Home-Made Soda: Let's talk Fizzzzz

I've been playing with carbonated beverages lately, because who wouldn't like to know how to make their own Coke; am I right? Cola, as it turns out, is quite a challenge, and I'm still working on that one. However, fruity flavored sodas are delicious in so many varieties it's hard to make a bad one. Well, as long as the sweet/acid/flavor ratio is good. After that, it's up to you as to what flavors you like. So many flavors!

This is my newest creation: Rudolph's Elixir. For Rudolph's Tipsy Elixir, add vodka.
What you need for any soda is: syrup, emulsifiers, flavors, acids, and carbonated water. Let's talk carbonation first; syrups and flavors in a future post.

The low-commitment way to start is to buy a bottle of carbonated water from the grocery. Chill in the fridge, and stir in some syrup. Simple! Stirring syrup into already fizzy water looses some of the fizz, though, and you'll be mixing one glass at a time.

A Soda Stream sounds like a good alternate solution, at least at first. However, they do not recommend carbonating flavored water, because it will get the valve all gummy. That means what you're saving really is the inconvenience of lugging home bottles of carbonated water, but at a pretty hefty price. They also have expiration dates on their small, expensive, proprietary-lid-size bottles, and very small CO2 bottl. My Soda Stream is in the garage, waiting for our next yard sale.

Once you're committed to home-made soda, here is what you really want. Isn't it a thing of beauty? Look at the lovely dials and knobs! Seriously, it's pretty easy to use, and not that scary after the first time. And the fizz; the beautiful bubbles! The bottle? A recycled 2-liter from the grocery.

This setup cost me about $180, and should last me about 6 months before needing a recharge. That's pretty close to the cost of a Soda Stream, especially if you buy a second CO2 bottle and more soda bottles. Plus I can carbonate anything I want to, and just rinse out the carbonation cap. Here's what I got:

• A CO2 cannister, purchased locally. I believe it is the 10-pound size.
• Kegco KC LH-542 Premium Pro Series Dual Gauge Co2 Draft Beer Regulator, Chrome
• Ball Lock Cornelius Keg Gas Line Assembly by The Weekend Brewer
• Stainless Carbonation Cap with 5/16" Barb Ball Lock Type 

Here's how to use it, after it is set up:
1. Fill a 2-liter bottle with cold flavored water, just to where the bottle starts to curve in towards the lid.

2. Screw on the carbonation cap while squeezing all the air out of the bottle. Tighten firmly.

3. Snap the ball lock QD onto the cap (pull the ring up so it'll go on).

Ball Lock Quick Disconnect (QD)

4. Open the valve on the top of the CO2 bottle, and throw the blue valve on the regulator. The bottle will make a "sproing" sound, and fill tightly. Shake vigorously, in the exact way you never want to shake a soda bottle, for 30 seconds.

5. Close valve, carefully unscrew the lid and squeeze out the air again (don't squeeze out any foam on top, that would be messy) and re-tighten the lid; this lets out the air that was in the water to begin with, and makes a fizzier soda. Open valve, and shake 30 seconds again. You can skip this step, but it makes a fizzier drink.

6. Close both valves firmly, pop off the ball lock snap, and unscrew the lid (carefully). Soda!!!

First-time setup of the items I listed above: 
     a) Loosen the clamp (circled in blue). Slip off the fitting (circled in red); you won't need it, so drop it in your junk drawer.

    b) Push the hose onto the regulator barb, then tighten down the clamp.

 

    c) Screw the regulator onto the CO2 bottle.

    d) Watch this guy at Popular Science, this was my inspiration. Use the regulator to adjust pressure if you need to. I think mine is set to 40 psi.

How to Make Your Own Home Drink Carbonation System