Making Your Own Sodas

Here's my point.  If your yeast produces enough CO2 to noticably carbonate your drink, the alcohol level will be much higher than 0.5%.  In addition, without regularly checking your yeast viability, you won't even be able to accurately guess the alcohol level, or volumes of CO2.  If you are selling this product, you are subject to ATF, regardless of where you might be producing it, be it factory or home.

How about http://www.sodastreamusa.com/catalog/2 I've never tried this, but it's on my list. When I get to it, I'll review it for all of you.

Poverty Pete


Here's my point.  If your yeast produces enough CO2 to noticably carbonate your drink, the alcohol level will be much higher than 0.5%.  In addition, without regularly checking your yeast viability, you won't even be able to accurately guess the alcohol level, or volumes of CO2.  If you are selling this product, you are subject to ATF, regardless of where you might be producing it, be it factory or home.

Yes exactly. If the normal percentage was maybe -250% of that zone that could put you over into the alcoholic beverage catagory...how off could you be? But with normal percentage being right there...you could never really know the difference between close or over at any given time with a fluid situation.
 
In my case I am licensed by the ABC  and 75% of my business would be lost as well as two restaurants losing the ability to serve alcohol if my license was suspened or revoked. I could imagine trying to explain that is was all over a keg of root beer.

If you used a hygrometer, you could probably measure within 1%, but I wouldn't bet my ABC license on it. On the other hand, if you carbonate with bottled CO2, your alcohol problem just vanishes...unless, of course, you have a different sort of alcoho.....never mind. 
Bottled CO2 will cost more, but it's very controllable.

Hey,  Mich, that website looks interesting,  but at the prices they're quoting, not really doable on a commercial scale.

I am going to experiment with the natural method for home use only. It sounds like fun and if "by accident" the alcohol level goes over...oh well I will just have to live with it.
 
I will use the Cornelius system with co2 for the catered parties. There is a void between packaged soda and open bar...and this will afford me an easier way to dispense exciting product (sans alcohol without having to have a permit for it) and charge closer to open bar than soda.
 

When doing your home version, remember to hook up some sort of pressure relief system.
  For catering purposes, you'll want to dial in your CO2 stabilization pressure somewhere around 13 psi, at 33-34 degrees. The colder the liquid, the more CO2 it will absorb.

Pete, have the directions stopped?

FriedTater


I`m wondering if anyone in this group is familiar with making their own sodas from extracts? I`m interested in something like www.chuckwagonsoda.com has to offer. Just not interested in spending 10K for something like this. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

My Aunt used to mskr ud Root Beer as a kid and was pretty good. She would make several gallon type jugs at a time although I don't remember how she did it. I do know if she was able to pull it off it must not have been to hard because she was not know for being a person who liked to cook, etc with things that had many details. I see here locally a commercial for a machine that makes drinks cheap but only like 2 glasses at a time, I'm sure you could either figure out a way to make more. I think it comes with 5 flavors.
c

Big Ugly Mich


How about http://www.sodastreamusa.com/catalog/2 I've never tried this, but it's on my list. When I get to it, I'll review it for all of you.

the sodastream unit works, but it's not very economical unless you buy an adapter hose and external c02 tank (sodastream's proprietary co2 tanks are tiny and expensive to refill..) and it wouldn't work in a commercial setting since it makes small quantities.

Tater,  have you decided on a brand of extract?

Poverty Pete


Tater,  have you decided on a brand of extract?

Pete, I`ve gotten 2 types of root beer extract, Zatarains and McCormicks.
 
Thanks
 

FriedTater

Poverty Pete


Tater,  have you decided on a brand of extract?

Pete, I`ve gotten 2 types of root beer extract, Zatarains and McCormicks.
 
Thanks
 

 Zatarains - a  classic, not bad... more licorice-like than i like...
 McCormicks - terrible... really meant to give a rootbeer-like taste to things like cake frosting, not good for making real root beer imho.....
 
 the old Hires extract was awesome, but is no more... :(
 
  i really like Gnome root beer extract.. :)   www.gnomesoda.com
 
  Fermentap also makes 2 types of very good root beer extract  http://fermentap.com/search/103453

I agree with Marzsit, although I haven't tried Gnome.  The proportions sound normal.
When I was making root beer for commercial production, I used a brand called Ozark, but don't know whethere it is still around.  It would also be advisable to have some birch beer or wintergreen extract to personalize your own flavor profile.

