Newbie Questions

So, I am wanting to make my own soda for our home and also to eventually put in some glass bottles and give as gifts. I have been doing quite a bit of reading and am sort of confused as to the many different ways to carb. I think I will mostly purchase extracts and/or flavoring and make drinks but I also want to eventually get to where I make soda from scratch. I just need to know what is the most cost effective way to carb what I make?

i always carbonate in the bottle

brockettbrews said:

i always carbonate in the bottle

Click to expand...

so you make yours with yeast?

You can carbonate with CO2 in a Bottle with this attachment.

A bit easier and saves time. Ready to drink in days not weeks.

Also, anytime you use yeast to carbonate you will end up with a very small amount of alcohol in your soda (as alcohol is a byproduct of yeast easting the sugar). Not enough to effect you, just something to consider. Especially if kids will be drinking it.

Cheers!

KegOutlet said:

You can carbonate with CO2 in a Bottle with this attachment.

A bit easier and saves time. Ready to drink in days not weeks.

Also, anytime you use yeast to carbonate you will end up with a very small amount of alcohol in your soda (as alcohol is a byproduct of yeast easting the sugar). Not enough to effect you, just something to consider. Especially if kids will be drinking it.

Cheers!

Click to expand...

Not ready to purchase a keg just yet...I guess my only option is yeast for now?

You don't need a keg... That link is an adapter that screws on top of a 2L soda bottle so you can carbonate in there.

KegOutlet said:

You don't need a keg... That link is an adapter that screws on top of a 2L soda bottle so you can carbonate in there.

Click to expand...

How do I carbonate with that adapter? Do I have to buy a bottle of CO2? What size and where?

Great question. I actually just did my first 2L carbonation this evening. Because I am relatively new to soda making I picked up a 5 pound CO2 tank off of eBay (there are some great sellers on this site with great deals as well).

What I needed (Your Mileage May Vary)
1 x 2L soda bottle (old coke bottle for me)
1 x CO2 Cylinder filled
1 CO2 Regulator
4feet of braided PVC
2 hose clamp dealies
1 ball lock gas valve
1 Carbonation Cap (liquid bread)

Took a while to get everything together but less than 2minutes to have carbonated water.

Theres some good articles if you search through the soda making forum.

Flyboy718 said:

How do I carbonate with that adapter? Do I have to buy a bottle of CO2? What size and where?

Click to expand...

I'd recommend against using yeast in glass, especially if you're going to give as gifts. You never know when they're going to drink it, or how they're going to store it. And if you tell them to refrigerate it or it will be a grenade, then they may be afraid of it.

Bottle in plastic if you use yeast, but it still needs refrigerated when it's carbonated and even then it has very limited shelf life.

I bottle mine in glass from the keg, which works beautifully if you do it right. I'd suggest going the easy route and mixing syrup with club soda, or buy a sodastream. I'm not much a fan of the sodastream because it's pricier in the log run than kegging, but my brother-in-law loves his.

KingPin said:

Great question. I actually just did my first 2L carbonation this evening. Because I am relatively new to soda making I picked up a 5 pound CO2 tank off of eBay (there are some great sellers on this site with great deals as well).

What I needed (Your Mileage May Vary)
1 x 2L soda bottle (old coke bottle for me)
1 x CO2 Cylinder filled
1 CO2 Regulator
4feet of braided PVC
2 hose clamp dealies
1 ball lock gas valve
1 Carbonation Cap (liquid bread)

Took a while to get everything together but less than 2minutes to have carbonated water.

Theres some good articles if you search through the soda making forum.

Click to expand...

Thanks!

MrFoodScientist said:

I'd recommend using yeast in glass, especially if you're going to give as gifts. You never know when they're going to drink it, or how they're going to store it. And if you tell them to refrigerate it or it will be a grenade, then they may be afraid of it.

Bottle in plastic if you use yeast, but it still needs refrigerated when it's carbonated and even then it has very limited shelf life.

I bottle mine in glass from the keg, which works beautifully if you do it right. I'd suggest going the easy route and mixing syrup with club soda, or buy a sodastream. I'm not much a fan of the sodastream because it's pricier in the log run than kegging, but my brother-in-law loves his.

Click to expand...

I am interested in this also, but I hear a small amount of alcohol from the yeast though and I have kids. I really really want to bottle into glass from a keg...what kinda keg do you have? Does your soda get its carbonation from sitting in the keg with yeast or do you put sugar in your bottles and then drain from keg into bottles for yeast to eat and carbonate?

No, I force carbonate. I meant to say in my earlier post that I'd recommend against using yeast in glass. I've gone back and edited, it so it's less confusing. Sorry about that.

I see most people on youtube describe the process of carbonating the cold water inside the 2L bottle, and then they add the syrup and mix. Can't you carbonate the bottle already with the syrup mixed into the water?

I ask this because if I'm having to shake the bottle which reduces the cold temperature in the bottle and then add the room temperature syrup you will end up with having to refridge the bottle again for drinking temp. Also, if my store bought coke gets flat can I recarb it?

Yup, depending on if I want to have soda water to mix with any variety of syrup, or if I want to make an entire batch just one flavor.

And yes, use a carbonator cap.