Any experience carbonating with Sodastream?

[Sematary]

Just wondering if anyone has tried it and if so, how did it work out? Any tips?

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

When I had one, it said to not use it on anything but water. I tried to restore some flat pop with it and the mess was epic. Not sure why, but it doesn't work well with liquids other than water in my experience.

 

[Kharnynb]

I've done it with some very flat belgian dark ale I had, but you should first pour it in the sodastream container, without the yeast or other particles, carbonate, then in the fridge for at least an hour or 2.

 

[Lefou]

I have sneaking suspicion the mess had something to do with foam everywhere.

 

[Sematary]

I've done it with some very flat belgian dark ale I had, but you should first pour it in the sodastream container, without the yeast or other particles, carbonate, then in the fridge for at least an hour or 2.

I think I might give it a shot with this lager I'm fermenting right now. I did use it once to unflatten a flat beer and I learned real quick that you need to get the liquid only high enough for the straw thing to enter the liquid and only give it the lowest setting, otherwise, as noted, you end up with an epic mess. lol
But I'd like to give it a shot since I don't have the ability to keg it

 

[Horseflesh]

It works but as others mentioned can be messy. Fill the bottles half full, chill, and open slowly...

Haven't used my sodastream once since I got a carbonation cap, though. Using a beer co2 reg is so much nicer.

 

[dmtaylor]

Exploded all over my entire friggin kitchen. Don't do it!

 

[BrewKaiser]

Just wondering if anyone has tried it and if so, how did it work out? Any tips?

I started a thread on this couple of years ago wondering the same thing. I posted my results and tips, along with others.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=472210

OK for doing a bit more than a hydro sample or a quick check of flavors. Certainly not for an entire batch. No way to dial in CO2 levels and potential for a big mess is large.

 

[bradleypariah]

This just got brought up in the Coors Light clone thread. Forgive me, I'm just going to copy/paste:

I use one of the pint-size bottles, fill it to the line, and give it one good burst. I then tilt the bottle to release the pressure, and it naturally fizzes up toward the top. Once the foam hits the top, and all the oxygen is supposedly out, I lock it back in, burst it one more time, then leave it until I can remove the bottle without it foaming over. Usually takes around 15 minutes.

I can definitely taste that weird saline-like aftertaste from force-carbonating, so I don't like doing this per se, but recently I kegged a beer, and found out two days later that I had a CO2 leak. I wanted a beer after a long day's work, and I didn't want to spend nine friggin dollars for a six pack, and I wasn't about to drink my beer flat.

Sodastream warns the user not to carbonate something besides plain water, but that's just to cover their butt. It's very simple to do if you're careful. If you try to carbonate flat beer the same way you carbonate water, you're going to have a geyser, so just don't do that. It's not rocket science.

 

[bradleypariah]

Oh. Ha! I just realized you're the one who started the Coors Light clone thread. Sorry. Well, now my words are posted twice.

No worries, I'm right anyway. LOL

 

[SrLupulinHopsimous]

I love using soda stream. I worked at a brewery and was in charge of designing and producing a 10 barrel batch of rootbeer. I would test my sugar water (brix, volume) then try adding extracts to 4 ounce samples. Once we decided of 4 or 5 samples we increased the recipe to the soda stream bottle specs to do test runs. At first it exploded everywhere and went all over my boss and the lab. I have learned that the liquid that is going to be carbonated needs to be a cold as possible without freezing. Also when it's time to degas the bottle like, just tap it slowly and patiently give it time to let the bubbles calm down. Once you get the hang of it and proper degasing technique the soda stream is a fun tool for one offs and stepping up recipes to 5 gallon batch and above.

 

[chris000]

something everyone should try - just for ***** and giggles
the tricky part is the depressurizing the bottle, which pretty much empties at least half of it through the blow off

 

[applescrap]

Maybe i should try it. I have a 20lb co2 tank hooked up to a ss. I never carb anything other than water because the clogging of the release scares me. I have heard that people make champagne from white wine too. I think the carb cap is a good option for beer.

 

[bradleypariah]

Exploded all over my entire friggin kitchen. Don't do it!

the tricky part is the depressurizing the bottle, which pretty much empties at least half of it through the blow off

You guys are clearly trying to carbonate beer the same way that you carbonate plain water. Just don't do that. It takes a lot of CO2 and pressure to carbonate plain water. It only takes two half-second bursts to carbonate a flat beer. Burst it once, then let the air out till it foams to the top of the bottle, and immediately lock it back down. Burst it again, and wait 15 minutes. Done.

when it's time to degas the bottle like, just tap it slowly and patiently give it time to let the bubbles calm down.

Never thought about tapping the side. Does it cut down on the time you have to wait before removing the beer from the SS, or do you just do that for good measure?

 

[chris000]

...
It takes a lot of CO2 and pressure to carbonate plain water. It only takes two half-second bursts to carbonate a flat beer. ...

Water is not more difficult to carbonate than beer. Besides the obvious, that beer is mostly water, a carbonated water has for example 7000mg/l carbonated (3.5%v/v). So it would require 22psi at 3C or 40psi at room temperature. My Bavarian Wheat beers need a higher pressure than that.
The difference is that the streamers are simple in design and achieve near instant carbonation due to high pressure bursts, which lead to a lot of gassing out from the solution when one vents the bottle and in the case of beer (and wine) lots and lots of subsequent foaming.

 

[Horseflesh]

Maybe i should try it. I have a 20lb co2 tank hooked up to a ss. I never carb anything other than water because the clogging of the release scares me. I have heard that people make champagne from white wine too. I think the carb cap is a good option for beer.

I've force carbed wine and spirits, no problems. Just go slow! Try fizzy gin...

 

[bradleypariah]

Water is not more difficult to carbonate than beer. Besides the obvious, that beer is mostly water, a carbonated water has for example 7000mg/l carbonated (3.5%v/v). So it would require 22psi at 3C or 40psi at room temperature. My Bavarian Wheat beers need a higher pressure than that.
The difference is that the streamers are simple in design and achieve near instant carbonation due to high pressure bursts, which lead to a lot of gassing out from the solution when one vents the bottle and in the case of beer (and wine) lots and lots of subsequent foaming.

When burst-carbonating with a SodaStream, it takes far more CO2 to carbonate water to its desired level than it would take for a beer. Read my comment again. I never said beer takes less pressure than water. I specifically said it takes fewer bursts, which is true.

I own a SodaStream, and I use it daily. I am positive that if you only perform two extremely short bursts of CO2 on plain water, you'll just have slightly salty-tasting water. Short-burst flat beer twice and you'll have bubbles and a foamy head.

When it comes to sufficiently carbonating water, you must hold down the button for a couple of seconds until the SS "burps", and you want to repeatedly burp the system three or more times. If you did that to beer, you will have the painted walls and ceiling that everyone in here is describing.