GAPS Root Beer
This simple root beer made with actual roots is sweetened with honey, then fermented with whey. Bubbly and delicious, this fermented drink is easy to make, full of probiotics, and a refreshing treat you can feel good about!
Equipment
- bottles with tops that seal (enough to hold 2 quarts total)
Ingredients
- 2 quarts filtered water
- 2 T sarsaparilla root
- 1 T freshly grated ginger root (1 tsp ground ginger)
- 8 anise stars
- 1 tsp sassafrass bark (optional)
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves (1 tsp whole cloves)
- 3/4 C honey
- 1 C whey (must contain active cultures, like from yogurt)
Instructions
- Bring 2 quarts filtered water to a simmer in a pot on the stove.
- Measure out your roots and bark, grating or chopping the ginger. Add them to the water and simmer gently for about 45 minutes.
- Turn off heat. When the mixture has cooled a bit, stir in honey until it dissolves. Adjust quantity to taste and cool completely.
- To each bottle, add about 1/4 cup whey, then fill to about an inch below the top with the root beer liquid.
- Close the bottle tightly and leave at room temperature for 2-5 days. Open the tops a couple of times per day to release pressure and check the progress of the ferment.
- When the root beer is fermented to your liking, move the bottle to the refrigerator and serve cold within a few days.
- If you don't serve soon, open the bottles on occasion to release pressure. The fermentation will slow down in the refrigerator, but it won't stop entirely.
Notes
Calories are estimated based on this exact recipe fermented for four days. Since fermentation is affected by various factors, results vary. In four days, you can anticipate 30-50% of the sugar from the honey being consumed. Shorter fermentation results in less sugar consumption, and more will be consumed if you ferment longer.