Using a Corney as it was originally intended

I am setting up one of my 5 gallon Corney kegs as a premix keg for soda. As in its original use. To this end I have gotten high pressure braided hose for the liquid out and regulator for force carbonation that goes to 100 psi.

My question is has anyone actually force carbonated soda in a Corney. I normally force carbonate my beer simply by setting it at serving pressure and leaving it there for a few days.

Can I do the same with soda?
If so, what pressure should it be?

If I wanted to force carbonate it faster, how much and how long should I pressure it? I know a McCann's carbonator normally uses CO2 at 100-110 PSI, but I really doubt soda should be that high. I know it is using that much because of the time it has to force carbonate. I can wait a few days. So how much pressure should I put on the keg?

Torg said:

I am setting up one of my 5 gallon Corney kegs as a premix keg for soda. As in its original use. To this end I have gotten high pressure braided hose for the liquid out and regulator for force carbonation that goes to 100 psi.

My question is has anyone actually force carbonated soda in a Corney. I normally force carbonate my beer simply by setting it at serving pressure and leaving it there for a few days.

Can I do the same with soda?
If so, what pressure should it be?

If I wanted to force carbonate it faster, how much and how long should I pressure it? I know a McCann's carbonator normally uses CO2 at 100-110 PSI, but I really doubt soda should be that high. I know it is using that much because of the time it has to force carbonate. I can wait a few days. So how much pressure should I put on the keg?

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I don't use premix, but I make ginger ale and root beer. At fridge temps, I set my regulator at 30 psi and it's ready in a week and stays perfectly carbed. I need 25 feet of line to serve it with my system, though.

Yooper said:

I don't use premix, but I make ginger ale and root beer. At fridge temps, I set my regulator at 30 psi and it's ready in a week and stays perfectly carbed. I need 25 feet of line to serve it with my system, though.

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+1. I do the same thing.

Yooper said:

I don't use premix, but I make ginger ale and root beer. At fridge temps, I set my regulator at 30 psi and it's ready in a week and stays perfectly carbed. I need 25 feet of line to serve it with my system, though.

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Why 25 feet of line? Do you do the same for your beer?

When I did my soda I needed to go 40 psi. Long line length allows you to pour without it shooting out like a foam rocket. I found that pre-carbing the cold water and then adding cold syrup/sugar solution sped up the process. All in all it was too much effort and beer is better for you.

I plan on doing sodas one day, but will just keep carbonated water on tap with multiple syrups in hand pumps.

ScubaSteve said:

Why 25 feet of line? Do you do the same for your beer?

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Heck no! I have mostly 8' feet lines for my beer. But my beer is at 11-12 psi, not 30-40! Using 25 feet (or more) balances it.

I have the same for my beer...but aren't you setting it to 30 PSI to force carb, then turning it down to 10 or so? If you do that, then you should be able to have 8' lines, right? Or is there something different about soda?

ScubaSteve said:

I have the same for my beer...but aren't you setting it to 30 PSI to force carb, then turning it down to 10 or so? If you do that, then you should be able to have 8' lines, right? Or is there something different about soda?

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It would eventually lose carb down to the 10 psi level if you did that.

I've got Dr Pepper on my 4th tap... I force carb and serve at 40psi.

To force carb the sodas, I put it on 40psi and chill it for a few days, then take it out and roll it around the floor at 40psi for a while... THen let it settle back down in the keezer.. Usually takes a week or so.

Is it just me, or is it harder to carb soda than it is beer? Seems to take longer...

ScubaSteve said:

I have the same for my beer...but aren't you setting it to 30 PSI to force carb, then turning it down to 10 or so? If you do that, then you should be able to have 8' lines, right? Or is there something different about soda?

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No. My psi for soda is 30 psi. I don't mess around with turning it up and down. If you turn it down to a "serving pressure", it'll still blast out like a firehose and foam. I keep my pressures the same, all the time. My co2 tank is in the kegerator, in the back, and I'm not messing with it turning it up and down, ever. It's always set where it's set.

OK, if I were to run a seltzer keg, would I need to use braided air and liquid hose, or would standard hose work? And does everyone who does the seltzer/soda agree that long liquid lines are a must? Trying to figure out the logistics of 30ft of seltzer line is a little daunting...

I'm in the design stages of my kegerator, and SWMBO would like a seltzer tap... Just trying to figure out all the parts I'd need...

Standard hose works fine. It can handle pressures far higher than 30-some PSI. Just make sure you have some hose clamps on everything...that extra pressure can kick a line off a barb where 12 PSI didn't.


Is seltzer just carbonated water? When I did that, I used 34 PSI, and 35 feet of 3/16 line. For soda water, you really don't want vinyl line, (like you use for beer), because the plastic flavor really shows through, and 35 feet of it take up an ungodly amount of room. Instead, I bought 50' of polyethylene tubing (3/16, thin walled, hard) from McMaster (part no 5181K424, $0.15/ft), coiled 35' of it and bound the coil with electrical tape....takes up very little space, about as much space as a 6-7' of the 3/16 thick walled vinyl line.

Info on the plastic taste: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/beer-line-tests-solution-plastic-taste-60380/

shortyjacobs said:

Standard hose works fine. It can handle pressures far higher than 30-some PSI. Just make sure you have some hose clamps on everything...that extra pressure can kick a line off a barb where 12 PSI didn't.


Is seltzer just carbonated water? When I did that, I used 34 PSI, and 35 feet of 3/16 line. For soda water, you really don't want vinyl line, (like you use for beer), because the plastic flavor really shows through, and 35 feet of it take up an ungodly amount of room. Instead, I bought 50' of polyethylene tubing (3/16, thin walled, hard) from McMaster (part no 5181K424, $0.15/ft), coiled 35' of it and bound the coil with electrical tape....takes up very little space, about as much space as a 6-7' of the 3/16 thick walled vinyl line.

