extract. Over the years, I’ve learned the lesson that not all root beer extracts are created equal.
I won’t discourage you from using well-known brands, but I will tell you that my favorite extracts are Watkins Root Beer Extract or Zatarains Root Beer Extract. Both extracts are absolutely delicious and have a rich, yet balanced root beer flavor.
The light carbonation and extra chill of dry ice make me think I could drink a homemade root beer more than once a year.
Precautions When Using Dry Ice
While making homemade root beer is super easy, and food-grade dry ice is perfectly safe to drink once it’s melted, keep in mind that there are definitely precautions you should take when using dry ice.
I’ve included some of them in the recipe notes and there’s plenty of helpful information online. There’s nothing to be afraid of, but it’s important to remember that since dry ice is so cold, it can cause burns if touched directly, so always use gloves or insulated tongs to handle it and be careful when handling it around small children who may not know how to touch it.
Make your root beer in a large, well-ventilated room or outdoors so that carbon dioxide doesn’t build up while it works its magic.
Also, remember that dry ice evaporates quickly (a 5-10 pound block can evaporate in 24 hours; I learned that the hard way when I opened my freezer and my dry ice stash was nothing but empty plastic bags). So try to only buy the amount you need when you know you’re going to use it quickly. <–Speaking of which, it’s best to store dry ice in a well-wrapped cooler or styrofoam container to keep it cold longer, rather than in a commercial freezer, as it’s very cold and can sometimes cause your thermostat to trip.
I know, I know, the precautions are a bit tedious, but they’re good to have around; don’t let them stop you from trying this!
This easy-to-make, 15-minute homemade root beer is a super fun and festive drink for fall and Halloween, but it’s definitely delicious enough to make year-round.
Root beer doesn’t keep well if you make it days in advance. The carbonation dissipates over time, so it’s best to make it just before you want to enjoy it.
Homemade Root Beer in 15 Minutes
Makes: 24 1-cup servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 quarts cold water
- 2-3 cups granulated sugar (depending on how sweet you want it; 2 cups is perfect for us)
- 3 tablespoons root beer extract (see note)
- 1-2 pounds food-safe dry ice, cut into pieces (use the smaller amount if you want it to dissolve quickly and the larger amount if you want it to foam and fizz as you pour it)
Instructions
- In a large pitcher (I use a glass pitcher), stir together the water, sugar, and root beer extract until the sugar is almost completely dissolved. Taste a little to see if you need more extract or sugar.
- In a well-ventilated area, carefully add the dry ice to the pitcher using gloves or insulated tongs and stir with a long-handled spoon so the dry ice doesn’t stick to the bottom and sides of the container. The root beer will bubble and a dry ice mist will flow out of the container (yay!).
- Continue stirring until almost completely dissolved, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Pour into glasses, to prevent large chunks of dry ice from melting, and serve.
Note
Dry Ice: While dry ice is perfectly safe to drink once it’s completely melted into the root beer, keep in mind that there are a few safety precautions you should take when working with it: Use insulated gloves or tongs to handle it; never touch it directly as it can burn you, add it to the root beer in a well-ventilated area so that carbon dioxide doesn’t build up, don’t allow children (or adults) to inhale the mist that pours from the pitcher, and be careful when breaking it into pieces.
How to Store: Because dry ice evaporates quickly and doesn’t store well, it’s best to buy only what you need and use it as soon as possible (store it in a Styrofoam cooler if you’re not using it right away, as it’s best not to store it in the freezer for everyday use).
Root Beer Extract: I use the Zatarain brand of root beer extract. It has the best root beer flavor of any I’ve tried. If you’re using another brand of root beer extract, start with a smaller amount and add more as needed.
