Sparkling Wine using Soda Stream!

[Jericurl]

Should work as long as the flip top seals I would guess. The wine/mead should be clear obviously and make sure to clean the tip after use with a wet rag so the wine/mead doesn't dry and plug up the tip at the end. Make sure to get one of the older systems like this one from Amazon:

Soda Stream

After this model Soda Stream started to produce machines that were increasingly harder and harder to "hack" to use "alternate" sources of CO2. This model will allow you to use a paint ball CO2 canister which can be refilled for a few dollars and last much longer than the standard Soda Stream CO2 canisters.

Fantastic, thanks!

 

[Jericurl]

@ibglowin

We were looking at the Soda Stream Genesis, is that the correct one?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ETUNPM2/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[ibglowin]

That looks to be a newer one. You can tell by the fact that is only has ~200 reviews. Soda Stream just seems to keep making them increasingly harder and harder to play around with. The one I linked to is only $69 if you get the black/silver colored model.

 

[Jericurl]

That looks to be a newer one. You can tell by the fact that is only has ~200 reviews. Soda Stream just seems to keep making them increasingly harder and harder to play around with. The one I linked to is only $69 if you get the black/silver colored model.

Great, that sounds good to me.

 

[ibglowin]

If you get that model it will come with a tiny 4oz CO2 canister. Mine was actually empty. You take that canister to your closest store that sells Soda Stream products and they will swap that out for a full 60L Soda Stream canister at no charge. That will get you going and last for a couple months depending on how much you use it.

 

[Boatboy24]

Bumping this. Can you carb in bottles other than the plastic SodaStream bottles? Thinking about getting a hard lemonade kit, then bottling in beer bottles. Wondering if I'd have to carb in the SS bottle, then pour into beer bottles. Obviously, you'll lose some carbonation doing this, so I'd rather carb it up right in the beer bottle.

 

[ibglowin]

No, You have to use their bottle as it screws on to the upper portion and makes the seal. You then push a button to let the CO2 flow into the bottle via the tube inside. Unscrew and then then you would have to pour into your beer or wine bottle and cap/cork.

Bumping this. Can you carb in bottles other than the plastic SodaStream bottles? Thinking about getting a hard lemonade kit, then bottling in beer bottles. Wondering if I'd have to carb in the SS bottle, then pour into beer bottles. Obviously, you'll lose some carbonation doing this, so I'd rather carb it up right in the beer bottle.

 

[Boatboy24]

No, You have to use their bottle as it screws on to the upper portion and makes the seal. You then push a button to let the CO2 flow into the bottle via the tube inside. Unscrew and then then you would have to pour into your beer or wine bottle and cap/cork.

Hmmm. A lot of extra work. Might still be worth it though.

 

[ibglowin]

I just carb it as I need it.

Hmmm. A lot of extra work. Might still be worth it though.

 

[Boatboy24]

My Sodastream arrived today. I was hoping to find a sparkling Rose to bring to our friends' place last night, but everything I saw was sweet - I wanted dry or off dry. As luck would have it, there was a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc Rose in the winery fridge, so I got to work for today's cocktail hour. I guess there's a trick to it, or after a few tries you get the feel for it. I thought I'd over-carbed, but no. First glass has a slight carbonation, but not too noticeable. I'll top up the bottle and try again. All in the name of science, right?

The carbonation definitely adds a layer of bitterness - not much, but almost a slight essence of grapefruit zest/pith. Its interesting. Next time I'll try it with the Cucumber Melon Sauvignon Blanc, which is sweeter.

 

[ceeaton]

Next time I'll try it with the Cucumber Melon Sauvignon Blanc, which is sweeter.

There is something about a dry Pinot Grigio carbonated, very champagne like with enough fruitiness to make it quite interesting. I have a couple of gallons still in my little keg if you want to drive up here and try some...

 

[Boatboy24]

There is something about a dry Pinot Grigio carbonated, very champagne like with enough fruitiness to make it quite interesting. I have a couple of gallons still in my little keg if you want to drive up here and try some...

Yep, be right there.

 

[ibglowin]

Did I miss how that turned out/tasted? LOL

Next time I'll try it with the Cucumber Melon Sauvignon Blanc, which is sweeter.

 

[Boatboy24]

Did I miss how that turned out/tasted? LOL

When you're in the mood for something a little sweeter, its pretty darn good. I goosed up the ABV and used about 2/3 of the f-pac in primary. Even then, still didn't use all of the remaining 1/3 to back sweeten.

 

[joeswine]

So I picked up a Soda Stream a few weeks back and have been playing with it and picking up different flavors of pop off Amazon. So far so good. I like the pop flavors but Soda Stream is using Sucralose instead of Aspartame so it takes some time to get used to the flavor change from the sweetener. I finally decided to play around and try and make some sparking wine out of still wine. So far I carbed a bottle of my Spanish Vino Blanco as well as my Oregon Pinot Gris. The Vino Blanco was amazing. Tasted exactly like a Vinho Verde. Perfect. The Pinot Gris was good but I may have over carbed it. The CO2 does affect the taste as most of us know and I think here is a perfect example where "less is more". I hit the Vino Blanco with about 3 hits of CO2 and the Pinot Gris with about 5-6 hits. Came out with more fizz but also more metallic taste/bite on the tongue that is not there with the still wine. So this is fun to play with for sure. Works well, and is easy to setup and use. I had to add about 24 marbles to raise the liquid level up to the line as a bottle of wine is only 750ml and you need closer to 900ml to get to the fill line. I have done the research as well to minimize CO2 cost compared to using Soda Stream refills so that was another fun journey. Happy to share.

Pictures of the carbing process and final product below.

Another toy in the winemakers toolbox for sure!

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Do your say

 

[joeswine]

Do your say

So you’re saying that you need to raise the liquid level to the soda mark ?
Which soda steam did you buy ? Or it a standardized

 

[vinny]

So you’re saying that you need to raise the liquid level to the soda mark ?
Which soda steam did you buy ? Or it a standardized

You do not need to have the wine over the level of the tube. The pressure of the CO2 in the bottle is enough to infuse the wine. You can also give it a shake to get more in there.

I found that things like hard lemonade, or dragon's blood needed less 'hits' and were more likely to foam and make a bit of a mess. A spray bottle of your favorite no rinse sanitizer, or water will fix it right up. Just don't let it dry or clog up your tip and you have the cheapest carbonater possible.

 

[ibglowin]

Hey Joe,

I think my sodastream bottle is 1L and a bottle of wine is of course 750ml so I used some marbles to raise the liquid level up so the tube would be in the liquid. You could also use a home made tube extension as well but I tried several and it seemed like they just kept blowing off the end. Marbles were an easy fast fix.

So you’re saying that you need to raise the liquid level to the soda mark ?
Which soda steam did you buy ? Or it a standardized

 

[vinny]

Hey Joe,

I think my sodastream bottle is 1L and a bottle of wine is of course 750ml so I used some marbles to raise the liquid level up so the tube would be in the liquid. You could also use a home made tube extension as well but I tried several and it seemed like they just kept blowing off the end. Marbles were an easy fast fix.

Are you still using this method?

 

[ibglowin]

Are you still using this method?

Yes, I don't always carb my wines. But when I do I use a sodastream........