Can I use a refrigerator to store syrup rather than using cold plate?

[KCBrewer]

I should start by saying that I have no experience in soda dispensing, beer yes, soda no. I'm wanting to add a wunder bar dipsenser to my home bar setup. I found a wunder bar dispenser and carbonator, and I have a spare 20lb co2 tank with regulator. If I understand correctly, the only other parts I need are a syrup pump for each flavor, and a cold plate. I have a refrigerator 4-5' from the spot the soda will be dispensed at, so can I just store the syrup in the refrigerator and insulate the lines rather than using a cold plate? Are there any other components to the system I am overlooking?

 

[Jaybrinks]

You will get flat soda and an inconsistent brix....i.e. (water to syrup ratio.) The syrup that sits in the line overnight will be warm and will make the soda taste completely flat. The warm syrup will pour faster than the cold syrup. Which changes your brix. The tried and true method is room temp bibs and tubing...running through an ice cooled cold plate immediately prior to dispensing......many years of trial and error.

With post mix...your finished product needs to leave the nozzle below 39 degrees without ice in the glass, or else the soda will taste flat. While the cold plate may be a little inconvenient in the home setting....it is the most effective for a bar gun setup. Any other method will probably cause you much frustration with flat pop.

I install fountain equipment for a living and even the bargun/coldplate is a challenge to pour top quality finished product..compared to the countertop self serve units.

With the bargun....you want the shortest distance from the coldplate to the bargun.....and keep those lined insulated with foam tape....but no matter what...the 1st pour from a bargun after it has sat for a couple hours will be flat.

If you refrigerate syrup boxes, run them 4 or 5 feet and mix it with ambient temp carbonated water......you will have nothing but problems and inferior soda.

Ice it man.....and it will be good. LOL.....hope this helps

 

[Myfins1]

You will get flat soda and an inconsistent brix....i.e. (water to syrup ratio.) The syrup that sits in the line overnight will be warm and will make the soda taste completely flat. The warm syrup will pour faster than the cold syrup. Which changes your brix. The tried and true method is room temp bibs and tubing...running through an ice cooled cold plate immediately prior to dispensing......many years of trial and error.

With post mix...your finished product needs to leave the nozzle below 39 degrees without ice in the glass, or else the soda will taste flat. While the cold plate may be a little inconvenient in the home setting....it is the most effective for a bar gun setup. Any other method will probably cause you much frustration with flat pop.

I install fountain equipment for a living and even the bargun/coldplate is a challenge to pour top quality finished product..compared to the countertop self serve units.

With the bargun....you want the shortest distance from the coldplate to the bargun.....and keep those lined insulated with foam tape....but no matter what...the 1st pour from a bargun after it has sat for a couple hours will be flat.

If you refrigerate syrup boxes, run them 4 or 5 feet and mix it with ambient temp carbonated water......you will have nothing but problems and inferior soda.

Ice it man.....and it will be good. LOL.....hope this helps

I know this is an aged post but it is right on topic with your reply. I understand everything you posted about using the cold plate being the tried and true method. I worked in food service and have experience with using and maintaining equipment. The struggle with most home setups is having the cold plate in an ice bin and continually maintaining ice over the cold plate to ensure quality product when served.

I had considered putting syrup in fridge like OP asked. Though I was going to go a few steps further. I have a larger commercial fridge which was sourced from a school. I was considering placing the cold plate and syrup inside this fridge. Also the fountain itself mounted in or on the side of the fridge to keep all syrup and even the carbonated water cooled as well.

Is this something that would work? My fridge stays damn cold. Maybe too cold as temps range between 29°-33° pretty consistently. Obviously the flow rate of a cold syrup is different. I assumed I could maintain the brick consistent by setting and maintaining the desired ratio once the syrup and lines were cooled. I don’t think it would fluctuate. Obviously most people wouldn’t have such a setup but I have the fridge and willing to use it for this purpose. I’d simply need to get a water/drain/co2 line through the fridge.

Some may advise this to be a horrible idea with loads of potential issues I’m not considering. Just curious if you have any thoughts on this.