I'm pretty sure Ben Franklin didn't say that, attributed to him as that quote often is. Also, this is more nonalcoholic root beer than "root beer". We're talking pre-1860's/"this has been used in place of non-potable plague water for centuries" style.
I've got a bottle of Creme soda and a bottle of Root Beer stewing now. I'm keeping a log for my own giggles (as well as a sense of professionalism) of the experience. The Creme soda is definitely working, and has been pressurizing for almost 24 hours now. Root beer only about five.
This one is the one I've followed most closely recipe wise, but I've taken additional advice and considerations from Mother Earth News, which is about as hippy/crackheaded as you can get usually, but also filled with great info.
Also, the only reason I knew that wasn't 'ol Ben was because I read some random guy's sig on another brewing website. XD
That said, I'd call the experiment a success. I used bakers yeast, following the teacher dudes suggestion, and the resulting drink had a very strong yeasty flavor, which was predictable. The creme soda tasted like sugar water with vanilla poured in, so...skip that. The root beer was pretty much amazing. The yeast actually just accentuated the normal root beer flavors, and it was much less sweet than the mass produced stuff.
Both of them, for obvious reasons, had the fermented taste that actual beer does, so if you dislike that you'll have a problem. And since it's fairly chilly in my house, even after the allotted times neither were fizzy enough. After a few more days of chilling, when it did get fizzier, it was good. Far as alcoholic content goes, I had no desire to purchase the equipment necessary for measuring it, so all I can say is that I didn't get tingly or giddy after drink a large amount of the stuff.
I'ma try it again once it's a bit warmer and using brewers yeast. But it was definitely some tasty jank.
One bumper sticker I read recently summed it up in a similar fashion. "In wine, there is character. In beer, there is strength. In water, there is bacteria."
