hist-brewing: sassafrass

[Leo Demski]

Hello Folks!

I was wondering if anyone could provide information concerning the use of 
sassafrass in brewing history...Specifically in root beer, but also in 
anything else.  I recently was able to rescue about 3 lbs of sassafrass 
roots from a unfortunately sacrificed young tree.  They smell wonderful, and 
I was trying to find a way to utilize them.  I know that the Acadian French 
in Louisiana (Cajuns) use the dried, ground leaf as file powder for gumbo, 
but I have also heard tell of people making tea from the leaves and/or bark.

And, while we're on the subject, wasn't the original root beer alcoholic?  
Does anyone have a recipe and/or lore about that?

Many thanks for whatever information you have!

Oh, and let me just say that although I've never posted anything before, I 
have avidly read the wonderful discussions on this list for quite a while.  
Thank you all for providing and taking part in such an interesting and 
thought-provoking forum!

-Wassail, Cheers, Skoal, etc,
-Leo

______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe from this list, send email to majordomo at pbm.com containing
the words "unsubscribe hist-brewing" (or unsubscribe hist-brewing-digest, if
you get the digest.) To contact a human about problems, send mail to
owner-hist-brewing at pbm.com