Info on the plastic taste: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/beer-line-tests-solution-plastic-taste-60380/

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That's exactly what I use for soda, too. It is pretty rigid, and sits right on top of the keg. It works great, and if you buy 100 feet, the cost goes way down!

ScubaSteve said:

Or is there something different about soda?

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Just that soda pop is like twice the CO2 volumes as the most carbonated hefe you'll ever drink.
If you carb rootbeer at 12psi, it comes across as totally flat.

Pretty sure the gravity and sweetness is changing the mouthfeel and carbonation dynamics as compared to beer.

Yooper said:

That's exactly what I use for soda, too. It is pretty rigid, and sits right on top of the keg. It works great, and if you buy 100 feet, the cost goes way down!

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Is there a trick to get this hose onto a 1/4" barb fitting on my disconnect? I just got my order of this hose today and I tried heating it but I still could not get it on the disconnect? Any tips/tricks you could pass along?

Thanks!

d_ozz68 said:

Is there a trick to get this hose onto a 1/4" barb fitting on my disconnect? I just got my order of this hose today and I tried heating it but I still could not get it on the disconnect? Any tips/tricks you could pass along?

Thanks!

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Boiling water, and a lot of swearing. Dunk it in boiling water, and use something like a large philips head screwdriver to stretch the opening bigger. I've also broken down and used a 1.5" piece of 3/16" vinyl tubing as an "adapter" between the poly tube and the barb. The adapter isn't great though, because even with hose clamps the poly tubing can pop out of the vinyl, (because of no barbs), and the transition from one tubing to another causes some turbulence.

shortyjacobs said:

Boiling water, and a lot of swearing. Dunk it in boiling water, and use something like a large philips head screwdriver to stretch the opening bigger........

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Thanks!! I was using the first two items listed, especially the second I just needed to add the screw driver to get the deal done.....The soda water is flowin' nice now. Thanks Again!!

stratslinger said:

OK, if I were to run a seltzer keg, would I need to use braided air and liquid hose, or would standard hose work? And does everyone who does the seltzer/soda agree that long liquid lines are a must? Trying to figure out the logistics of 30ft of seltzer line is a little daunting...

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I keep 2 kegs of water in the fridge at all times - one on tap for seltzer and the other carbing up to swap out when I kill the first one. Both are attached with normal, 5/16" PVC hose and both are at 35PSI.

Like you, I thought 30' of line was ridiculous, so I put two of these little Delrin epoxy mixers in each diptube for my dedicated water kegs and ran 6' of 3/16" beer line. Result? Perfect pours at 35PSI.

-Joe

I just did a Sprecher soda and have it carb'd to 30 psi. You will definitely need a long line like people have been suggesting. I have a 5' line connected to a cobra tap and I get 90% foam and 10% soda each pour. You need the longer line to balance out the system and get a decent pour. Or you could give this a shot...Check out this link

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/cure-your-short-hose-troubles-100151/

I may try this method first instead of coiling up 30ft of line in my kegerator.


Edit: Nostalgia beat me to it while I was looking for the link to that thread.. lol

d_ozz68 said:

Thanks!! I was using the first two items listed, especially the second I just needed to add the screw driver to get the deal done.....The soda water is flowin' nice now. Thanks Again!!

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Glad the screwdriver worked. That was my own trick -- seems like so often that I repeat other tricks I learned on these forums....gratifying to have one of my own tricks work for others!

IrregularPulse said:

I plan on doing sodas one day, but will just keep carbonated water on tap with multiple syrups in hand pumps.

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I am interested in doing just this - swmbo likes lime-flavored carbonated water etc., and it seems as though it should be very simple.

What are your carbonating / serving PSIs? warm or cold?... and does it work?

Cheers

I keep premixed Bacardi and Coke on tap #6. How I do it is:
1. Add 2 gal Bacardi and 2 qt Coke syrup to keg.
2. Top up with filtered water from fridge dispenser (@ aprx 50*F)
3. Set regulator to 60psi, connect gas and shake end to end for 5 min.
4. Disconnect gas and set reg to 35psi. Give keg a shake to reduce head pressure and reconnect gas.
5 put keg in keezer and connect liquid line. Wait ~2hours for keg to chill, and serve.

It takes about 36 additional hours to reach full carbonation from this point, but the drinks on day one are about what you would get in a bar. The first day the drinks are a little sweet, but the carbonic acid from the co2 levels it out after 24 hours.

The really nice thing about this is that, since the rum is carbonated too, the drink stays carbonated the whole time you are drinking. Also, since you are not adding warm rum to cold soda and ice, the ice melts much slower and your drink doesn't get watery.

IrregularPulse said:

I plan on doing sodas one day, but will just keep carbonated water on tap with multiple syrups in hand pumps.

Click to expand...

Bdogg said:

I am interested in doing just this - swmbo likes lime-flavored carbonated water etc., and it seems as though it should be very simple.

What are your carbonating / serving PSIs? warm or cold?... and does it work?

Cheers

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That is SOP here. I actually add some Burton salts (1-2 tsp/5 gal) to my water due to its low mineral content. I just carb H2O at the same rate as the beer (2.5 vol) - haven't had any complaints, but I don't drink soda. I like it for my mineral water, either straight or w/ my scotch. Water is cold, syrups (Torani usually) are warm. Great for a variety. Might occasionally overcarb the water for some extra 'spritz' - that's for my scotch- if the soda drinkers don't care for that- well so be it