Make your own

How to make sarsaparilla

The herbal, old-world end of the family.

Sarsaparilla draws its character from Smilax root, whose saponins throw a soft natural foam and a faint, pleasant astringency — drier and more medicinal than root beer.

Lean on sarsaparilla root with a little licorice and a hint of vanilla; quillaia or the root’s own saponins give a lasting head.

Design your sarsaparilla

Dial in the flavor, swap any layer, and the recipe rebuilds live.

Flavor fingerprint for your dial-inSweet / caramel 2 of 5, Creamy / vanilla 2 of 5, Wintergreen 1 of 5, Spice / heat 1 of 5, Woody / root 4 of 5, Herbal 3 of 5, Bitter 1 of 5SweetCreamyWintergreenSpiceWoodyHerbalBitter
Base
Sweetener
Carbonation
Foam
Batch

Closest to: Bold sarsaparilla (force-carbonated) · 100% match · 4 L

Flavor base: Sarsaparilla root (Smilax spp.), Licorice root (glycyrrhiza), Vanilla (vanillin), Wintergreen oil (methyl salicylate)

Sweetener: Cane sugar (sucrose), Brown sugar / molasses

Carbonation: Force CO2 · Foam: Quillaia

Equipment

CO2 tankregulatorcarbonation cap or keg

Shopping list

Pantry: Vanilla (vanillin) (1.6 g), Cane sugar (sucrose) (360 g), Brown sugar / molasses (60 g)

Homebrew shop: Quillaia extract (500 mg)

Specialty: Sarsaparilla root (Smilax spp.) (12 g), Licorice root (glycyrrhiza) (4.0 g), Wintergreen oil (methyl salicylate) (0.40 g)

Step-by-step
  1. Heat about 2.0 L of water (half the batch).
  2. Simmer the botanicals (Sarsaparilla root (Smilax spp.), Licorice root (glycyrrhiza), Vanilla (vanillin), Wintergreen oil (methyl salicylate)) 20-30 min, then strain out the solids.
  3. Dissolve the sweeteners (Cane sugar (sucrose), Brown sugar / molasses) into the warm liquid.
  4. Stir in Quillaia extract for head retention.
  5. Top up with cold water to 4 L and chill.
  6. Chill, then set the regulator to ~30 psi at fridge temperature and let it equilibrate 24-48h (pressure target is set-and-hold, independent of batch size).
Safety & notes (3)
  • • Contains licorice (glycyrrhizin), which can raise blood pressure in quantity.
  • • Wintergreen/birch oil (methyl salicylate) is toxic in quantity — measure precisely and keep away from children.
  • • Foamed with quillaia (saponin); noted in one dated platelet case report.
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Or clone a sarsaparilla you love

Brew it like Bickford's Sarsaparilla →Brew it like Big Ben's Sarsaparilla Soda →Brew it like Bundaberg Sarsaparilla →Brew it like Earp's Original Sarsaparilla →Brew it like Hosmer Mountain Sarsaparilla Root Beer →Brew it like Sioux City Sarsaparilla →Brew it like Six Shooter Sarsaparilla →Brew it like Snake River Sarsaparilla →

Common questions

Is sarsaparilla the same as root beer?

They're cousins. Sarsaparilla is built around Smilax root and runs drier, more herbal, and less sweet, with a soft natural foam from its saponins.

Is homemade sarsaparilla alcoholic?

Force-carbonated (CO2 or dry ice), it's alcohol-free. Fermented methods — yeast or a ginger bug — produce a trace of alcohol, typically well under 1%; it is not zero, so don't make non-alcoholic claims without testing.

What equipment do I need to make sarsaparilla?

At minimum a pot, bottles, and either a CO2 source or a fermentation culture. The recipe builder above lists the exact gear for whatever you assemble.

How long does it take to make sarsaparilla?

Force-carbonated batches are ready after a day or two of chilling. Fermented batches take roughly 1–3 days at room temperature until carbonated, then go in the fridge.

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