A little over a week ago, I decided to make my first batch of hard root beer. I planned for it to be a malt-based drink and I decided to forego my usual compulsiveness regarding measurements.

Ingredients:

• 3lbs dark liquid malt extract
• about 1/2lb of dark dry malt extract
• about 1/2lb of powdered lactose (for mouthfeel and a little sweetness)
• about 1/2oz of Czech Saaz hops

I tossed the ingredients into my 5gal kettle and added enough water to end up with about 2.5gal after a 60min boil.  I finished with a little more than 2.5gal. It’s been a while since I brewed with such a small kettle!  I took no gravity readings.

Fermentation was very fast and vigorous with Fermentis Abbaye dry yeast.  I decided that this yeast might add some interesting flavors to the already complex flavor of root beer.

After a week and a half, I racked the malt base into a secondary and added some Gnome Soda root beer flavoring to taste. It needed some sweetening, so I added  liquid Stevia to taste. I’m going to let the mixture “rest” for a little while and then keg it.

I’m looking forward to this one! It tasted pretty good at this stage.