Re-using soda bottles for yeast-based carbonation...

[homebrewbeliever]

Hey all, I'm fairly new to brewing and all and I really want to try to make some ginger ale or root beer. I've heard that brewing soda in glass can be a bad idea, so I was wondering if you could re-use sanitized soda bottles instead? Or, do you have to go to the brew store and buy the expensive PET bottles that you supposedly can only use a certain amount of times?

 

[glenn514]

I have not made soda, but I did make some apfelwein and I bottle-conditioned it in 2 liter soda bottles, reusing the screw-on caps. Worked just fine! In fact, I haven't had any apfelwein in months...I think I'll have some today!

glenn514

 

[Yooper]

Soda bottles are awesome for both beer and soda. They can take a lot more carbonation than beer bottles, so you can have a highly carbed soda in a plastic bottle.

I carbed up a soda at 40 psi with a plastic soda bottle and my co2 tank (using a carbonator carb) in just a couple of minutes. Without co2, adding the yeast to the soda works well, too, of course, just make sure you screw on the cap tightly.

 

[homebrewbeliever]

Awesome! I really appreciate the feedback, guys. How many times do you think you can reuse the soda bottles before it isn't a good idea any longer? I've heard that the plastic in soda bottles begins to leech into the liquid after a few uses...

 

[glenn514]

Soda bottles are labeled #1 PETE. That's the same stuff used to make Better Bottles. And my brewing Better Bottles have been used NUMEROUS times with no "leeching" problems. I would think that the screw-top would be more critical over time than anything else. I would have no problem reusing soda bottles for bottle-carbonated beverages.

glenn514

 

[homebrewbeliever]

Soda bottles are labeled #1 PETE. That's the same stuff used to make Better Bottles. And my brewing Better Bottles have been used NUMEROUS times with no "leeching" problems. I would think that the screw-top would be more critical over time than anything else. I would have no problem reusing soda bottles for bottle-carbonated beverages.

glenn514

Bam! Alright, I'll go for it! Thanks