root beer extract with other ingredients?

[bking0217]

I recently bought a 12-pack of Zatarain's root beer extract on Amazon, thanks to a link from a fellow member. The question I had was, has anyone used this stuff as a base to make some really spectacular root beer? I mean like adding other ingredients to make it taste more "craft-like".

 

[fartsnostink]

bump..
i have some of these as well, tried two to a keg, added loranne rootbeer flavour (one and two drams) natural sugar, molases and brown sugar. but i cant say i've had any winners with my son

 

[bking0217]

Thanks for the reply. I just wait until the shipment comes in and see if there's a recipe with the extract. If so, I'll make a batch with their recipe and go from there. Wether in cooking, brewing, or whatever, it's just not in my nature to not screw with the original recipe.

 

[daft]

Mine really disappointed me in sodastream mode. A lifetime supply of weak, mediocre flavor. To taste its essence, pour some into a lemon lime soda... blah. Try mixing a good root beer with lemon lime soda and it highlights it rather than weakens it.

Of course you have to shake it a lot to get the sediment off the bottom. I tried adding double chocolate flavor drops, which seemed to help. Vanilla extract didnt help. I think a brown sweetener like amber or dark caro syrup would help... earlier posts said to add treacle or molasses.

Maybe i'm missing something, but why use this stuff if it doesnt do its job and you have to pile in cover up ingredients? I had better luck with the zatrains beans and rice mix that i included with their extract order.

 

[StroudCreek]

I just made my 2nd 2.5 gal batch using zatrains I used 2 cups of brown sugar and 3 cups of table sugar, one pack of champagne yest mixed in a half cup of warm water. I also used bottled water and it's freaking great.

 

[daft]

Of course you have to shake it a lot to get the sediment off the bottom.

Darn it, as soon as I throw away a finished bottle, the next cap leaks when I shake no matter how tight. So check before throwing away the old. BTW I only find this flavor good with agave syrup, but that's going painfully up in price.

 

[aruzinsky]

To taste its essence, pour some into a lemon lime soda... blah. Try mixing a good root beer with lemon lime soda and it highlights it rather than weakens it.

Of course, "blah" because lime does not belong in root beer. You should add root beer flavoring to cream (vanilla) soda because vanilla belongs in root beer or, at least, it never hurts at that concentration. Walmart's Great Value Cream Soda costs about $0.88 / 2 liter bottle which is cheaper than any soda that you can make from scratch, especially, the diet version.

I have no experience with Zatrians but I notice that a labeled ingredient is spruce oil. Although there is such a thing as spruce beer, many people regard the flavor of spruce as awful.

 

[daft]

Of course, "blah" because lime does not belong in root beer. You should add root beer flavoring to cream (vanilla) soda because vanilla belongs in root beer or, at least, it never hurts at that concentration.

Thanks for the ideas, but for me sprite etc has near zero actual lime or lemon taste, and comes across mainly as sweet water. Since childhood I have mixed sprite/rootbeer/coke in all proportions at the self serve machines, and found that dilution of rootbeer by sprite lets me unpack rooty flavors that were masking each other and sometimes enjoy it more. Of course that is for low quality commercial stuff, and often with coke.

I have no doubt that cream soda would boost the flavor, but that seems comparable to the expensive agave syrup plus water (mapley mix) that I need to make the root flavor work.

Maybe the problem of my zatarain multipacks is oxidation in some bottles that aren't sealed right. I guess a leaky one should be thrown away. Don't shake the box of all of them like I did. I had noticed that many of the caps have shavings where a screw-on machine seemed to have trouble

 

[aruzinsky]

Thanks for the ideas, but for me sprite etc has near zero actual lime or lemon taste, and comes across mainly as sweet water.

But, it is very unlikely that bking0217 shares that trait with you. Incidentally, Freesca taste like grapefruit which also doesn't belong in root beer. Sometimes, but rarely, relatively small amounts of lemon oil are used in root beer.

Since childhood I have mixed sprite/rootbeer/coke in all proportions at the self serve machines, and found that dilution of rootbeer by sprite lets me unpack rooty flavors that were masking each other and sometimes enjoy it more. Of course that is for low quality commercial stuff, and often with coke.

Can you identify, by name, some of the "rooty flavors" that you "unpack" in root beer by adding Sprite?

Maybe the problem of my zatarain multipacks is oxidation in some bottles that aren't sealed right. I guess a leaky one should be thrown away. Don't shake the box of all of them like I did. I had noticed that many of the caps have shavings where a screw-on machine seemed to have trouble

The only common beverage ingredients that I know of that are prone to oxidation are cold pressed citrus oils. When I first open a bottle of a cold pressed citrus oil, I add BHT to prevent oxidation.

 

[daft]

But, it is very unlikely that bking0217 shares that trait with you. Incidentally, Freesca taste like grapefruit which also doesn't belong in root beer. Sometimes, but rarely, relatively small amounts of lemon oil are used in root beer.



