# Making soda water with my keg setup- sodastream sort of thing



## kierent (1/5/18)

Hi all
Sorry if this has been covered. I did a good search and could only find one brief thread on it here https://aussiehomebrewer.com/threads/gas-bottle-to-sodastream.6082/ Plenty of threads about using Sodastream bottles to gas a keg system, but I want to go the other way. 

So, I'm keen to save on the amount of plastic soda water bottles I chuck out (a pretty popular drink in my house) and was thinking about getting a SodaStream. Then i figured I have a twin 19L corny keg setup with a 6kg co2 bottle, why not use that to make soda water? I don't want a dedicated beer tap with a 19L keg full of soda water, I was wondering if anyone knows of a way to charge up smaller bottles of still water with a co2 keg to make soda water, similar to what a sodastream does? That way I can do a few at a time and re-use my bottles, hug a tree, that sort of thing. 

Any ideas? Are there adaptors available? I have ball lock posts.


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## hooper80 (1/5/18)

Crank it up to 40psi or more, cold water, and shake the shit outta it mate. 
I have a dedicated tap for soda water. My family can’t get enough. 40psi for 3 days and it near burns your throat with bubbles.


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## Madscientist86 (1/5/18)

https://www.kegland.com.au/carbonation-line-cleaning-cap.html i think this is what you are looking for...fits PET bottles.


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## kierent (1/5/18)

Madscientist86 said:


> https://www.kegland.com.au/carbonation-line-cleaning-cap.html i think this is what you are looking for...fits PET bottles.


Perfect! Thanks mate, that's exactly what I'm after. Thanks hooper80, I thought of that too but only have space for 2 kegs so don't want to take up one with soda


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## MHB (1/5/18)

Typically "Soda" has about 6.0-6.5g/L of dissolved CO2, If you have a look at the Carbonation Tables in Braukaiser you will be able to get the pressure/temperature right for the amount of fizz you want.
If you look at most bottles of commercially available Soda Water in the ingredients you will see "Mineral Salts" or similar.
This is almost always Potassium Bicarbonate, I know some people will use Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda) because it cheaper and easier to find, but I find the Potassium Bicarbonate tastes better.
Lots of commercial soda waters also have a mix of salts including Pot-BiCarb, Sodium-BiCarb, Common Salt (NaCl) Potassium Sulphate... plus whatever was in the water they made the Soda from (often just De-Chlorinated sterile filtered/UV sterilised tap water).
A couple of teaspoons of Potassium Bicarbonate makes a pretty big difference.

I know Brewman has some, tho I don't think it's on his website (I'll be seeing him tomorrow so I'll ask)
Mark


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## brewgasm (2/5/18)

kierent said:


> Perfect! Thanks mate, that's exactly what I'm after. Thanks hooper80, I thought of that too but only have space for 2 kegs so don't want to take up one with soda


That cap works great for me


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## kierent (2/5/18)

MHB said:


> Typically "Soda" has about 6.0-6.5g/L of dissolved CO2, If you have a look at the Carbonation Tables in Braukaiser you will be able to get the pressure/temperature right for the amount of fizz you want.
> If you look at most bottles of commercially available Soda Water in the ingredients you will see "Mineral Salts" or similar.
> This is almost always Potassium Bicarbonate, I know some people will use Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda) because it cheaper and easier to find, but I find the Potassium Bicarbonate tastes better.
> Lots of commercial soda waters also have a mix of salts including Pot-BiCarb, Sodium-BiCarb, Common Salt (NaCl) Potassium Sulphate... plus whatever was in the water they made the Soda from (often just De-Chlorinated sterile filtered/UV sterilised tap water).
> ...


Thanks Mark
I might see how it tastes just force carbing and add Pot-BiCarb if needed.


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## MHB (2/5/18)

Pre-dissolve the bicarb in a bit of water first, opening a carbonated keg and dumping in the powder in can get very entertaining!
The idea of the Bicarbonate is to raise the low pH caused by the formation of Carbonic Acid to 3-4pH, to 5-6pH which tastes better.
Hit of theory if anyone is interested Carbon Dioxide and Carbonic Acid.
Mark


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## JDW81 (2/5/18)

I haven't tried adding salts to my carbonated water, but might give it a go.

FWIW I've usually got 1/4 taps dedicated to sparkling water. I just fill it up from the tap, chill it then carbonate a high pressures (usually 30PSI for a few days) then use my usual serving pressure to dispense. Works a treat for me, and it's quick and easy. 

The other thing I do is add a small bottle of cheap lime juice from the supermarket, which gives me lime and soda on tap.


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## Rocker1986 (2/5/18)

I've never bothered adding any salts to my soda water either. I just fill the keg and gas it up. To me it tastes better than the commercial stuff with the salts added, and sometimes I'll drink it on its own. Having a 3 tap kegerator I do have a dedicated tap for soda water now, with the other two alternating between whatever beers I'm brewing at the time.


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## Danscraftbeer (2/5/18)

Pure filtered water for me too. Beautiful. I can squeeze in a 11lt keg in the kegerator for soda water on tap. I tried adding bicarb for the idea of raising the pH but by the time its effectively raising the pH it made it taste like soap.


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## Mat B (2/5/18)

I did my first keg with soda water recently. Just used Melbourne tap water. Chilled, then put on the gas with same pressure as the beer. 1 week later, perfect!!


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## MHB (2/5/18)

Danscraftbeer said:


> Pure filtered water for me too. Beautiful. I can squeeze in a 11lt keg in the kegerator for soda water on tap. I tried adding bicarb for the idea of raising the pH but by the time its effectively raising the pH it made it taste like soap.


That's one of the reasons people prefer the Potassium over the Sodium.
Had a chat with Brewman today, there should be some Potassium Bicarbonate up in Dealz in the next day or so.
Mark

Edit
Big ups for filtered water to!
Getting did of the Chlorine is about half way to making great soda water.
M


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## koshari (3/5/18)

I just reuse the comercial pet bottles. chill tap water the carb cap and shake as posted earlier. When emply it gets filled and placed in keezer.


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## Brewman_ (4/5/18)

MHB said:


> That's one of the reasons people prefer the Potassium over the Sodium.
> Had a chat with Brewman today, there should be some Potassium Bicarbonate up in Dealz in the next day or so.
> Mark
> 
> ...


Potassium Bicarbonate Dealz up.

Cheers Steve


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