Ty520
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2020
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I've always liked root beer and have been kicking around an idea for a root beer inspired mead for a few days - i think the flavors of root beer would compliment a mead well, if done properly.
I don't want people to drink it and immediately think, "this is alcoholic root beer!" I want it to be subtle.
My draft recipe is as follows:
a bochet base of 3.5 pounds honey simmered 10 minutes to instill a caramel quality, but not too strong, per 1 gal water ( my first and only bochet seemed less sweet than a traditional, so my thought is to up the honey content to get the sweetness back? - thoughts?)
additional ingredients:
-1 x 1/2 inch piece of ginger root
1 x 1/2 inch piece of licorice root
3 x 1/2 inch pieces of sarsaparilla root
1 x 1/2 inch piece of birch bark
2 vanilla beans
1 star anise
1 clove
(Since my goal is "subtle," I halved the ratio typically used for actual root beer)
I plan to add the vanilla, anise and cloves in secondary, but I am not sure when to add the roots and bark - any suggestions? I came across a recipe for a birch mead that brewed the bark in the water before adding the honey to pull out flavor; sounds logical, but not sure if necessary - might make it too potent? Thoughts?
Wintergreen is also another traditional ingredient in root beer, but my initial hesitation is that a leafy green would go putrid sitting in there. thoughts?
Also, I have no idea where to track down licorice, sarsaparilla and birch.
thanks in advance. also any other ingredient suggestions welcome.
I don't want people to drink it and immediately think, "this is alcoholic root beer!" I want it to be subtle.
My draft recipe is as follows:
a bochet base of 3.5 pounds honey simmered 10 minutes to instill a caramel quality, but not too strong, per 1 gal water ( my first and only bochet seemed less sweet than a traditional, so my thought is to up the honey content to get the sweetness back? - thoughts?)
additional ingredients:
-1 x 1/2 inch piece of ginger root
1 x 1/2 inch piece of licorice root
3 x 1/2 inch pieces of sarsaparilla root
1 x 1/2 inch piece of birch bark
2 vanilla beans
1 star anise
1 clove
(Since my goal is "subtle," I halved the ratio typically used for actual root beer)
I plan to add the vanilla, anise and cloves in secondary, but I am not sure when to add the roots and bark - any suggestions? I came across a recipe for a birch mead that brewed the bark in the water before adding the honey to pull out flavor; sounds logical, but not sure if necessary - might make it too potent? Thoughts?
Wintergreen is also another traditional ingredient in root beer, but my initial hesitation is that a leafy green would go putrid sitting in there. thoughts?
Also, I have no idea where to track down licorice, sarsaparilla and birch.
thanks in advance. also any other ingredient suggestions welcome.
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