Mountain Rose Herbs posted a nice recipe for an "Immune Boosting Root Beer" which is worth reposting. BTW Mountain Rose is an awesome company, highly recommended! We sell many of these herbs including Ashwaganga, Reishi, Chaga, Astragalus, Aarsaparilla Root, Fennel, Anise, even the ascorbic acid!
Here's the recipe:
INGREDIENTS
4 liters spring water6 oz. dried organic burdock root
6 oz. dried organic dandelion root
2 oz. dried organic ashwagandha root
2 oz. dried organic reishi mushroom slices
2 oz. dried organic astragalus root slices
2 oz. dried organic chaga mushrooms
2 oz. Jamaican sarsaparilla root
3/4 cup fresh chopped organic ginger root
1 oz dried organic fennel seed
1 oz organic star anise pods, crushed.
3 organic lemons, zest and juice
5000 mg of ascorbic acid (Vit C)
4 oz. molasses
4 1/2 lbs. raw honey = 1 1/2 containers of Costco’s Washington Raw Honey in 3# container
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Place the dandelion and burdock roots on cookie sheets. Place cookie sheets in preheated oven for 30 minutes, stirring every five minutes until desired roast, the roots should have the color of light roast coffee.
3. Fill crockpot with four liters of filtered water, add all the roots and mushrooms plus the lemon zest. (Do not add the lemon juice, ascorbic acid, molasses and honey.) Set on high for about 2 hours, stir and turn to low before you head to bed. Cook overnight on low (about 10 hours). In the morning it is ready to strain.
4. Strain the roots out of the decoction using a strainer and nut-bag. Let the decoction set for a few hours so sediment can settle to bottom. This is easier to see if you use a glass bowl. When sediment is settled, carefully pour out the concentrated tea, leaving sediment behind. You should have about 10 cups.
5. Pour tea concentrate into a pot and warm. Stir in molasses and honey.
6. Add lemon juice and ascorbic acid.
7. Pour into sanitized glass jars to cool and store in refrigerator. Syrup will keep 3-5 months.
8. To use, mix 2 oz. concentrate to six or eight oz. of bubbly water, stir to mix.