Root Beer

I've decided to spend more time on non-programming pursuits and I landed on trying to make my own root beer. I found a from-scratch recipe online that I thought might be good, but was ultimately disappointed with the results. So, I decided to try my own with the help of an extract and some of the other ingredients from that recipe. I use a Soda Stream to carbonate the water, but the syrup itself is really easy to make: it shouldn't take you more than 20-30 minutes or so:

• 3 Star Annise
• 3 cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp real vanilla
• 2 tbl Hires rootbeer extract
• 5 drops wintergreen
• 2 cups water
• 3 cups sugar

1. Bring water and root beer extract to boil
2. Set to medium low for 15 minutes, adding star Annise, cloves, nutmeg, and vanilla. Cover.
3. After steeping, remove the Star Annise and cloves.
4. Add wintergreen drops
5. Raise to medium heat, slowly dissolving the sugar into the mixture, being careful about not boiling over the syrup. Reduce heat, if necessary.
6. After making sure the sugar is dissolved, let cool on the stove and then place syrup in fridge to chill.

Mix 1/2 cup syrup to ~1 liter of cold carbonated water.