homemade root beer

We have been waiting all summer to make homemade root beer!  I couldn't find any stores around here that carried root beer extract.  not sure if it's a Mormon thing, or maybe an Idaho thing.  I tried to order some off Amazon, through a different seller, but after 4 weeks, a computer glitch, and then a backorder, I gave up and just bought some when I was in Idaho this past weekend.  I'm sure that was a one time problem.  ordering off Amazon usually is fine!  also, not every grocery store carries dry ice because it can be used to make bombs.  If you're from Issaquah, Fred Meyer has some for $1 a pound, and QFC Pine Lake has some for $2 a pound.  but it's spotty.  call ahead to make sure they have some. 

 

different brands will have different directions.  this Hires Big H brand was really good!  10 cups sugar, 4 gallons water, 1 4 oz. bottle of root beer extract and 10 pounds dry ice.  It definitely got better tasting the longer the dry ice was in there.  after about 1 hour it was perfect.

Here's a short video Emily made.  the bubbling was so loud!

dry ice was so fun and exciting for all the neighbor kids.  side note:  notice how everyone's yards are brown and dead?  no one has sprinklers here or waters their lawns.  10 months out of the year, we all have green beautiful grass, and 2 months in the summer it's gross.

and then after all the kids in the neighborhood drank a ton and couldn't drink anymore, it was still half full!  so we moved up to a busier street and set up a root beer stand on the side of the road!

PS--Count down to Jamaica.  12 DAYS!!