Lab 7: Root Beer

This week in lab we're making root beer! Why? Well science can be fun you know... but more importantly root beer becomes carbonated because of the CO2 released by yeast during fermentation (don't worry, our root beer doesn't become alcoholic). The root beer should be ready between 3 days and two weeks.


1. Materials needed for Root Beer
1.1. Two (2) tablespoon Malto Dextrin
1.2. One (1) teaspoon root beer extract
1.3. One quarter (1/4) teaspoon champagne yeast
1.4. One and one half (1 ½) cups dark brown sugar
1.5. One (1) cup white table sugar
1.6. One (1) gallon cold water
1.7. One (1) gallon milk container (empty and clean)
1.8. Three (3) 1 liter plastic soda bottles with caps
1.9. Six to Eight (6-8) quart sauce pan
1.10. One (1) Funnel

2. Procedures
2.1. Sanitization of the container
2.1.1. Place 2 teaspoons of unscented bleach with 2 gallons of cold water
2.1.2. Soak all equipment (including bottles and caps) in this solution for ten minutes.
2.1.2.1. Start Time ____________
2.1.2.2. End Time ____________
2.1.2.3. Total Time ____________
2.1.2.4. Initial : _________ Verifier: _________
2.1.3. Remove equipment and rinse with hot water
2.1.4. Dry bottles upside down in drying rack

2.2. Preparation of Root Beer
2.2.1. Obtain a sauce pan and place it onto heat source
2.2.2. Obtain White sugar
2.2.3. Obtain Dark Brown sugar
2.2.4. Obtain Malto Dextran
2.2.5. Obtain Root Beer extract
2.2.6. Obtain measuring cup
2.2.7. Measure 4 cups of water from the container and place them into the sauce pan
2.2.8. Heat the water to a temperature range below 100 ˚C
2.2.8.1. Record temperature __________
2.2.8.2. Initial: ________
2.2.9. Add 1 cup white sugar, stir to dissolve
2.2.9.1. Initial: ________ Verifier: ________
2.2.10. Add 1 ½ cups dark brown sugar, stir to dissolve
2.2.10.1. Initial: ________ Verifier: ________
2.2.11. Add 2 tablespoons Malto Dextran, stir to dissolve
2.2.11.1. Initial: ________ Verifier: ________
2.2.12. Stir until all added substances are dissolved
2.2.12.1. Initial: ________ Verifier: ________
2.2.13. Turn off heat source, leave pan
2.2.14. Add 1 teaspoon root beer extract, stir to dissolve
2.2.14.1. Initial: ________ Verifier: _______
2.2.15. Allow for sauce pan to cool to 45˚C
2.2.15.1. Record temperature: _______
2.2.15.2. Initial: ________ Verifier: ________
2.2.16. Obtain Champagne Yeast (whole class may use the same packet, take turns)
2.2.17. Obtain ¼ teaspoon
2.2.17.1. Record Batch number: _________
2.2.17.2. Date of Yeast: ________
2.2.18. Measure out ¼ teaspoon of yeast
2.2.19. Place the yeast into sauce pan
2.2.20. Seal the remainder yeast packet with tape and place into a refrigerator
2.2.21. Stir mixture until the yeast is dissolved
2.2.21.1. Initial: ________ Verifier: ________
2.2.22. Allow pan to sit uncovered for 10 minutes
2.2.22.1. Record Start Time: ________
2.2.22.2. Record End Time: ________
2.2.22.3. Total Time: ________
2.2.22.4. Initial: ________ Verifier: ________
2.3. Bottling
2.3.1. Obtain a funnel
2.3.2. Obtain containers
2.3.3. Pour contents of dissolved solution from the sauce pan into 1 container.
2.3.3.1. Initial: ________ Verifier: ________
2.3.4. Seal the container tightly
2.3.5. Place at room temperature (70˚F – 72˚F)
2.3.6. Leave for two weeks
2.3.6.1. Record Date, Time, and Temperature
2.3.6.2. Date: _______Time: ______ Temp:________
2.3.6.3. Date: _______Time: ______ Temp:________
2.3.6.4. Date: _______Time: ______ Temp:________
2.3.6.5. Date: _______Time: ______ Temp:________
2.3.6.6. Date: _______Time: ______ Temp:________
2.3.6.7. Date: _______Time: ______ Temp:________
2.3.6.8. Date: _______Time: ______ Temp:________
2.3.6.9. Date: _______Time: ______ Temp:________
2.3.6.10. Date: _____Time: ____ Temp:________
2.3.6.11. Date: _____Time: ____ Temp:________
2.3.6.12. Date: _____Time: ____ Temp:________
2.3.6.13. Date: _____Time: ____ Temp:________
2.3.6.14. Date: _____Time: ____ Temp:________
2.3.6.15. Date: _____Time: ____ Temp:________
2.3.6.16. Date: _____Time: ____ Temp:________
2.3.6.17. Date: _____Time: ____ Temp:________
2.3.6.18. Date: _____Time: ____ Temp:________
2.3.6.19. Date: _____Time: ____ Temp:________
2.3.6.20. Date: _____Time: ____ Temp:________
2.3.6.21. Date: _____Time: ____ Temp:________
2.4. Date and Time Batch was ready for consumption
2.4.1. Record Date and time
2.4.2. Date:______ Time:______
2.4.3. Initial: ________ Verifier: ________
2.5. Notes
2.5.1. Record any special notes in the Notes Section (pg 5)