Alaska Cabin Life - filling the pantry with HOMEMADE ROOT BEER ~ FUN and CHEAP

Today we are making root beer from extract. Cost breakdown and links below.
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Here’s the cost breakdown for 5 gallons:
$3 Root Beer Extract
96¢ white wine yeast
$2.10 sugar (2.5 lbs @ 84¢/lb.)
$2.43 bottle caps (54 caps at 4.5¢ per)
Free Bottles
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$8.49 for 5 gallons~makes 54 12oz bottles
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15.7¢ per bottle WHOOP!!
HERE ARE THE LINKS FOR THE THINGS WE USED TODAY:
Zatarains is no longer sold, but we love HIRES extract: amzn.to/3z3QPJb
Bottle Capper: amzn.to/3v82d0T
144 Caps: amzn.to/3uBHC6l
Brewer’s bucket with spigot amzn.to/3WLldhN
White wine yeast: amzn.to/3YM9amq

[@annekabrimhall1059]

I use Ginger bug for the fermentation and sarsaparilla tea for the root beer flavor. Then it’s healthy and tasty!

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

I’d really like to start a ginger bug. I like the idea much better than processed yeast. Maybe this summer. 😊

[@aandjrangel6958]

Hey Anna, do you know if you can use a Ginger bug to make wine instead of yeast?

[@brennagarten317]

Thanks for taking the time to show everyone how simple making root beer can be!

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

No problem friend! Thanks for watching. 😊

[@smolmads316]

Thank you for the video super excited to try this out myself!

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

I’m glad you enjoyed it. 😊

[@lifeonswezeastreet]

I can’t wait to try this!

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

It’s so easy! I’m working on a ginger beer video to post next week too. Happy New Years friend. 🎉

[@maryjahnke]

Hi guys, I didn't know it was that easy. Great job. Keep bringing these videos. Stay warm and great job with the animals in the other videos 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍🦩🦩🦩🦩🦩🦩🦩

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

Thanks miss Mary!

[@RusticByNature]

Very Cool Thanks for sharing.

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

Thanks for watching and commenting. 😊

[@marilyna597]

That was so cool to see. I'm not much of a drinker of sodas/rootbeer, but it was interesting on just how easy it is to make. Have you ever tried making other flavors of soda like Coke or Sprite?

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

Hey miss Marilyn, we’ve made ginger ale before. Actually we’ve made it lots of times, but I’m still working out a decent recipe. It’s tastes like poison. Ha! We’ve made rhubarb soda and that’s yummy. We didn’t use extracts for either, but real fruit that we strain out after the 2 days. When I was a kid my mom experimented with all the different kinds of baking extracts you can buy. Root beer was always the best. 😊

[@toniatalley1977]

Brand new subscriber here. I can't believe i just learned how to make my own rootbeer. Oh my Dog y'all!!! This channel is gonna be amazing

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

Awwww! We are so happy to have you along new friend. Have a great weekend!

[@fruitcake4508]

Now i want root beer but sugar free if i can find some 👍♥️. You did a great job!!! Thanks much❤

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

Thanks Faith!🫶

[@carole6779]

Well that was fun! I wonder if I could micro-batch it. I don't have the refrigerator space or cold storage for that many bottles at a time. Ginger beer would be my go-to. Maybe using a ginger syrup instead of the fresh ginger would work better... ? Thanks for all the tips.

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

You must be a mind reader miss Carole! I’m working on ginger beer as we speak. The video should come out next week and I’ll make sure to give alternate instructions for a 1 gallon batch. Makes about 10 bottles. 😊

[@survivinglife__unplugged]

Root beer is my favorite soda. If I could do this sugar free I'd definitely be trying it. It looks so easy and fun. Good tip at the end on saving lids and the yeast residue. Thanks for this cool video. Take care friends!

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

I wonder if it would work sugar free? I think the yeast needs the sugar. But I’m sure there’s a way. I saw a cool thing on one of the Hollars videos that can carbonate anything. You could use water, extract, and stevia (or the like) and keep it cold. Then use that fizz maker thing and I bet you’d still be saving money. Im not sure if it work be shelf stable, but I don’t see why not. If not you could make a few quarts at a time and put them in old plastic twist top hotties and keep in the fridge. Smart idea. Lotsa love. Chrystal

[@survivinglife__unplugged]

@@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska I have a soda stream that I totally forgot about. I probably couldve been making a stevia sweetened root beer all this time 🤦‍♀️😅 I have seen a kombucha that was root beer flavored that could possibly be a substitute..it does have sugar but much less than traditional soda. I've not ventured into making kombucha yet but if I did that would be the one I'd try. I'm going to have to make a list of things to experiment with once we have a home again.

