Gnome kits?

[Irisndfan2]

I just ordered my first gnome soda kit. Couple questions. I am lookin at their website and they have directions on it. these are the directions;

Gnome Old Fashioned Vanilla Cream - 5 Gallons
* Heat 1 Gallon to 130 F.+/-
* Dissolve 2 lbs.(about 4 cups) brown sugar and 2 lbs. cane sugar
* Add 2 oz. Gnome Old Fashion Vanilla Cream
* Bottle or keg per Basic Instructions
Options:
* Add 4 oz. Gnome Old Fashion Vanilla Cream extract.
* Use 4 lbs. brown sugar.
* Use 2 oz. Gnome Old Fashion Vanilla Cream and
2 oz. Gnome Crystal Clear Vanilla Cream extract.
Add some Ice Cream !!!


First off what is meant by options?? I am assuming I just follow the first run down of directions. Second If i have a bottling bucket can I brew everything in my kettle first and then just pour it into the bottling bucket and then bottle? Also it says to only heat 1 gallon, do I add water to 5 gallons after everything is done dissolving? For bottling, do I need to let the "wort" cool before bottling? Or can I just start bottling right away? What is used for carbonation?

Thanks for all the responses, I have been brewing beer but want to make a soda mainly because It doesnt take weeks to comple lol

 

[Irisndfan2]

Also what ingredients actually come with the kit??

 

[justtaint]

The options are there if you want to try something different.
Example; instead of adding 2oz. Gnome Old Fashion Vanilla Cream - add 4oz. Gnome Old Fashion Vanilla Cream extract

or

instead of adding 2 lbs. brown sugar and 2 lbs. cane sugar - add 4 lbs. brown sugar

Its optional. First time through, I'd follow the first directions. If you want to tweak the taste the second time, try one of the options.

 

[Irisndfan2]

ok so I just got this today and im confused. The directions talks about yeast. What kind of yeast do I use? ALso I still don't understand how the soda gets carbonated??

 

[mcwarhammer]

I haven't used gnome soda, but the yeast will carbonate the soda or you can carbonate it with a co2 tank.

http://www.gnomesoda.com/id2.html

that link has details on both methods.

a website i googled recommends this yeast

http://www.homebrewery.com/wine/wine-yeast-dry.shtml#champagne

 

[KevinM]

Soda gets carbonated the same way beer can be carbonated.

Yeast eat sugar and release co2, and in a sealed container pressure will build up. Or, using a co2 tank, pressure is built up. Pressure equalizes into the liquid over the course of time aided by agitation. (For anyone who hasn't done beer or soda.)

The 1 gallon of water being heated is just to dissolve the sugar. (Why boil more if you have to cool it anyways.)
You then can mix with the remaining gallons of water, and then either carbonate with a co2 tank, or add yeast and bottle, letting it carbonate like beer.

Using yeast does mean that it takes time, perhaps not as long as beer, but people have mentioned anywhere from a few days to several weeks to carbonate to their liking.


I think different people have tried different yeasts... Actually, I'd like to see a comparison of yeasts used, since I know some people use different champagne yeasts, some use bread yeast, some use beer yeast. I don't think that there'd really be a flavor component from it, but I'd like to know for sure.

Personally, I just like making a syrup with the extract and force carbing a liter or two of water with a co2 tank whenever I feel like I want to make a glass.