If you’re all about saving the planet, reducing your waste and trying new things, it might just be time to consider making your own soda. You can do this a couple of ways—from scratch or using a SodaStream machine.
Why Make Your Own Soda?
Making your own soda is a great idea for a number of reasons. For starters, it allows you to reuse a plastic or glass bottle many times, drastically reducing packaging if you have a regular soda habit. Creating your own soda also tends to be much cheaper than buying bottled soda from your local supermarket, especially if you drink a lot of it.
Homemade soda is also generally healthier than commercial sodas. Whether you buy one of the many different syrups and mixes available or create your own, you can guarantee your soda will be less sugary than the alternatives. You’ll also find there are many different flavor options, so you can experiment with all kinds of carbonated drinks.
How To Make Your Own Soda?
Ready to learn how to make your own soda from scratch? Here’s some basic information to help you get started.
There are three different ways to carbonate your soda when you’re starting from scratch.
1. The simplest option is to buy a bottle of seltzer and mix in some syrup or soda mix of your choosing.
2. Some sodas, namely ginger ale and root beer, actually use yeast for their carbonation. You can mix up the various ingredients, add some champagne yeast, and leave it to ferment for 48 hours. Once the time is up, make sure you put it in the fridge right away. Oh, and you’ll probably want to start with a recipe such as this one.
3. The last option for carbonating your own soda from scratch is to use a small amount of dry ice. You drop it into your mixture, let some of the CO2 escape, and then shake the bottle so it mixes properly. Dry ice will carbonate your beverage quickly, but it’s extremely dangerous and if done improperly can cause the bottle to explode. If you’re really determined to try this out, watch the demonstration below and do so at your own risk!
The Easy Way to Make Your Own Soda
SodaStream machines make it ridiculously easy to create your own homemade soda. There are a number of different models available depending on what features you need, whether you prefer glass or plastic bottles, and what look you’re going for.
Start by making sure you have everything you’ll need and that the CO2 cannister is in the right place. This should be at the back of the machine, and varies slightly depending on which version you have.
Next you’ll want to fill your bottle up—start with plain water—and lock it into the machine. Depending on the model, you may have to screw the bottle in. Some of the newer ones come with clips designed to instantly lock the bottle in, saving you an extra couple moments and making sure it’s attached properly every time.
Once your bottle is locked in, all you need to do is press a button to carbonate your drink. You’ll find that some models have a lever instead of a button, but the functionality is much the same. Depending on the model and how carbonated you like your soda, you might need to press the button up to four times. Experiment with different things and figure out what works best for you.
With your water carbonated, add some of the flavoured syrup and you’re done. Any soda syrup or mix will work in a SodaStream machine, and of course you can also create your own.
Creating Your Flavor
When you’re making your own soda, your flavor options are almost endless. If you want a healthier soda, you can even use fruit juice. You’ll also find a wide range of soda mixes and syrups available online or at your local supermarket. There are many different flavours to choose from, all with less sugar than commercial soda to help make you healthier.
Of course, you can also create your own syrup from scratch. This is a somewhat more complicated procedure and the first time you do it you should definitely work with a recipe. Luckily, it doesn’t require too many ingredients, and once you get the hang of it it’s easy.
The Final Step
After you’ve chosen your carbonation method and your flavour, all you have to do is drop the flavoured syrup in. Some carbonation methods work better if you put the flavour in first, so make sure you find and follow instructions from somebody who’s done it before. And if your soda isn’t sweet enough, try adding some simple syrup to make it sweeter.
Making soda from scratch can be tricky and sometimes even dangerous. A SodaStream machine takes all the complications out, so you can easily and cheaply enjoy homemade soda. If you’re a heavy pop drinker, a SodaStream machine will help you save money, reduce your waste and even become healthier.