Sodastream alternate carbonation bottles?

[Spektre]

I have used my Sodastream and enjoyed it for 2-3 years, however they have recently discontinued most of their syrup flavors leaving me without soda.

I see I can purchase Bag in a Box syrups online. These however are 5:1 concentrates instead of the 23:1 that Sodastream uses. Thus, when using their 1L bottles to carbonate, there is simply not enough volume left for the greater amount of syrup needed without wasting (pouring out) 15-20% of your carbonated water. You can't carbonate a bottle that is not full.

So...what is your opinion on transferring the carbonated water to a 1.5L bottle after carbonation? Think it will go flat? Any suggestions for a good sturdy shatterproof 1.5L bottle with an wide mouth top?

Any other ideas?

 

[daft]

Sodastream makes bad syrups at high prices, and box syrups are pricey and unhealthy even if they weren't watered down. THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM. Sodastream liberates you to a whole worlds of tastier and healthier syrups, often more affordable.

I have posted dozens of syrup alternatives, from canned frozen concentrates to bubble tea syrups. Amazon is a wonderland of syrups which you can subscrube to at a discount and free shipping.

For instance look at my old threads; maybe can start by clicking on my name. Also I hope you aren't using their extortionate co2 bottle vs a simple paintgun bottle. Also see in my threads tips like sodastream half liter bottles having headroom to accept a bit higher percent syrup.

 

[z-bob]

Try carbonating apple juice. However, I fail to see the problem with the 5:1 syrup. Put about 170 ml of syrup in the bottle, fill with water, and zap it. (disclaimer: I don't have a SodaStream)

 

[daft]

You must only carbonate water, then add syrup afterwards in this system. The reasons are noted elsewhere, such as clogging the injector and creating backpressure.

I should caution that adding unusual syrups to carbed water sometimes creates a foam volcano; better to pour in along the bottles side to lessen foam. But that is the joy of being liberated from the rut of commercial sodas. You cannot easily recreate cola, dr pepper, etc but can make better than commercial root beers, fruit sodas, etc.

 

[MrFoodScientist]

Like daft said, pour your carbonated water into another bottle on top of syrup and let it slowly run down the side, you should be good to use just about any bottle at that point.

Here's an idea, if your water to syrup ratio is 5:1, then 1 liter of water would need 0.2 liters of syrup. 1.2L is about equal to 40oz. So you could pick up a 40oz beer bottle with twist on cap and use that without a problem. That way you don't have extra headspace to lose CO2 into.

Pour 2/3 cup syrup into the beer bottle. Carbonate your cold water and carefully pour from the sodastream bottle into the beer bottle. Cap and then shake.

 

[daft]

Also see in my threads tips like sodastream half liter bottles having headroom to accept a bit higher percent syrup.

This alone probably solves the problem. I use 3 to 1 minute maid frozen canned concentrate, and it works fine if you fill right to the neck on a half liter bottle. It is a weak disaster in their standard 1 liter bottle. 5 to 1 should be even less demanding.

I don't understand why there has never been a flicker of recognition for this solution on this board; only an incomprehending wall of silence. Just the idea alone should cause a lightening bolt of "aha" regardless if you have ever seen let alone measured out headspace for their half liter bottle.

You can guesstimate that head height is constant in all bottles due to constant length of injector. You can guess that a half liter bottle is shorter, meaning head/syrup space is proportionately much higher. I mean the plastic bottle; I guess they also have a small glass bottle that is fat at the bottom, and may enforce their too-little-syrup-space standard to keep you stuck with their superconcentrate.

Actually everything tastes better in the half liter... higher carbonation for some reason even when you don't go past the first blowoff of the overfill valve. On mine which were cheaply mailed from Israel postage free, they have much clearer markers for the fill line instead of the useless grey that came on the 1 liter with my machine.