I know I know, not the right category but I figure those of us into homebrewing are more than likely also making pop at home? Any info would be appreciated on how I could make my own colas etc, what equipment is needed, web sites, etc.
Making homebrew root beer seemed to be popular a few decades ago. Homemade ginger beer was also done, neither having much of any alcoholic content but a good chewy yeast flavor in both :)
Older cookbooks sometimes have recipes for the two of these. The experience I had with these was the simple ferment-in-bottle.
Would you use your existing fermenter to do this or buy a new one? I've beent old not to use the plastic primary fermenter for wine AND beer but dedicate one to wine and one to beer.
This what I was told, ultimately having seperate equipment is a good thing.
This is what I do, I have seperate primaries, both plastic. Since plastatic can degrade(scratches, repeated cleaning, etc), and harbor residual flavors.
But I use same secondaries. Since my secondaries are glass, I feel that I can properly clean and santize them without possibly creating off tastes.
My "local" homebrew shop, I say "local" because they are 40 miles away, carries "Old Fashioned Homebrew" soda extracts. midwestsupplies.com also carries this brand, just not as many flavors. With one 2oz bottle,
8 cups of regular table sugar (or honey if you like), 1 tsp of dry ale yeast, and water you can make 4 gal of some pretty good soda. You can get almost 2 cases (12oz) out of one "recipe". Wait 1 week (2 or more for better flavor) after you bottle, and drink up. So far I've made Sasparilla, Orange, and Raspberry. I still have to make some Ginger Beer. I've seen Cola, Cherry, Root Beer, and alot more. My "local" shop even carries the "syrup" for Sprecher Root Beer. (They are in Milwaukee). If your LHBS doesnt' have them try to Google the brand name or Rainbow Flavors, that's the other name on the box. Hope this helps.
Cheers, Mike
George Adk> I am also interested in home made Pop recipes if anyone has any. >
I set up a kegging system for cider, and soon beer. One of my first additions was an extra "cornie keg" which I fill with water and carbonate with the CO2 system. I can put any flavoring into a glass and fill it with the carbonated water. Flavored syrups, crystal light, juice concentrates all work. I assume root beer flavoring would also.
If all you want it fizziness in a sweet drink its pretty easy. A good place to start is ginger beer. Make it like lemonade, but cut the lemon juice in half or so and add fresh grated ginger at the rate of about 1 Tbl per quart. Then force carbonate it in a keg, or a pop bottle if you have the appropriate adaptor. Pour carefully since there will be a lot of ginger sediment.
I've made this several times and my daughter likes it a lot.
I have done it this way many times, using the soda flavor concentrates you normally ferment. Just mix the sugar, water, and flavor in a corny and put CO2 on it. Some flavors are better than others (so the kids tell me). Sarsaparilla flavor is better than Root Beer. Forget about Cola. The Cream Soda has been a big hit in my family.
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