CO2 Tablet - Has anyone used this?

[pedrovic]

Hi, brewer,
I found this product and I would like to know if any alchemist on this forum has tried it as a substitute for sugar priming. According to the description, "Provide same function and effect to bottled gas Co2". I don't know if I can put commercial links here on the forum, but it seems to be easy to find.

Could anyone give an opinion?
Thank you

 

[IslandLizard]

Carbonation tablets?
They're usually sugar (e.g., dextrose) pressed into a tablet (like a sugar cube, but finer and denser). When added to a bottle with beer, then tightly capped, the yeast will ferment it, creating CO2, which will carbonate the beer.

Does it show the ingredients?

 

[day_trippr]

If that's for aquarium use it's not going to be anything "fermentable".
I think it's probably something like an Alka-Seltzer tablet...

Cheers!

[edit] There's actually a product version for drinks Bonne O C02 Carbonator Tablets (10) : Amazon.co.uk: Home & Kitchen
Contains citric acid, potassium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), potassium carbonate

 

[IslandLizard]

If that's for aquarium use

Oh, I now see it. There's an image of an aquarium on the bottle, and the name Waterplant would be a giveaway. Yup, nothing fermentable in there.

 

[IslandLizard]

I don't know if I can put commercial links here on the forum, but it seems to be easy to find.

Yes, it's allowed to post links to commercial products for illustrational or informational purposes. As long as you're not selling them, or have monetary interests in them, and such.
Use common sense. When in doubt you can always ask a Moderator or Admin beforehand.

 

[day_trippr]

Anyway...I can say in my time here I have never seen such a product even hinted at, never mind actually used with testimonials thereafter.
While it's an interesting concept wrt kegging I think I'd be inclined to stick with CO2 gas...

Cheers!

 

[RolandD]

A quick Googling lead me to Don't Waste Your Money. That appears to be their recommendation as well as the name of the website.

 

[hotbeer]

I've got tablets I sometimes put in my drink bottles while cycling that give it some fizz (carbonation) and provide me some extra electrolytes.

Nor are CO2 tablets for drinks anything new. My mom use to give me some to put in my water to make if a flavored carbonated beverage as a treat when I behaved. That was back in the very early sixties. I'm sure they had them in the fifties too if not before. I think the brand name was "Fizzies"

Dissolving CO2 in water to produce carbonation is what we all do by various processess. Even naturally carbonated beer doesn't get carbonated until that yeast cell farts and the gas bubbles through the beer, some of it dissolving into the beer on it's way up.

With any tablets like that, you have to ask what's left that is also going into your beer. It's doubtful that all of the tablets become CO2 and some might leave things you don't want in your beer's taste.

And more specific to your tablets, do you think the manufacturer worries about purity and liability for a product intended for aquariums as much as a manufacturer for stuff intended for human consumption does?

 

[day_trippr]

On that last point, I imagine there'd be a cohort of homicidal ex-fish owners up in arms if there was something that contaminated these "fizzy" drops Anyway there are no doubt "human grade" versions - I do remember "Fizzies"!

But, yes, it seems quite likely the byproducts of the CO2-releasing reaction - likely lots of salts - would be significant if one actually used enough of these things to reach a decent carbonation level...

Cheers!

 

[IslandLizard]

AFAIK Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda), or the Potassium equivalent, are the main solid sources of CO2 production when dissolved in watery solutions (such as beer).

But, yes, it seems quite likely the byproducts of the CO2-releasing reaction - likely lots of salts - would be significant if one actually used enough of these things to reach a decent carbonation level...

Exactly!
For every molecule of CO2 released, a Sodium ion (Na+) is added to the solution too. So yeah, the solution (your beer) will become saltier, as if you were adding the same amount (in mols) of table salt to it.

 

[Dr_Jeff]

That could work great in a Gose.