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

@@survivinglife__unplugged You’ll get there friend. I guess we’d be boring if we didn’t have an unending list of things we want to try and experiment with. I’m getting back on the horse for the 4th try of ginger ale today. Maybe this one won’t curl nose hairs. Ha!

[@EpicMissionaryAdventures]

You guys make that look so easy. We may just give it a try. We live down in Central Mexico and can’t get root beer down here.

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

Hey friends! That Zatarains rootbeer has been discontinued. We’ve been looking for a good replacement. amzn.to/48MTsLH. This Hires rootbeer is pretty good. About $15 on amazon, makes 30+. bottles. Follow these directions. It is super easy. To make 3 gallons poured equally into bottles: 12 quarts (48 cups) warm water 10 cups (5lbs pounds) sugar 1/2 cup (one bottle) The Big H Root Beer Extract 3/8 teaspoon yeast mixed with 1/3 cup warm water Add sugar and The Big H Root Beer Extract to warm water and mix thoroughly in a food-safe container Add baker’s yeast to warm water and mix thoroughly in a small bowl Then mix everything together thoroughly to make root beer mixture Pour root beer mixture equally into clean bottles leaving an inch of headspace in the bottles Cap the bottles and place them side down in a towel at room temperature for 1-4 days. We found 2 days to be perfect. Then place the bottles upright in the refrigerator and keep them there until they are used.

[@EpicMissionaryAdventures]

Sweet thanks for the info.

[@NathanClevenger1337]

Rootbeer is the best soda! Thanks for teaching me how to make my own.

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

Of course friend! I would say that most people would probably like to add about twice the sugar that we added though. Let us know how it goes!😊

[@NathanClevenger1337]

@@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska I'm trying to reduce the amount of sugar intake in my life. So I'll try your recipe first, and adjust for taste if needed.

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

@@NathanClevenger1337 perfect!!

[@cruzscorner4033]

Could you use mason jars instead of those bottles? I am also from Alaska and we have way to many mason jars from jams jelly’s and canning so I would rather use those to get them out of our cup cabinet.

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

Hey friend! I haven’t stored them in the cold room in mason jars, but I have stored them in the fridge and mason jars for up to about a week. I haven’t stored them for longer than a week, so I’m not sure how they perform. It’s definitely worth a try. The most important thing is to keep them cold once they’ve created as much carbonation as you like, about a day or two worth. Be blessed friend and good luck.

[@carolynmoody9460]

👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@Me-td8eo]

My son likes Root beer. Now I can make it for him. Thanks for the info. Stay safe and warm my friend.

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

Yay!! I’m glad you found this one useful! It’s pretty unsweetened with the amount of sugar we put in which is the way we like it. But I think you could get away with 3.5 pounds of sugar and it’ll be sweet enough for a kids liking without adding the whole 4 pounds. 😊

[@Me-td8eo]

I will probably have to add the full amount, even though my son is almost 39. Lol

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

@@Me-td8eo Oh gosh! Ha! See and I was picturing you not a day over 29. I’ll keep picturing you that way. 😊 Just picture me skinny, deal? Ha!

[@Me-td8eo]

Deal. Now you need to picture me skinny too. Thanks for the compliment. It's been 30 years since I've been that young. Lol

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

@@Me-td8eo Double Deal! 😊

[@sandijammes7761]

Yay!!! The much anticipated root beer video!! I think I can do that. It'll be fun to try for sure. You make it look easy. Enjoy the day! 😎

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

It is actually very easy Miss Sandi! Thank you for all your help in this endeavor,

[@jac335]

Great KZbin 👍.

[@thanielxj11]

Well that's just fun

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

Awwww! Thanks!

[@Mindy56743]

That looks so good and easy! I live in a area where we have lots of sassafras trees. I wonder if it would be possible to make the extract.. I may have to look into it.

