Root Beer: History You Can Taste

Register here: https://elyfolkschool.app.neoncrm.com/event.jsp?event=15579&

Thursday, August 21st, 2025
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Tuition: $26 Materials: $10

Root beer is considered an ubiquitous beverage in the United States, but its modern blend is a far cry from its indigenous origins as a tea brewed by peoples in both North and South America. How did an herbal tea transform into a highly popular, effervescent soft drink commercially sold to the masses as well as a homebrew favorite? Start off with a lesson on the evolution of root beer that includes our own hometown root beer hero, Dorothy Molter otherwise known as the Root Beer Lady of Knife Lake, and end with root beer sampling and instruction on making your own homebrew. Each participant will make and take home 32oz of their own homemade root beer and leftover flavoring and yeast to make more at home, as well as a recipe booklet that includes not only the homebrew recipe used in class but also Dorothy Molter's root beer recipe.


This course includes a free admission code to the Dorothy Molter Museum located on the east-end of Ely. Participants may visit before or after this class.

About the Instructor: Jess Edberg is the Executive Director of the Dorothy Molter Museum, a board member/responder for the MN-Alliance for Heritage Response and adjunct instructor at MN North College - Vermilion Campus. Jess also plays on the local women’s hockey team, takes advantage of the amazing regional natural resources, volunteers for the International Wolf Center and travels when she can with her family.

You may also like the following events from Ely Folk School:

• This Wednesday, 25th June, 09:00 am, Nature Writing with Listening Point Foundation in Ely
• This Thursday, 26th June, 01:00 pm, Root Beer: History You Can Taste in Ely
• This Friday, 27th June, 06:00 pm, Ceramics Open Studio Evening in Ely

Also check out other Workshops in Ely, Sports events in Ely.