Root beer kombucha is healthy and healing. It tastes similar to store-bought root beer but doesn’t have excess sugar or added preservatives. This recipe is easy to make using kombucha that has already undergone the first fermentation.
Make root beer from your homemade raw kombucha with just a few ingredients. Sarsaparilla root and wintergreen are widely available online and can be delivered to your door.
Table of Contents
Root Beer Kombucha
Total Time: 2 days
Yield: 16 Servings 1x
Description
Root beer kombucha is a healthy take on a classic soda flavor. This recipe uses real sasparilla root and wintergreen leaves that provide lots of flavor and health benefits.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 cups water
- 2 ounces sarsparilla root
- 1/4 tsp wintergreen leaves
- 1/2 cup cane sugar
- 1 tbsp molasses
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 12 cups unflavored black tea kombucha
Instructions
- Combine the water, sarsaparilla root, and wintergreen leaves in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Strain the herbs from the liquid.
- Add the cane sugar, molasses, vanilla extract, and lime juice while the liquid is still warm. Stir until the sugars dissolve.
- Cool the mixture to room temperature.
- Pour 1/3 cup of the root beer mixture into each glass bottle.
- Fill the bottle with kombucha, leaving 1-inch headspace. Cap the bottles tightly.
- Let the bottles ferment at room temperature for 2-3 days.
- Refrigerate to stop the fermentation. Enjoy when desired.
Notes
Store extra root beer mixture in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Black kombucha tea works best because the bold flavor compliments the intense flavors of the herbs. White or green tea kombucha would be overpowered by the other flavors.
If you can’t find wintergreen, you can substitute mint. It’s not quite as sweet or powerful, so you may want to use a few extra leaves and increase the sugar to 3/4 cup.
You could substitute maple syrup for molasses if you prefer. Maple syrup is sweeter and less tangy than molasses, so your root beer kombucha may be a bit sweeter and more mellow.
Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to each serving for a fun and sweet treat.
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
What Does Root Beer Kombucha Taste Like?
Root beer kombucha tastes a bit like root beer soda. It’s not quite as sweet as store-bought root beer, but it still has plenty of flavor and fizz. The tangy kombucha and sarsaparilla root balance against the sweetness of the cane sugar and molasses. You’ll also notice hints of vanilla and tones of licorice.
What Is Sarsaparilla Root?
Sarsaparilla root, Smilax ornata, is a climbing vine native to Central America and Mexico. The vines are large, prickly, and perennial, and the roots are short and thick. It has a slightly bitter taste that can overwhelm your beverage. It is often paired with sweet ingredients to help balance its bold flavor. Sarsaparilla soda led to the creation of root beer.
People have used sarsaparilla for centuries to treat skin irritations and joint problems like arthritis. Today you can find sarsaparilla root in certain health food stores and online at Amazon. It comes in tablets, capsules, powder, and tinctures.
Sarsparilla may be harmful to pregnant women and people with kidney disease. It’s advised that these individuals avoid sarsaparilla root. Always check with your doctor before adding a medicinal herb to your routine.
Don’t confuse sarsaparilla root with sassafras. Sassafras was used to make root beer for many years until the FDA discovered it contained a carcinogen. Sassafras is not safe to use.
Health Benefits of Root Beer Kombucha
Kombucha tea is gluten-free and dairy-free and offers many health benefits. Kombucha:
- Is a good source of probiotics.
- Helps encourage healthy digestion.
- Helps strengthen overall wellness by creating a diverse gut microbiome.
- Is high in Vitamin B, which helps support mental health.
Sarsaparilla root is believed to be beneficial for the human body. Sarsaparilla:
- Is antimicrobial and may help fight harmful bacteria in your body. It was used to treat both leprosy and syphilis for decades.
- Can help protect your liver. The flavonoids in sarsaparilla root may help reverse liver damage and support healthy liver function.
- Has anticancer properties. Though this study was performed on mice, it’s possible sarsaparilla root may show the same improvements on tumors in humans.
- May help treat psoriasis.
- May help treat arthritis. Sarsaparilla root is an anti-inflammatory and may improve symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis or gout.
It is possible that consuming too much sarsaparilla root may upset your stomach. It can also interact with medications, causing your body to absorb more of them. Consult your doctor immediately if you experience any side effects after consuming sarsaparilla.
Wintergreen is a perennial evergreen native to eastern North America. This shrub is small, with waxy leaves and red berries. Wintergreen leaves can help relieve headaches and gas and may help reduce fevers.
How Much Caffeine Does Root Beer Kombucha Have?
Root beer kombucha has 10-15 mg of caffeine per 8 oz serving. Black tea, a main ingredient in kombucha, has caffeine. During fermentation, the caffeine provides the SCOBY with nitrogen. Nitrogen helps create the beneficial yeast and bacteria that make kombucha a healthy probiotic drink.
Should You Make This Recipe with Young, Sweet Kombucha or Older, Sour Kombucha?
Make this recipe with young, sweet kombucha. The bitter sarsaparilla root and sharp wintergreen flavors will pair nicely with sweet kombucha.
Old, sour kombucha pairs well with sweet fruits or as a starter tea for your next batch of kombucha.