I ordered some bottle caps and flavorings and yeast from Lehman's recently planning to make some soda pop. I had been saving glass bottles and to my dismay discovered they would not work because they have threaded tops. I have finally found where I can get regular bottles without the threads. I did try making some root beer using the recipe that came with the flavoring in a 2 L plastic bottle like it suggested. First, it did not get "fizzy", second it was too sweet and strong tasting. Before I invest in bottles I'm wondering if anyone has made any and if you would care to share your recipe? Thanks

-- Barb in Ky. (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), February 03, 2002

Answers

Barb, I have not but I am very interested in it. My husband recently started brewing his own beer and one of the catalogs he got had supplies for soda, ginger ale and so forth. I thought it would be interesting but thats as far as I got. I would be interested in hearing your experience and if I get there, I'll share mine-there are SO MANY interesting things to do......

What kind of bottles does it take? I'm thinking its probably like the ones my husband uses, because he has a capper and buys metal caps. He buys returnable (no threads) bottles at a liquor store for something like $2.oo a case. Initially, they were terrible, we really had to wash, then disinfect them-that was a yucky job, but we can use the bottles over and over, we found we just wash them as we use them, store them clean and dry, then disinfect as we fill them again.

-- Kelly (KY) (homearts@yahoo.com), February 03, 2002.

I don't know about bottling, but fruit juice and soda water make a good substitute for kids.

-- AyleeAnn (AyleeAnn@hotmail.com), February 03, 2002.

Barb, I got the same thing you did with same results. I have the right bottles but didn't get them out, yet. I have made soda years ago that was good. I bought 3 flavors f/Lehmans. We have only tried the gingerale. My next attempt might be spring break and I'll use regular bottles. I'll try to let you know how that works.

-- DW (djwallace@ctos.com), February 03, 2002.

We have 'brewed' pop twice now (dh started homebrewing about a year ago). We are still 'adjusting' the sugar level to our tastes (first batch was too sweet for me, second a bit too bitter) but in terms of 'fizz' we've found that the natural carbonation of the yeast is very different from the carbonation in store bought pop.

It is smoother, not so 'up your nose' bubbly. Takes a bit of getting used to. Another thing that it may be is the type of yeast. Don't remember what yeast we used with the first batch, but with the second we used champagne yeast and it came out much more fizzy. Just experiment with different yeasts and amounts of sugar. We are lucky to have a homebrewing store about 15 miles away. They also have a website and I believe you can buy online from them. Try thingsbeer.com

Bottles--yes, the twist off bottles won't work. But bottles are cheap empty. I think we paid something like 7 bucks a case for 12 ouncers when we bought our bottles for pop making.

-- Kris in MI (ckarmom@ivillage.com), February 04, 2002.

Thanks you all. I'm going to see if I can find some used bottles. I hadn't thought about checking at a liquor store! I sort of hate to go there though since I don't drink and would know that everyone of my friends from church would be watching!!! I know that is silly. I do have the champagne yeast and do not expect the pop I make to tast like store bought. Guess it is just going to take experimenting. Kelly, I had even thought about buying some of Ky.'s Ale 8 One just to get the bottles!!!! And I don't even like Ale 8 One.

-- Barb in Ky. (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), February 05, 2002.

This thread brings back memories...when my brother and I were kids in Alaska we used to make our own root beer every summer. We got Hires Root Beer extract at the grocery store, and empty beer bottles from anywhere we could find them, or buy them fairly reasonabley from a plant that bottled soda pop, who got them from the bars. We made it for several years...the last being one that we were in our teens. We stored it in the attic of our home, and after a few days of exceptionally warm weather (for there) during the night the bottles started popping their caps. In the morning we had an awful mess to clean up. My Dad made us save our money and buy pop after that. We had a bottle capper that afixed the caps to the bottles. Think my Dad bought it for his one and only batch of dandelion wine - which an experienced bootlegger judged as "Damn good vinegar".

-- Duffy (hazelm@tenforward.com), March 06, 2002.

Been making root beer for 60 years.

-- mxyplx (pearbill@yahoo.com), June 07, 2002.

I just recently got into making pop and, like you, wasn't overly impressed with the root beer that I made. However, I did make some grapefruit/lime pop that turned out excellent. I made it with 2 ruby grapefruits and 6 limes.I used 2 cups of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of Champagne yeast. I just used a hand juicer for the fruit and left all of the pulp in it. I prefer screw top plastic bottles since I can tell when they are done by squeezing them and don't have to worry about exploding glass bottles!

-- Mike Monigold (artman@allegan.net), January 08, 2003.

I love the wayyoupop tasts

-- Brooke Smith (puppet toy 2000@yahoo.com), January 23, 2003.