Priming in PET bottles

[d_k_8]

I made a little batch of ginger beer that I want to bottle in plastic bottles. Before going out and buying PET beer bottles, I asked my neighbors if they had any empty soda bottles lying around. What I ended up getting was a big haul of mostly sparkling water bottles — are these normally under the same pressure as soda? Most are Poland Spring sparkling water if that makes any difference.

 

[Ayzala]

Plastic bottles have many drawbacks. 1) they are not a very good oxygen barrier 2) you really cannot carb a beer in them as they are too weak and 3) as they are plastic they scratch easily and scratches can harbor the bugs. These are the 3 biggest reasons I will not use plastic. I would go to the LHBS and get glass.

 

[d_k_8]

Priming in PET soda bottles is fine - they’re typically rated for higher psi than glass beer bottles. I have plenty of glass, but I want this very small batch of ginger beer in plastic.

What I’m mainly looking for is if someone knows if the psi for sparkling water is the same as seltzer and soda.

edited to add: not naturally sparkling water, but water that has been “sparkled” with co2.

 

[Ayzala]

Keep in mind, PET bottles are usually filled with whatever beverage already carbonated. The carbing process usually gets under greater pressure until the CO2 is absorbed. To answer your question, sparkling water and other beverages like tonic are usually carbonated higher than soda or sugary drinks.