Will 1L soda bottles explode if used for carbonation??

[Lumo]

I'm doing some primary fermentation (store bought apple juice, sugar, red star champagne yeast. Aiming for something strong and dry).

In order to carbonate I am considering back-sweetening the final lot and then putting it straight into (clean) empty 1L soda bottles and putting the cap on. I've read that if I squeeze the sealed bottle I will know when it is brick hard that it is approaching proper carbonation. My question is, if I just leave them at room temperature, will they then go on and explode, or will these plastic bottles take the pressure?

 

[Bithead]

I used soda bottles for my first bunch of batches while I was collecting bottles. They are fine to use for homebrew.

Edit: They need to be at about 68* so the yeast will turn the added sugar into CO2. If you carbonate at lower temps the yeast will sleep and not produce CO2.

 

[onthekeg]

Nope. Soda is much higher PSI than beer.

 

[MarkKF]

I don't think 68 degrees is a magic number. Check the data on your specific yeast. Some have lower active ranges. Even it's below the active range it still might work, just slower.

 

[Lumo]

Thanks - good to hear. I was worried they would all pop open.

 

[kiwibrew]

you still don't want to overcarbonate, and you said you wanted it dry, so just add a measured amount of priming sugar like you would for beer.

 

[KevinM]

It's actually going to depend on the amount of sugar you put in, and the time you leave it sitting out. A soda bottle has a pressure range of somewhere between 100psi to 200psi. I think the rated limit is 125psi. You shouldn't even be coming close to burst range when carbonating cider or even soda however..
a) You add just enough sugar that 100% of the sugar is eaten and turned to co2 and psi stays at 15-30 (or even 100) psi = fine (though possibly overcarbed but you just get a soda burst when opening.)
b) you add more sugar so that some of the sugar is eaten and turned to co2, some stays to keep the drink sweet, but you chill the drink at around 15-30psi and drink it all = fine.
c) you add more sugar so that some of the sugar is eaten and turned to co2, some of the drink stays sweet and either you don't chill and leave it sitting out or, you put it in the fridge and leave it for a year or so = probably not fine. These are the instances where the sugar will keep turning to co2 and if you have enough sugar, either the yeast cease due to pressure, or the bottle bursts. Not sure which.

 

[Lumo]

I was planning on letting them sit for a month or so then putting them in the fridge. Well I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[onthekeg]

I was planning on letting them sit for a month or so then putting them in the fridge. Well I'll let you know how it goes.

BTDT. No issues.