two failures making rootbeer, what could be wrong?

[backwaterdogs]

Hello,

I've spent quite a lot of time looking for the answer with no luck so am hoping someone can help.

I've made two batches using Zattarains extract but the rootbeer has a terrible smell and flavor(although the flavor prior to bottling was pretty good).

Here's what I did the 2nd go around - 1/2 G batch:

Prep: just washed the glass bottles in hot soapy water

-Warmed 1Q of water in a pan and dissolved 1 c of sugar.
-Poured sugar water into 1/2gal glass bottle and added tap water (well water) to fill to half gallon.
-Added 1 tblspoon of extract
-put 1/8 tsp of redstar active dry yeast in 1/4 c warm water and mixed..let -set for a minute or two.
-Put the 1/4c of water/yeast into 1/2g glass 'carboy'.
-Shook to mix
-pour into 5 glass bottles and capped

-Kept bottles at room temp for about 1.5 days and tested one(did not refrigerate) - it was nasty! no carbonation

-Refrigerated a bottle for a day...tried it and it was nasty and no carbonation.

So, is my problem bacteria from not sterilizing or is the process I used just wrong.

any help would be appreciated..thanks!

 

[Yooper]

Sanitizing could be part of it. Make sure you're using clean and sanitized bottles- washed soda bottles are fine. I wouldn't use glass- too much potential for bottle bombs- but plastic bottles are great. You can also squeeze them, to judge carbonation and stick them in the fridge when they get hard.

As far as process, how does your tap water taste? Mine is great, but if your tap water is chlorine-y, or with lots of iron, the soda won't taste very good. I doubt that's the problem here, but it's possible.

We make soda out of McCormick's extract from the grocery store, and it's very similar to the way you did it. I mix everything up in a pitcher, and then pour it into the bottles.

Try some bottled water, and some fresh (new package) of yeast. Try RedStar Champagne yeast- it's very neutral. If you used bread yeast, that could be the problem. Make sure you sanitize the bottles. It's nice if you have something like a food-safe sanitizer, but even bleach (diluted) will do if you rinse until you no longer smell bleach in the bottle.

 

[backwaterdogs]

Thanks...the well water tastes great otherwise, but is pretty 'hard'...lots of minerals.

Sounds like sanitation, so I will give that more attention.

how timing? I only gave a day or two before tasting? Should it taste ok after that short of time? Also, how long should it take to refrigerate and kill the yeast?

thanks again!

 

[Yooper]

Thanks...the well water tastes great otherwise, but is pretty 'hard'...lots of minerals.

Sounds like sanitation, so I will give that more attention.

how timing? I only gave a day or two before tasting? Should it taste ok after that short of time? Also, how long should it take to refrigerate and kill the yeast?

thanks again!

It depends on the temperature of your house- in the summer, one day is plenty of time for the bottle to be rock hard, but when it's cooler it takes longer. It's hard to guestimate- that's why you use plastic so you can squeeze the bottle. When it's rock-hard, refridgerate. At least put one in plastic, if you won't do them all that way. Remember that glass bottle bombs are no joke and can really hurt someone. I'd never bottle soda in glass.

Anyway, after you stick them in the fridge the yeast will gradually go dormant. They won't be killed, so if you warm up the soda again, they will become active again. A day or two in the fridge should be enough to ensure that fermentation is halted.

 

[callmebruce]

It takes me about 5-6 days to carbonate root beer starting with 1/8 teaspoon of yeast. It takes quite a while to get it fizzy!