Can you identify, by name, some of the "rooty flavors" that you "unpack" in root beer by adding Sprite?



The only common beverage ingredients that I know of that are prone to oxidation are cold pressed citrus oils. When I first open a bottle of a cold pressed citrus oil, I add BHT to prevent oxidation.

Huh? Bking did not report results, which may have been bad. One thumbs up for Zat in this thread, but another thread which first got some of us started with multipaks from amazon had only a negative report I believe. BTW this is the ONLY affordable extract available to me... nothing is sold locally and anything else has to be expensively airmailed.

Fresca would be a gross combo with extract... disgusting fake sugar and bitter rather than tart fruit. Sprite hardly expresses any lime that would interfere with root beer. Try a glass of 2/3 sprite, one quarter coke, and the remaining sliver commercial rotgut root beer... it tastes mainly like root beer, and good!

Contrast that with putting my zat extract into sprite, water, or weakly sweetened carbed water... YUK/GAG/ghastly. And it gets worse as I get lower in the bottle... I have to open it a zillion times because I only make a half liter at a time with sodastream. If not from oxidation, then any number of decay mechanisms or seperations may be at fault, even tho I refridge it... I am trying to be generous in case it isn't the fault of zat recipe.

If I get the balance just right with enough agave, zat can be very good. But it seems more like a masking process, and the same with commercial rotgut rootbeer. Too much sweetening is needed to hide sins of the extract. Weaken it too much and you taste the sins of carbonized tap water, which is bitter and may also contain undesired gasses. That is why adding sweet tasteless rotgut sprite is helpful to diagnose extract... I can't id the subflavors, but can tell good vs bad elements instead of having them all muddied up in strong flavor and sweetener.

 

[aruzinsky]

Huh? Bking did not report results, which may have been bad.

I meant that it is unlikely that Sprite tastes the same to Bking as it does to you. Also, odor aside, for most people, Sprite should taste too sour for root beer or cola.

BTW this is the ONLY affordable extract available to me... nothing is sold locally and anything else has to be expensively airmailed.

Do you live near a Walmart and, if so, have you looked for McCormick Root Beer Extract there?

 

[aruzinsky]

I recently bought a 12-pack of Zatarain's root beer extract on Amazon, thanks to a link from a fellow member. The question I had was, has anyone used this stuff as a base to make some really spectacular root beer? I mean like adding other ingredients to make it taste more "craft-like".

Theoretically, adding sassafras herb should both improve the flavor and make any modern root beer taste more "craft like." I would bet on it. But, I will buy a bottle of Zatarain's just to see what the fuss is about and better advise you.

 

[r2eng]

Check out my recipe one of the first ones here. Kegged, though!

Uses Zatarain's and anise, sassafrass, licorice root, etc. I also have now been adding wintergeen and vanilla bean with excellent results.

I especially love the rootbeers with stronger wintergreen!

 

[aruzinsky]

I especially love the rootbeers with stronger wintergreen!

Then you must especially love A&W, which raises the question, "Why bother making your own root beer?" In my case, I love the flavor of pre-1960, safrole based, commercial root beer and the only way that I can get that flavor is to make my own root beer. Also, I want to avoid relying on any manufacturer of any food product that I love because they can stop manufacturing it, or change the formulation, without notice, at any time. I have been a victim of this kind of consumer abuse many times in my life and I am sick and tired of it. I should also point out that the cost of ingredients in a $4 bottle of Zaterains is only a few cents. Thus, there is a big potential cost savings in making your own root beer extract. But, it would be very difficult to beat the "on sale" price of A&W which is around $1 per 2 liter bottle. You chose to rely on Zatarain and still go through almost as much trouble as making root beer from scratch. Why?

 

[Weezy]

Asking why is rarely a good question. No one needs a reason to craft something with their own mind and hands.

How about some lactose and/or maltodextrin for body and creaminess? (I just doctored up a birch beer with some steeped birch branches and cinnamon sticks, and honey and maltodextrin...but it needs more)

 

[r2eng]

Actually, A&W is bland and, to my taste, does not have a heavy wintergreen. Which is why I make my own

The closest thing to what I like is a "craft" root beer - I think it's Red Arrow or something. I will check when I go to the store. Either way, you kinda' answer the question you asked me yourself - cheap, better and customizable is why I make it.

 

[aruzinsky]

Actually, A&W is bland and, to my taste, does not have a heavy wintergreen..

I would never have guessed that because A&W is the second strongest commercial root beer that I have ever tasted (Dad's is the strongest.) I am talking about bottled A&W and not the stuff that was sold at A&W drive ins which wasn't nearly as strong. There is so much methyl salicylate in bottled A&W that it burns my tongue. The weakest root beer that I have ever tasted is Henry Weinhard's which many people seem to like.

The closest thing to what I like is a "craft" root beer - I think it's Red Arrow or something. I will check when I go to the store.

If I ever run across Red Arrow, I will try it. Thanks.

Either way, you kinda' answer the question you asked me yourself - cheap, better and customizable is why I make it.

