How much sugar for kegging soda

How much sugar do you add to make 4 gallons of soda when kegging? My extract said to add 8 cups of sugar for 4 gallon but it was way too sweet the last time I did that. I am thinking that the 8 cups of sugar also allows for extra because of using yeast to carb? But when kegging I wont need the extra sugar. So I am getting ready to try again and wonder if anyone has a set amount of sugar they use for soda when kegging?

LiveWirez said:

How much sugar do you add to make 4 gallons of soda when kegging? My extract said to add 8 cups of sugar for 4 gallon but it was way too sweet the last time I did that. I am thinking that the 8 cups of sugar also allows for extra because of using yeast to carb? But when kegging I wont need the extra sugar. So I am getting ready to try again and wonder if anyone has a set amount of sugar they use for soda when kegging?

Click to expand...

I do NOT have a sweet tooth, so I add about 1/2 the sugar most recipes call for. Just mix it to taste, and then keg it.

Thanks for the info! How does it taste with half the sugar? I drink a little soda but I mostly make it for the kids.

LiveWirez said:

Thanks for the info! How does it taste with half the sugar? I drink a little soda but I mostly make it for the kids.

Click to expand...

Well, root beer with extract isn't very good with much less sugar. I used about 3/4 the sugar, maybe a little less. But the ginger ale I make is quite good. Maybe the kids wouldn't like it without as much sugar, though.

I have a lemon lime soda that I keg with a 5 gal corny, force carb. I use 5 cups of sugar for 5 gallons and it's just sweet enough (could be a bit sweeter) but it depends on what you like and the nature of the soda.

rshortt said:

I have a lemon lime soda that I keg with a 5 gal corny, force carb. I use 5 cups of sugar for 5 gallons and it's just sweet enough (could be a bit sweeter) but it depends on what you like and the nature of the soda.

Click to expand...

Will you share the recipe?

DBbrewing said:

Will you share the recipe?

Click to expand...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f95/5-gal-lemon-lime-soda-recipe-194975/

I should add it to my sig.

-Rob

Also, I'd like to mention that the commercial soda makers use a high level of carbonation which masks the sweetness from the insane amount of sugar they add. Taste flat pop, much sweeter.

I am going to make a regular orange soda next. I know that there is a big difference between how much sugar to orange taste there is because I remember orange crush as a kid and I also remember McDonalds orange drink and they tasted both great but also different. I would think that carbonation also plays a roll.

I try to stick with 1lb of sugar/gallon of soda. 1 lb is about 2 cups, which is very similar to how sweet a packet of Kool-Aid would turn out to be at 1 cup/2 quarts.

You can always adjust from there and of course some sodas should be sweeter/some less sweet.

A ginger ale or a lemon-lime would lend themselves better to a less-sweet version.
A root beer would taste better sweeter.

So as Yooper suggested, mix to taste, then keg.