Ready to add some old-school soda fountain energy to your home bar? This Root Beer Syrup is deeply nostalgic, incredibly easy to make, and surprisingly versatile— from whiskey highballs and Old Fashioneds (duh, it's me!) to zero-proof spritzes.
Instead of sourcing every individual root and spice yourself, we’re using a loose-leaf herbal tea blend from Nelson's Tea called Really Root Beer – Sarsaparilla Root Herbal (affiliate link). It’s caffeine-free, packed with classic root beer botanicals like sarsaparilla, licorice, and vanilla, and turns plain syrup into a delicious flavor bomb.
A Simple DIY Syrup for Root Beer Lovers
We’re keeping this recipe as easy as possible for us home bartenders, but for those of you who work in bars, this should be super easy to produce and scale-up as needed.
All you need is a kitchen scale, a measuring cup, and a few pantry basics.
What You'll Need:
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150g organic cane sugar
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150g hot water (just off the boil)
- 2-3 tablespoons Nelson’s Really Root Beer loose-leaf tea
- Mesh tea strainer (finer the better!)
Instructions:
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Measure Precisely
Use a kitchen scale to measure 150g of organic cane sugar and 150g of hot water into a large glass measuring cup. (By weight, not volume—precision matters here for consistent syrup texture.) -
Stir to Dissolve
Stir the hot water and sugar together until the sugar fully dissolves (easy to do by hand with a spoon). This creates a 1:1 simple syrup base. -
Steep the Tea
Add 2-3 tablespoons of the loose-leaf root beer tea to the syrup. Stir gently, then let it steep for 15-20 minutes or until completely cooled, depending on how bold you want the flavor. -
Strain
Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove all solids. You can also use a coffee filter for extra clarity... but personally, I don't mind a few small flecks of "root beer spices" floating around in the syrup. -
Bottle and Store
Transfer your Root Beer Syrup to a clean glass bottle or jar and consider fortifying with a teaspoon of vodka or other neutral spirit to help extend its life. Store it in the fridge for up to 2–3 weeks.
How to Use Root Beer Syrup
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Root Beer Old Fashioned – Use around ¼ oz of syrup and consider making it a Rum-based Old Fashioned.
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Whiskey & Root Beer Highball – 1½ oz whiskey of choice, ½ oz of this syrup, and then just add soda water and garnish with orange.
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Zero-Proof Root Beer Spritz – Syrup + sparkling water + lemon
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Root Beer Daiquiri – A bit more unexpected, but seriously delicious!
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Spiced Coffee Tonic – Yes, it works! Fresh espresso with tonic water and just a touch of root beer syrup is next level.
Want to Go Even Deeper?
You can totally DIY your own root beer syrup from scratch by sourcing individual spices and roots like sarsaparilla, star anise, vanilla bean, and birch bark—but starting with a great loose-leaf blend like Nelson’s is a cost-effective shortcut that still delivers great flavor.
Final Pour
This Root Beer Syrup is the perfect blend of old-school soda shop flavor and modern bar versatility— especially when you want to bring something unexpected to your next cocktail night.
Let me know how you’re using it by tagging @highproofpreacher or #simplesyrupmonthly. I would love to see what you’re mixing up!
Did you miss it?
Check out a crowd-favorite that was recently shared on Simple Syrup Monthly... many more to come soon!
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