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	Root Beer

For other activities, see the Activities Chapter.

This is GREAT fun, delicious, and easy! It is great for summer time campouts or picnics.

The water jug should have a screw on lid or you will have to weigh the lid down to keep it in place (try sitting on it). Remember that dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide. It is VERY cold and can cause burns so use caution when handling it. The dry ice goes from a solid into a gas - there will be a lot of bubbling and a mist coming from the cooler. The purpose of the dry ice is to cool down the root beer and to add carbonation. While you are at it, have some Fun with Dry Ice. Get a little extra dry ice and let the kids experiment with it as the root beer brews.

Regarding the use of dry ice, there is a trade-off between getting a lot of fizz and blowing up the container. If the container is sealed very tightly, you run the risk of the container exploding from the pressure the dry ice builds up inside when it changes from a solid to a gas. If the container is left open, you won't get any fizz. Just be careful and keep a watchful eye on the process.

The concentrate can be purchased from The Cajun Connection. I have no affiliation with them.

Put 5 gallons of water into the jug. The water needs to be a little cool, add some regular ice if needed. Pour the sugar into the water and stir until dissolved (water becomes clear again). Add the root beer concentrate and stir. Carefully add the dry ice. Screw the lid on tightly. The dry ice will bubble for about 15 minutes, then it's ready to drink.

If you need to make the recipe stretch a bit further, add an ounce of vanilla and an appropriate amount of sugar.

If you have to make it in a 5 gallon cooler, leave the water about 6 inches from the top and cover the jug immediately after adding the dry ice. When the dry ice hits the water it REALLY bubbles and sends up splashes 8 to 12 inches into the air.

If you don't have access to dry ice, try this recipe. The root beer extract is available in grocery stores.

Dissolve the sugar (use less sugar if desired) in half the seltzer water. Add the root beer extract and stir. Add the remainder of the seltzer water and ice.

This recipe makes it very clear just how much sugar is in some of our soft drinks!