Has anyone set up a homemade soda stand?

I'm trying to see if anyone has created a soda stand in front of their house or at a farmers market...etc. I'm not looking to turn this into a business...etc but I want it to be more than just a novelty of having family and friends drink it. The added plus is my daughters would like to have a stand if possible.

Anyhow - I was wondering on the issue of making the soda and sell it using kegged carb'd water & homemade syrups (seperate) vs making the soda and then kegging it?

Do you think using carbed water and syrups would be better for a business vs using premade soda that is carbed in the kegs?

I'd prefer to make my own extracts and all but that may be cost prohibitive. Besides, after checking into some breweries that make soda - ALL of them use extracts that are made by someone else...yet they slap on the gourmet or artisan label. That doesn't mean you can't make your own flavor via combining extracts to what you want....but it's not "brewed"...even some say they brew it...it's not really brewed as what most people would deem "brewed". Most of it is because of cost...plus other things like FDA bans, availability of the source flavors (roots, leaves, branches...etc).

Thank you.

Please add to what I've looked at thus far:

Carbonated Water (water, C02, 1 keg) & Syrups:

Pros

• Need only one keg
• Homeade syrups are stored in bottles and have a good shelf life
• Flavor can be easier manipulated by the glass as well as different mixtures
• Less equipment to buy - kegs, faucets, lines..etc.
• No need for extra storage space for multiple kegs...etc.

Cons

• Have to make the soda on the spot vs premade
• Don't know how well things will be mixed when adding carbed water to syrup
• Have to measure syrups at the point of sale

Premade Soda Carbed and stored in Kegs

Pros

• Nothing to stir or make at the point of sale
• Quicker service to customer

Cons

• Additional equipment needed - Kegs, lines, faucets, larger cooler
• Have to have dedicated kegs for dedicated flavors unless I replace the gaskets..etc.
• More stuff to lug around to farmer's market, events, front yard..etc.
• Additional costs required due to the additional equipment
• One strength and mixing flavors might not mesh as well vs syrups
• Cleaning is more intensive - this includes the lines, faucet, kegs, and cold plate/coils

google pure sodaworks. They just had a successful kickstarter campaign and they have a simple, yet attractive setup.

It's funny u post this, because I felt the same way and decided to start selling my root beer at farmers markets. I am haveing great success with this little venture of mine. This is America if you want to sell soda do it. But I will say that you have to pay the piper in some ways. For example I am trying to make this a full time thing. So I went and fourmd an LLC and made a legit company (state of NY $750). I am also fortunes enough to be a GM at a resturant that lets me use there kitchen. I am goin to get a permit with the department of agriculture and markets to produce and bottle ($400 form2 year permit). Besides that is easy and fun. I sell 22oz bottles, cups and root beer float useing local ice cream. To solve the they're problem of despencing cold root beer, I went to Home Depot and got som sheet of maple and some foam insulation and made a beautifull box. Inside the box I have a small garbage can that I stick the keg in and fill with ice. It came out great. Besides that u need to find a market that will let you sell you stuff and you no matter what have to get insurance to se
L it, almost all farmers markets require it. I would no suggest selling it on your front lawn. You all way hear those story's about the little girl getting a fat fine from the city for not haveing an to code lemonade stand. In this day and age I've learned you gotta cover you ass. Especially when it come to selling food or beverage. Than at the same tone there is a woman who sells home made all nature lemonade who has zero lisenceing at our farmers market and has never had a problem. How deep you want to get into it is up to you. I stared to do it for fun and people just happend to like what I make and now it's slowly consuming my life and free time hahahahahaha

Dstreet, where do you go about finding insurance for that sort of thing?

Call your insurance agent for your car/house/boat/etc. I would think that a $1mil general liability policy should be more than enough to start. Those policies are pretty affordable.

We are trying to jump through the hoops to sell soda bottled in TN. I've gotta get a Regulated Services Permit and the 1mil limited liability insurance.

The permit is quite tedious. We have to have our kitchen inspected. Take a class on food services procedures for handling safety.

Fun stuff

Yea the insurance is very easy to get just call and speak with some one in the commercial department. Very cheap I believe min is around $500 for the year. Not so bad.

The other permit is a pain in the ass. I'm lucky because my real job is managing a resturant so I have use of an kitchen that will pass an inspection and I already had my food managers certificate (that's what it's called in NY).. Kind of a pain but well worth it. Very proud of what I have done with my off time



On a side note. I use red wax to seal my bottles and the place I order it from messed up my order. Needless to say I won't have my wax in time for my farmers market this weekend. Do any of you know in I would just be able to crush up candles and melt them down to use in place?

Dstreetbrew said:

On a side note. I use red wax to seal my bottles and the place I order it from messed up my order. Needless to say I won't have my wax in time for my farmers market this weekend. Do any of you know in I would just be able to crush up candles and melt them down to use in place?

Click to expand...

Have you seen the thread on using crayons and hot glue for sealing wax?