[@sandijammes7761]

@armindacomasltvtpgvv - I'm interested in how you do that. If you could - let us know how that goes for you, that would be really interesting! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas & God bless you & yours. 🙏

[@Mindy56743]

@@sandijammes7761 I have been digging and it Really does not look hard but you have to be careful because the sassafras can cause cancer according to the government.

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

Oooooo! I wonder if it’s anything like making birch beer! You just tap the tree in the spring and get the juice. You’re a smart lady. I bet you’ll figure it out. 😊

[@Mindy56743]

@@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska I will try it uses the bark and the roots from the sassafras tree although historically it is very similar to the birch beer

[@annekabrimhall1059]

Thanks for all the help. One tip It really sounds like you’re shouting. I don’t think you need to because I can hear your husband just fine.

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

Thanks friend, I’m pretty loud by nature but working on toning it down for you guys. 😊 It’s good to know you can hear Reeve. That’s helpful. I always worry because we don’t use microphones. The ginger video is way worse….thanks again for your feedback.

[@Praxus42]

Would you be able to add like, whiskey to the root beer while it's brewing to increase the alcohol content? Would that mess with the sugar balance?

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

Hey friend! It’s not something we’ve tried before, but it definitely would kill the yeast and affect your carbonation. Probably just best to add it afterwards when you pour it in your glass. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@rockdawg6723]

Thanks for the video! I’m gonna try this! One question. When you added the vanilla, can you use vanilla extract? If so, how much? Thanks!

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

You can definitely add vanilla extract. I’d add 1 teaspoon per gallon. 😊

[@rockdawg6723]

thank you very much!!

[@tobytyler4223]

Can you skip the yeast to make it last longer on the shelf?

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

I don’t think it’s the yeast that limits the shelflife. But you surely could try it and essentially be making a root beer flavored simple syrup. I’d water bath can it just as you would a normal simple syrup. And when you wanted to use it, you could pour it over ice and drink it on carbonated, or if you poured over dry ice, then it will become carbonated. The yeast is what really puts the carbonation in it. I don’t find that it lasts long enough on the shelf to worry about it needing to last longer. Ha!

[@patricksmith3308]

Would this recipe work if I increased the vanilla extract and skipped the root beer extract to make cream soda?

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

I’ve never tried it, but I don’t see why not. It’s the sugar and water and yeast that really make the soda. It’s what makes all the carbonation and magic happen. I would definitely increase the sugar from what we did in this video, probably twice as much. And I would make sure that I used a highly highly concentrated vanilla. Otherwise, it’s just going to taste like yeast water licked a vanilla bean. Ha! Good luck friend. 😊

[@anintellectual8499]

Can you leave the root beer in the large barrel for extended periods of time?

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

Great question! I haven’t tried that. But things to keep in mind. It has to be a sealed container to carbonate and it has to be kept cold after the first few days. I think the method in this video might not be barrel worthy. 😊

[@chrismdoty]

I can’t find the rootbeer concentrate you use. Can you share a link or something? Thanks

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

Hey friend, the Zatarain’s extract has become very difficult to find. If you can find it at your local Walmart it will be cheaper than anywhere else. Amazon doesn’t have an available anymore. Hire’s is a good replacement. Here is the link for that on Amazon: amzn.to/3Rci3Uy The price of extracts have gone up, exponentially, and actually, it’s extremely difficult for me to get any extracts here in Alaska now. Nobody will ship it because of the alcohol content. It’s OK to use other brands of root beer extract, just read the instructions because the concentration might be a little different, so the amount of water you add will be different. Sprechers is also a good root beer extract, and I like the Cook’s brand. The cooks brand is generally non-GMO, and doesn’t have junk in it like the others might. I would avoid the Watkins brand if you’re gonna make root beer. Watkins is a great brand overall, but their root beer extract is fairly diluted. Wish I could help more. Be blessed friend.

[@kederic]

So after you get it where you like it carbonated and cold crash the yeast in the fridge ect😅 are they shelf stable for awhile or will they eventually start fermentation again 😂

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

Hey friend! They will definitely start fermenting again if it’s warm. If you keep it in a cold room, root cellar, or fridge they are good for a really long time. When I was a kid we made some pretty nasty flavors. They stayed “good” for a real long time …like a year. And we had to drink them before we could make root beer again. We just kept them in an old kitchen cupboard on their sides. It amazes my they didn’t explode. Ha! It was too warm in the kitchen. 😊 Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@BorckBorckBorck]

here we are buying brewing stuff now lol

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

Whoop! I hope you love your new kitchen adventure!

