Carb drops?

I attempted making Root Beer, and used the Champagne Yeast method (used about 3/4 of a TeaSpoon in a 2gallon batch..

The only evidence i have of any carbonation is the fizzing sound as i open the bottle. Theres like, nothing in the soda as far as carbonation goes.

My method:

Brought two gallons of clean tap water to hot, not boiling, hot enough to dissolve 4 cups of sugar. Added 1/2 of the bottle of root beer extract (ended up calculating 2 tablespoons. Its the one in the small brown box.. cant remember the name ) Stirred well. Cooled back down to "pitching" temperature. Placed 3/4Tsp of champagne yeast in a 2 gallon bottling bucket, and added the soda mixture. Mixed pretty well. Bottled. Let sit until the bottles were firm, about one week.. (maybe not firm enough..??) And put in the fridge. Let them get cold, and tried a few of them out.

The fact that the bottles got firmer lead me to believe that the yeast were doing SOMETHING.

My question is.. can you use the same Carbonation drops you would use in beer, in soda? In what amounts, if so..?

Or maybe Im doing something completely wrong??

Well, you shouldn't add any carbonation drops, since you've got sugar in there already. Carbonation drops are simply more sugar.

My guess is that the bottles weren't firm enough before you refrigerated them. Take one out, and keep in in a warm place until it's rock hard. Then chill it and try it.

So, rock hard? I was able to press on it some. It "felt" like a commercial soda bottle.. so I should probably wait until there is basically NO give, then.

SteveStLoo said:

So, rock hard? I was able to press on it some. It "felt" like a commercial soda bottle.. so I should probably wait until there is basically NO give, then.

Click to expand...

Right- it should be rock hard, then refrigerated for about 24 hours before trying.