Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble…with a witches brew just for you! This recipe is a Halloween staple and our Witches Brew Homemade Root Beer will become one of your favorites too.
As a kid, I remember every year around Halloween my parents would break out the big orange cooler and make a giant batch of Witches Brew Homemade Root Beer. Obviously, it was fascinating to watch as the smoke and fog billowed out of the cooler and since we rarely had soda it was a special treat.
A Party Is Brewing
Throwing a Halloween party and looking for a themed beverage to add to your spread? This easy recipe for homemade root beer is sure to impress all your guests. This is one of my favorite food traditions to get in the spirit and I always have friends ask for the details of how I make this!
After all the key to making this beverage really ‘pop’ is all in the spooky presentation. Serve your homemade root beer in a food-safe cauldron and designate a brewmaster to keep stirring the potion with a wooden spoon to make the fog bubbly and spill over.
The Magic of Dry Ice
Fast forward 20+ years and it’s still fascinating to watch as the dry ice works its magic in this family-favorite recipe. Everyone will ooh and aah as it bubbles from the cauldron full of Homemade Root Beer.
I took dry ice with me for my Halloween TV segment at my local TV station and it was equally entertaining for the entire cast and crew, who knew it would be the hot topic of my table setting. I had dry ice left over so I decided to make Homemade Root Beer with my kids that evening, and again everyone was mesmerized by this amazing substance.
Tips for Using Dry Ice
I purchase the dry ice from my local grocery store, but I suggest calling in advance to find out if they have it available.
When handling dry ice, always be sure to wear protective gloves or use tongs for safety. And, keep out of reach of children.
Homemade Root Beer Recipe
This Halloween whip up a batch of Witches Brew and have a little fun! Finally, here’s the easy recipe my mom has been making for many, many years!
Homemade Root Beer Recipe

Throwing a Halloween party and looking for a themed beverage to add to your spread? This easy recipe for homemade root beer is sure to impress all your guests.
Ingredients
- 4 quarts cold water
- 2-3 cups granulated sugar (start with 2 cups and add sugar depending on how sweet you like it))
- 3 tablespoons root beer extract
- 1-2 pounds food-grade dry ice broken into pieces (use the smaller amount if you want it to dissolve quickly and the greater amount if you want it to foam and bubble while serving)
Instructions
- In a large pitcher or clean cauldron stir together the water, sugar, and root beer extract until the sugar is mostly dissolved. Take a little taste to see if you need more extract or sugar.
- In a well-ventilated area, carefully add the dry ice to the pitcher using insulated gloves or tongs and stir with a long-handled spoon so that the dry ice doesn’t stick to the bottom and sides of the container. The root beer will bubble and the dry ice fog will spill from the container (cool!).
- Continue stirring until it is mostly melted, 15-20 minutes.
- Ladle into cups, avoiding any large pieces of unmelted dry ice, and serve.
This is incredibly cool!
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Do you license these images or are they public use (or are you know sure)?
Thanks much
Hi George, please email us at mariah(at)gigglesgalore(dot)net with details about this request so we can further help you. Thanks!
I was wondering if you are using a plastic cauldron for serving. I would think it would melt with the dry ice inside.
Hi Dorinda, Yes I used a plastic cauldron and I didn’t have any trouble with it. I did put my cauldron into the freezer for a few minutes before using it which may have helped. Also, if you are worried about it you could always place a metal bowl down inside the cauldron and use that for the dry ice and root beer. 🙂
Thanks so much! 🙂 can’t wait to try this!