Gina's Old Fashioned Draft

Crotchville Beer has diversified!  We are expanding into new markets, trying to elbow in and snag all those straight edge kids.  THIS IS A WAAAAAAAAAR!  That's right Mike...ROOT BEER.

Making soda is actually really easy and I'm kinda surprised I haven't gotten around to it yet but other things have just taken priority I guess.  I got some extract from Gina's mom for this past x-mas and bought the additional gear needed recently and went to it.

 This is basically all you need

The additional stuff I needed was another bottling bucket, the extract is so strong that basically whatever it touches becomes 'root beer for life' so you can't use a bottling bucket that you intend to also use for beer again.  I also needed plastic bottles.  Due to the high amounts of sugar the natural carbonation process happens faster and can carbonate much more than beer usually does and glass bottles have a tendency to 'fail' spectacularly if you don't keep a close eye on them.  Plastic has more give and it also gives you a tactile way to know when carbonation is done...when the bottles harden up.  Also needed some dry champagne yeast for the natural carbonation.  Not sure what that does to flavor but I was told by the local homebrew store manager that the extract is strong enough to cover any residual flavors.  And judging by its smell I think we should be fine.

Gina loves her some root beer

The actual process is a snap.  Warm water, extract, sugar, yeast all go in the bucket.  Stir it up to mix/dissolve.  And then bottle it.  That's it.  Makes 4 gallons and took us maybe 30mins.  Needs to 'ferment' / carbonate at room temperature for 3-4 days then to a slightly cooler basement type locale for another 3-4 or so and then to the fridge and then your stomach, with maybe another week in the basement to refine the flavors a bit before drinking if you want.

And yes, I know that its not Draft because its in bottles but I don't care.  I'm running this show.