Seltzer Experiments
Revision as of 13:46, 12 July 2012 by 99.101.140.157 (talk) (Created page with "Requirements: * Glass or metal only - no plastic, or very little plastic in touch with the liquid. Plastic touching gas or solids is more acceptable. * Cost should be lower in th...")
Requirements:
- Glass or metal only - no plastic, or very little plastic in touch with the liquid. Plastic touching gas or solids is more acceptable.
- Cost should be lower in the long run than either buying consumer bottles or siphon chargers or even SodaStream supplies if possible.
- Keep seltzer cold if possible.
Research:
- Explored existing systems and settled on using home brewing equipment.
- Cost is similar in initial outlay to Penguin Sodastream
- Long-term costs are much cheaper. Costs $15 - $20 to refill/exchange a sodastream 60L cartridge. Costs $15 - $20 to refill a 5 lb CO2 tank (Produces ~600 gallons of seltzer depending on usage patterns)
- See Ask Metafilter question and answers for more details
- After acquiring equipment from Oak Barrel Winecraft set about figuring out the best method for pressurizing/dispensing.
- Oak Barrel salesperson described complicated method:
- COLD water, fill corny keg with 2.5 gallons.
- Set regulator at 30 psi, quick connect to keg.
- Roll and slosh keg around at 30 psi for 1 - 5 minutes.
- Disconnect tank line, close tank and purge tank line with valve on regulator.
- Purge pressure in keg with keg valve.
- Set regulator at 2 psi, quick connect to keg.
- Dispense at 2 psi until keg is empty.
- Disconnect tank, close tank, purge tank line, purge keg with keg valve.
- Repeat step 1 for new tank.
- MeFi user pwb503 suggested a simpler method:
- COLD water, fill corny keg with 2.5 gallons.
- Set regulator at 60 psi, quick connect to keg.
- Roll and slosh keg around at 60 psi for 1 - 5 minutes.
- Disconnect tank line
- Store keg in fridge to keep cold
- Attach tap and dispense at 60 psi of initial charge.
- Let sit to equilibrate and maximize bubbliness/taste.
- Recharge with relatively high pressure if the keg does not empty with initial charge.
- MeFi user ttrendel suggested method more like Oak Barrel, but dispensing at 30 psi.
- Discussion with pwb503 indicates that experimentation is probably necessary to get the right behavior I want.
- Note-taking and experimentation on Google Drive spreadsheet