Non-carbonating sweeteners for ginger beer(soda)

[bugdry]

What can i use to sweeten ginger beer without using sugar that will carbonate? I am in the process of testing some pure Stevia. But i would like to know what other sweeteners you guys would recommend. I still use sugar for priming, to carbonate the ginger beer. Unless there are other suggestions. But no i don't want to start using kegs yet.

Thanks

 

[shoengine]

Good luck. I never attempted to bottle soda. I made my first batch of rootbeer after I got a corny keg because I was certain I would end up with time bombs if I carbonated naturally.

 

[NeilMac]

I ve used raw Apple juice and Honey. Using Apple juice to knock up my Kambucha bottles right now.

 

[ong]

The other main area you could look into is bottle pasteurizing; basically sweetening to taste with whatever fermentable sugar you want, bottling, and then, once desired carbonation is reached (it’s helpful to put some in a plastic soda bottle to monitor the process) immersing bottles into hot water long enough to kill off the yeast. I’ve had success with this method (mainly with ciders), but it is not without risks both during and after.

 

[bugdry]

The other main area you could look into is bottle pasteurizing; basically sweetening to taste with whatever fermentable sugar you want, bottling, and then, once desired carbonation is reached (it’s helpful to put some in a plastic soda bottle to monitor the process) immersing bottles into hot water long enough to kill off the yeast. I’ve had success with this method (mainly with ciders), but it is not without risks both during and after.

I have tried researching pasteurizing PET bottles. But not finding much info. A lot of people giving opinions about if it would work or not, but not much information of actual testing done. Have you tried this yet?

 

[dmtaylor]

Xylitol tastes exactly like real sugar but is not fermentable. It's expensive though and lethal to dogs. Other artificial sweeteners all taste horrible. Stevia is one of my least favorites of all.

 

[ong]

I have tried researching pasteurizing PET bottles. But not finding much info. A lot of people giving opinions about if it would work or not, but not much information of actual testing done. Have you tried this yet?

You can’t pasteurize PET bottles with heat, that I know of. When I’ve bottle carbonated (glass) I just fill a PET bottle at the same time, as an indicator of when it’s carbed up (the bottle swells and gets rigid).

 

[bugdry]

You can’t pasteurize PET bottles with heat, that I know of. When I’ve bottle carbonated (glass) I just fill a PET bottle at the same time, as an indicator of when it’s carbed up (the bottle swells and gets rigid).

So essentially, i could make a batch of glass bottles. Fill one plastic one. When it is carbonated fully, drink the one in plastic and pasteurize the glass ones?

 

[bugdry]

Xylitol tastes exactly like real sugar but is not fermentable. It's expensive though and lethal to dogs. Other artificial sweeteners all taste horrible. Stevia is one of my least favorites of all.

I don't want to get sued for killing someone's dog, so i guess Xylitol is out.

 

[ong]

So essentially, i could make a batch of glass bottles. Fill one plastic one. When it is carbonated fully, drink the one in plastic and pasteurize the glass ones?

Yes. Note that, with an active enough fermentation, the bottles might be sufficiently carbed in 6 hours (I’ve had this happen with cider bottled a few points above FG). The plastic bottle acts as your tester to avoid bottle bombs.

This is the definitive thread about it: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/easy-stove-top-pasteurizing-with-pics.193295/

Be really careful with this process. I still have some burns from lids blasting off 170° bottles.

 

[bugdry]

Thanks

 

[bugdry]

So for an update....I tasted the bottles with stevia. Nasty diet soda after taste. Good carbonation and good taste to the ginger beer. But the aftertaste was like drinking a sugar free/diet soda. Would not recommend it at all. I think i will have to work towards pasteurizing glass bottles or maybe look at force carbonating the bottles.

 

[NeilMac]

lol, cant stand the taste of Stevia.

 

[ong]

So for an update....I tasted the bottles with stevia. Nasty diet soda after taste. Good carbonation and good taste to the ginger beer. But the aftertaste was like drinking a sugar free/diet soda. Would not recommend it at all. I think i will have to work towards pasteurizing glass bottles or maybe look at force carbonating the bottles.

Yeah, stevia is pretty vile.

Here’s another easy option: just make a strong ginger-lime syrup, which you can either refrigerate or water-bath can (if the pH is low enough), and then mix with seltzer to serve.

 

[bugdry]

Yeah, stevia is pretty vile.

Here’s another easy option: just make a strong ginger-lime syrup, which you can either refrigerate or water-bath can (if the pH is low enough), and then mix with seltzer to serve.

I thought of that. But, I want to bottle it and i like a lot more fizz then seltzer water provides.

 

[canehdianman]

I use pure sucralose. Tastes good and won't kill my dog (unlike xylitol).

About 1.2g per 20L batch.