Squid Brews: Rooty Toot Root Beer

Ladies and gentlemen, we have root beer...

Yet another recipe from Homemade Soda by Andrew Schloss, this "Rooty Toot Root Beer" is quite intensely flavorful: not especially sweet, though.  My daughter, while she liked it, even described it as a little bitter.  For me, it was alright but not as satisfying as the orange honey ginger ale from a couple months back.  We still must see if it passes the ultimate root beer test: floats!

The carbonation process is a bit mysterious.  The way it's supposed to work, after you add the yeast and bottle, the plastic bottles sit for a few days.  You know the yeast has done its job when the bottles harden - and they're really supposed to be rock hard.  That worked beautifully for the ginger ale but not as well this time.  They were harder after a few days but not quite what I expected.  I saw bubbles, though, so I figured the soda was, in fact, carbonating.  Once the bottles harden, they go in the fridge for a week to slow the carbonation down.  I took a chance and put them in, hopefully not prematurely.

I needn't have worried.  The bottles were downright explosive when I opened them.  I don't know if it's worth looking into reducing the carbonation.  I have the same issue with the beer.  The mess is a drawback, of course, but I also regret losing so much of the liquid to foam.  On the other hand, I don't exactly understand all of the microbiological processes involved so perhaps best not to tinker until I learn more.

Squid Brews: Orange Honey Ginger Ale

I have successfully brewed my own soda from scratch.  The recipe for orange honey ginger ale came from Homemade Soda by Andrew Schloss.  While my first experiment from the book (see here) was somewhat underwhelming, the results this time were far more successful.  Both wife and daughter are ginger addicts and they were pleased.

The most difficult part of the project was the prep work for the syrup.  Grating a half-cup of gingerroot is a lot of work.  Sterilizing bottles isn't exactly fun but it's not difficult.  Most of the process is just waiting.  Once you bottle, you let the yeast do its carbonating thing for a week-and-a-half, then it's ready.  And carbonate it does!  Opening the bottles over the sink is essential.

I don't think the gallon I made will last long.  I am saving one 16 oz bottle for Mock's daughter.  She's a big ginger ale fan.  My own daughter has already put in a request for me to make more.  I'll hang on to this recipe but I'm eager to move on to root beer.

Squid Mixes: Lime Sparkling Water

This recipe for lime sparkling water came from Homemade Soda by Andrew Schloss.  With the zest and juice of half a lime in each, it was quite limey indeed.  I was expecting it to be a bit sweeter but it was pleasant enough.  My daughter wasn't so impressed.  She didn't even finish hers.  I'm not sure it was worth the effort when when one can so easily pull a Poland Spring seltzer out of the fridge but this is the beginning of a process for me.

I have set a goal to brew my own root beer and ginger ale.  I have brewed alcoholic beer before.  I've managed to do it three times, in fact - successfully without poisoning anyone or even making a huge mess.  But it's a lot of work, especially for a beverage that can only be consumed by 2/3 of my household.  While I'd like to get back into brewing, I'd like to supplement it with beverages my daughter can enjoy, too.

Turns out, making soda's pretty easy.  The only tricky part - at least so far - is making the simple syrups.  The lime soda involved a basic sugar syrup combined with the limey stuff, then add seltzer.  My next project, orange honey ginger ale, is a little more involved.  The syrup itself is already done and sitting in the fridge.  It'll keep for a couple months.  I'll brew once we're through the holidays.

Has any of you tried to make your own soda before?