I think enhancing a good root beer extract base is a great idea. Even if someone really wanted to start from scratch...could not start at sassafras root or oil level because it contains safrol and banned by the FDA because of carcinogenic properties. Sassafras extract (sans safrole) is available. I love to experiement and produce  syrups but if I do play just for fun at home with root beer...I think I will just kick up a root beer concentrate. I would LOVE to make a maple cream soda. Don't know if it would be best to make it maple cream pre or post production from a cream soda base.
 
Hires Big H of Utah does offer a root beer extract but it is not related to "the" mainstream  Hires root beer...
 
http://www.hiresbigh.com/history.html
 
Hires Big H carries root beer extract as well as vanilla & cherry flavorings.
 
Gnome is interesting because there are 5 different flavors in the theme of root beer...
 
Draft style Root Beer
Old fashion Vanilla Cream
Spicy Ginger Beer
Autumn Red Birch
Crystal clear Cream
 
That would really open up a total package selection if you are doing a wagon.
 
Hires Big H & Gnome are in the same price range...$7.50-$8.50 to make a 5 gallon batch.
 
Much more expensive vs. Zatarain's  but a great deal of options to create a full line starting from extract level.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

actually, gnome's extract pouches contain twice as much extract, enough for 10 gallons so it's half the cost of hires big h...

Hires Big H is packaged as 4.25 oz. to yield 5 gallons.
 
Gnome says  4 oz. - 1 gallon sizes available. Many of the links to suppliers are dead but one link lists  it says...
 
4 oz packet, yields between 5 and 10 gallons of soda, depending on how strong you want the soda to taste.

 
Never made it by natural method  so I am not sure if there is a standard.
 
The Hires Big H ratio is greater but it just lists yield...without method. According to Gnome instructions it seems as though it may only take 1/2 of the quantity...using the natural method. The root beer directions for Gnome (natural method)  lists for 2.5 gallon yield using 1-2 oz. extract. The Cornelius method list 2-4 oz. per 5 gallon yield.
 
Since you tried it and you like it the flavor is best for 4 oz. to 10 gallons? What method do you use? Thanks!
  
  
  
 

i've made a 5 gallon batch of gnome using 5 pounds of cane sugar and 2 oz of extract and it had plenty of flavor, but i suppose if you used a different sweetener (beet sugar, corn syrup, etc) you might have to use more extract.. i've wanted to make a batch using splenda, but 5 pounds worth of splenda is pretty expensive around here.......

NOOOO....Splenda is NOT a 1:1 ratio to sugar. Splenda 600 times sweeter than sugar.

in the local supermarkets, splenda is only sold 2 ways: a box of packets with each packet equivalent to 2 teaspoons of sugar, or in a bag that is supposed to be the equivalent of 2 pounds of sugar and costs about $9. the bagged product is advertised as being made for cooking and baking, and obviously has fillers of some kind...
 
 the concentrated splenda that comes in packets isn't available in bulk packages.

Sorry never cooked or baked with Splenda...and only have had it in small concentrated doses. What about the yeast activation? Sugar...yes. Splenda...?

Sugar...yes. Splenda...not a chance.  Yeast requires fermentable sugars.   Of course, one could use Splenda as the primary sweetener, then add just enough sugar, honey, or other form of natural sweetener for the yeast to make bubbles.

yeast is only needed if you're going to bottle your soda. if you use kegs, then you can force carbonate instead, which greatly simplifies the process and eliminates the risk of over-carbonating. no risk of exploding bottles too :)

Oh...thought you were making it with the natural method. Don't mind me I am in winemaking mode.
 
Champagne yeast for the root beer with the natural method?
 
So the 2 oz. quantity of gnome is good with the Cornelius method. Got it.

Actually, you can force carbonate bottles as well.  I used to do it regularly when sending beers for competitions.

Did I miss the soda wagon or not Pete? I thought maybe you`d have instructions for us by now.