But, Zaterains isn't cheap. It would be much cheaper to add extra methyl salicylate to A&W, although the thought of doing that makes me cringe. To me, it would be like drinking Bengay.

 

[fartsnostink]

i have twelve extra bottles in Ottawa Canada anyone interested pm me

 

[aruzinsky]

I recently tasted Zaterains for the first time and, to me, it seems to have a cola-like flavor constituent, i.e., maybe, cinnamon and lemon or other citrus. I suspect that you can approximately duplicate the flavor of Zaterains by mixing equal parts of Coca Cola and Dad's Root Beer (I'll have to buy some Coca Cola and try this.) Although some people may like Zaterains because they like cola, it is nevertheless a step away from a traditional root beer flavor. The only way to get rid of this cola flavor is to dilute it until you can no longer taste it.

 

[daft]

duplicate the flavor of Zaterains by mixing equal parts of Coca Cola and Dad's Root Beer

I love cola and hate dad's wretchedly bitter root beer. The latter must be the zaterain component I dislike.

I'm stuck with zat - other root beer extract bottles cost me $8+ except this lifetime supply box from amazon airmailed for free. People suggest looking in a supermarket... hah! Even finding olives is hard, as only immigrant tastes are catered to around here.

Oh, I took your advice and went extract shopping at Dante's Walmart inferno. Hellish gridlock of carts (why no handbaskets?) often loaded with vagrant's bedbuggy belongings... one had a 5 gal pail of live bait and dead fish and another had a mutt dirtying up the food isles (no greeters in this gritty bedlam branch).

Anyway, opposite a pole where you couldn't stand without blocking the mile's backup of carts, among gutted shelves maybe plundered primarily by shoplifters... I did see a picture of a Root Beer mug with "concentre de Racinette" by Watkins. And it was only $4 and something.

For some reason I instead tried Watkins Rum extract, lulled by some greybeard advice here on how alcohol based extract doesn't hurt the flavor. Well, I forgot vanilla extract about makes me hurl, and this alcohol based artificial rum mixed with banana extract and agave syrup was a real projectile-vomit inducer.

My taste buds love tart but hate bitter... I guess that rules out half of root beer recipes and all beer, coffee, etc. I justified my Walmart visit by getting cut price Smuckers blueberry syrup (out of boysenberry) which makes a pretty interesting soda when tarted up by key lime juice.

 

[aruzinsky]

I love cola and hate dad's wretchedly bitter root beer. The latter must be the zaterain component I dislike..

I suspect that most people would describe Dad's as spicy or pungent, not bitter. To me, it seems that the predominant flavor is allspice closely followed by anise. It reminds me of the flavor of Sen-Sen. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sen-Sen .

Even finding olives is hard, as only immigrant tastes are catered to around here..

But olives are an immigrant food, e.g., try Goya brand. Incidentally, if you never tasted a raw green olive (as picked from the tree), you are in for a real treat. Look for them in the produce section.

Oh, I took your advice and went extract shopping at Dante's Walmart inferno. Hellish gridlock of carts (why no handbaskets?) often loaded with vagrant's bedbuggy belongings... one had a 5 gal pail of live bait and dead fish and another had a mutt dirtying up the food isles (no greeters in this gritty bedlam branch)..

While waiting in the checkout line at Walmart, I suddenly heard crying on my right. I turned and saw a Hispanic boy, about 10 years old, lying on his stomach next to me. I have no idea what happened to him. What I found particularly disturbing was that he had his lips pressed against the floor while he was crying. I looked around and there were no parents to claim him.

My taste buds love tart but hate bitter... I guess that rules out half of root beer recipes and all beer, coffee, etc. I justified my Walmart visit by getting cut price Smuckers blueberry syrup (out of boysenberry) which makes a pretty interesting soda when tarted up by key lime juice.

I have the perfect solution for you. First, drink Schweppes Quinine Water and then drink root beer as a chaser. Or, better yet, first eat a raw green olive. Then you will hardly notice any bitterness in the root beer.

 

[daft]

Since I hadn't tried Dad's RB for years, I had looked up reviews on the internet, where more than one call it bitter. Anyway to get back on topic, I have mentioned that adding hazelnut flavor is very sympatico with zaterain. But I'm gonna try chucking in random favors to mix it up, like pomegranate or peach or whatever of my artificial flavor droplets that might hide off flavors a bit.

I noticed Sam's Club is having what seems to be an annual sale on agave syrup, which is healthy and very sympatico with root beer. Unfortunately they only seem to offer smaller rather than the past econo bottles for this now luxury item... you can get honey for the same price, which I may give a whirl to.

To digress on walmart as a supply source, our immigrants are rarely hispanic and we see few of their products here... I get my (kalamata) olives air mailed in bulk thru amazon subscription. The issue of vagrants packing the store may be due to disability fraud... I bet we rival those famous parts of north carolina where one quarter population have signed up for disability payments. This leads to a high disposable income when some decide to live rough and not spend on rent.