The continued progression of my Root Beer Float recipe (Now on v3.4)

submitted almost 10 years ago by Corrupt_Reverend

After spending some time with v3 and taking all your advice into consideration, I've continued to work on my recipe.

v3.1

71.3% VG
8.3% Nic.
8% PG
7% Root Beer Float
2% Vanilla Bean Gelato
1% Vanilla Swirl
1% Vanilla Custard v2
1% Vanillin

v3.1 pulled back the throat-hit quite a bit. Like some had suggested, it seems that a lot of it was due to the high % of RBF flavoring. At 7%, the flavor was still nice and pronounced. Definitely heading in the right direction.

v3.2

71.6% VG
8.3% Nic.
10% PG
5% Root Beer Float
2% Vanilla Bean Gelato
1% Vanilla Swirl
1% Vanilla Custard v2
1% Vanillin

Decided to try pulling back the rbf flavor some more. Yet more improvement! Even less throat hit and the root beer flavor, while still pronounced, has taken on more of a root beer (drink) flavor rather than root beer (candy).

v3.3

71.6% VG
8.3% Nic.
10% PG
4% Root Beer Float
2% Vanilla Bean Gelato
1% Vanilla Swirl
1% Vanilla Custard v2
1% Vanillin
1% Koolada

For v3.3, I took the rbf back one more percent and decided to give koolada a second chance. Both choices proved to be detrimental. The koolada definitely did give a slight cooling effect, but it brought back some of that throat hit as well as a slightly sour/musty note that I absolutely don't like in this recipe. Also, 4% rbf proved to be just too little for my taste.

v3.4

Reverted to v3.2. I've got some more flavors coming this week to fuel future revisions (including a different root beer flavor, wintergreen, and sassafras? Should be interesting...) but for the time being, v3.2 is the winner.

Comments

2 points

by Oldvaporuseralmost 10 years agoOne of "The Damned"

I saw a recipe the other day and it used 2% wintergreen. Apparently most root beer uses wintergreen. I'm going to try this and see how it goes. I also intend to try your recipe as well. I love root beer and want a good A&W root beer like it was when I was a kid. I think back then they used sassafras but in the early 1960's they had a scare about sassafras that made them quit using it. The root beer didn't taste the same after that.

1 points

by Corrupt_Reverendalmost 10 years ago

Yeah. They decided to eliminate safrole from root beer decades ago. I looked into it when I was trying to make home made root beer.

Definitely looking forward to trying some wintergreen in the mix.

3 points

by ReverendSaintJayalmost 10 years agoProud Sidebar Reader!

Similar names, similar interests (I too looked into root beer homebrew and was shocked to find out that natural flavorings are controlled substances).

The world is a tiny place.

I'm using Wintergreen in my Root Beer recipe, yours has given me a few ideas thought. /u/Oldvaporuser it's worth noting that the Vanilla Bean Gelato is TFA's replacement for Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, created due to the presence of ~~Diacetyl~~ acetyl propionyl in VBIC.

I'm going to add some Sassafras and Vanillin to my order next month to see if I can't get closer to the current king of root beers, made by the Witty Octopus.

Edit: Always fact check before making a declarative statement. Thank you /u/billgarmsarmy for the clarification.

1 points

by Oldvaporuseralmost 10 years agoOne of "The Damned"

Yes I also must wait until the first of the month to make my next flavor purchase. I'm going to get some wintergreen, Sassafras, Vanilla Bean Gelato and Vanillin. It seems these are flavors that are common to most of the recipes I've been looking at. I may even get some Vanilla been Ice cream even though I'm not big on Diacetyl.

1 points

by Corrupt_Reverendalmost 10 years ago

Haha, small world indeed!

I actually didn't have a problem getting the ingredients for my home-brew root beer. I used a ginger bug starter for it, but I messed up with adding too much cinnamon, not boiling said cinnamon in a grain bag, and I think I got a bottle infection to top it all off. I'm gonna try it again one of these days.

/u/flipwich is also working on a root beer float recipe. They gave details in the comments of my first rbf recipe post that I linked to at the top of this one.

I saw your recipe in your stir-plate post. I'll look forward to reading your future refinements. :)

1 points

by billgarmsarmyalmost 10 years agoFrugivore

> due to the presence of Diacetyl in VBIC.

there is no diacetyl in vbic

you're thinking of acetyl propionyl, which can turn into diacetyl and is part of the same diketone family.

1 points

by jersey_emtalmost 10 years ago

Sassafras isn't a controlled substance; it is a List I chemical because it is used to manufacture MDMA (ecstasy). There are reporting requirements (sellers and distributors of sassafras must report to the DEA any suspicious purchases or large thefts). Another List I chemical is pseudoephedrine, which is used to make methamphetamine, but the sale restrictions on it are much tighter than sassafras.

But neither is a controlled substance. It is not illegal to possess sassafras.

2 points

by tranceinatealmost 10 years agoMixologist

They did that because safrole/isosafrole are direct precursors to MDMA. Safrole is now a regulated trade chemical.

1 points

by jersey_emtalmost 10 years ago

No, sassafras was removed from root beer in 1960 because it was determined to cause cancer in laboratory rats. Making sassafras a List I chemical because of being a precursor to MDMA was a part of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970.

0 points

by ThirdWorldOrderalmost 10 years ago

Yes wintergreen is what OP wants. Not spearmint

2 points

by Twitchy993almost 10 years ago

Root beer float is not something I would really be interested in making... But your included notes are a great! I enjoyed reading the progression.

2 points

by ilikeycoffeealmost 10 years agoExtractor

Buddy, you want wintergreen in this thing ;) (as others have pointed out in comments). Read up my flavour review of wintergreen and its uses for some background.

1 points

by krazychic00almost 10 years ago

I've read that spearmint can help can help bring out a nice root beer while giving a slight cool flavor. I wouldn't think you would need much, something like .25%-.5% is where I would start.

1 points

by Corrupt_Reverendalmost 10 years ago

That's what I heard too. Looking forward to the vape... er, flave-mail?

Edit: I heard about wintergreen, not spearmint.

2 points

by 405Kingalmost 10 years ago

Yeah I've seen wintergreen. It sounds like it'd be a good try.

1 points

by surfishermanalmost 10 years ago

Keep at it , sounds like your on the right track . I would love to have a good root beer float recipe myself .

Sassafras is a good one to add as mentioned , the vanillin add in is interesting , i can't get that stuff to completely dissolve .

1 points

by Corrupt_Reverendalmost 10 years ago

Definitely looking forward to playing with sassafras. It should be here by Wednesday.

I use TFA's 10% vanillin solution. Blends right in.

1 points

by surfishermanalmost 10 years ago

Oh OK , i have the powdered vanillin thats hard to get completely blended.

2 points

by DrMclovensalmost 10 years agoThe Mad Alchemist

you need to make a 10% solution of vanillin in PG using that powder.

than use that solution you made and mix it into your recipe's

a (low heat) heat bath can really help dissolve it btw!! and than as /u/crappy_guitarist knows so well....SHAKE THE SHIT OUT OF IT.

and you should be good to go.