[@timcrain8100]

After finished do they have to be refrigerated? Would they be OK at room temperature in case you don’t have enough refrigerator space?

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

They definitely need to be cold. If you don’t have a root cellar or cold room, I would recommend only making enough to hold in your fridge at one time. You can easily make it into 1 gallon batches then bottle them and it shouldn’t take up too much of your fridge space. In the heat, it will continue to ferment and your bottles will explode. That’s a bad day, ha!

[@timcrain8100]

Sounds like a good idea! Me and my wife are going to attempt making some today. We can’t wait, we love a good root beer but I never knew it was this easy. Thanks again for your video.

[@nealmacdonald9896]

Why didn't you get Hires the original maker of Root Beer home kits.

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

Just our preference. But, I bet it's just as simple of a process. Follow the instructions on the back. Bada-bing bada-boom, Rootbeer. Thanks for watching.

[@marlenereimchen9141]

Who knew it was so easy to make.

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

It’s basically the precursor stage for adult fermented beverages if you’ve ever tried to make those. We’ve made rhubarb soda and ginger ale too, but used real fruit instead of extract. Just strain out the fruit before you bottle. 😊 The ginger ale is still a work in progress. 😳

[@marlenereimchen9141]

@@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska I always make kombucha that's about it for any fermented drinks. I used to make kefir as well but not anymore. No alcohol beverages for this gal 😂

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

Good girl! We used to make kefir, but I killed the grains. Ha!

[@MackWittDaCheeze]

4th reason....ITS GOOD

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

Ha! Yes!! We love it! Thanks for watching friend.

[@george9554]

What’s the yeast for?

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

Hey George! The yeast makes the carbonation. It reacts with the sugar to create carbon dioxide which makes the bubbles. Thanks for watching and have a great weekend. 🙂

[@drumrboynoid]

Now we just need a big spoon.............yup.

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

Ha! Thanks for watching friend. 😊

[@ajhubbell3754]

Doesn’t the yeast make it alcoholic?

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

Great question friend! Once you get it into a cool place like the fridge the yeast stops fermenting and can’t turn alcoholic. That’s why its important to just leave it at room temp for the first day or so and no longer. And if you leave something that’s fermenting in a warm environment for a long period of time, and in a completely sealed container, it will explode. That’s a bad day. Trust me I know. Ha! One time we forgot about the root beer in the kitchen and it pretty much sounded like a bomb went off and there was root beer and glass everywhere. I’m pretty good at remembering to get it cold after the first day or two now. Ha! Thanks for your comment and thanks for watching friend. Have a great Wednesday!

[@mattkeeling9694]

you are kind of yelling, but i loved the video

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

Thanks friend, sorry about the yelling. Ha! It’s just who I am, a loud mouth. Ha!

[@dan0507]

So you can't make this sugar free?

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

Hey friend, the sugar feeds the yeast which then makes the bubbles. It won’t work without sugar. Well, at least this method won’t work without sugar. Wish I was cool enough to know how to make it work for you, but alas. Have a great weekend. 😊

[@dan0507]

@@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska quite alright. Thanks for the reply?

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

@@dan0507 no problem friend

[@nealmacdonald9896]

Whole other day there is no such word as nothjer

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

Sad that was your only take away from our video. I'm assuming you meant to spell it "nother" without the "j". Ha! Be blessed.

[@jansteinvonsquidmeirsteen2256]

You lost me at root beer extract.

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

I agree, it would be so much cooler if we grew the roots to make it. Thanks for watching and commenting. 😊

[@jansteinvonsquidmeirsteen2256]

@@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska You could order them too, no?

[@FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska]

@@jansteinvonsquidmeirsteen2256 That’s probably true friend. But I might try birch beer though! That grows in my front yard. Ha! I did make a ginger ale video with real ginger. But people hated my voice in the video. Ha! Apparently I’m too loud. Ha! Thanks for watching! 😊