Why do the syrups go last?
December 26, 2013 4:20 PM Subscribe
We got a sodastream for xmas. All the instructions say to add the syrup *after* carbonating the water. Why?
The sodastream FAQ has a number of related questions:
What happens if you try to carbonate something other than water?
The sodastream FAQ has a number of related questions:
Can I carbonate drinks other than water?What exactly is the fear about carbonating something that's already flavored? They say "You risk damaging your drinks maker, not to mention making a big fizzy mess!", but why?
No. Only water should be carbonated in the SodaStream drink makers. You risk damaging your drinks maker, not to mention making a big fizzy mess! The money-back guarantee and the warranty are both invalidated if you carbonate any liquid other than water in your drinks maker. Stick with plain cold water and adding any one of our fantastic flavors - after the water has been carbonated!
Can I add anything other than syrup?
Syrup and MyWater flavors have been specially formulated to work with your home soda maker. However, some SodaStream customers like to add fresh fruit juice to their fizzy water instead of syrup. This is perfectly fine - as long as you try this after the water has been carbonated. Mix it in a glass or pitcher for best results.
What happens if you try to carbonate something other than water?
Not to mention that if you're just carbonating plain water you never really have to clean your SodaStream, but that would not be the case if you tried to carbonate non-water.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 4:26 PM on December 26, 2013 [6 favorites]
posted by rabbitrabbit at 4:26 PM on December 26, 2013 [6 favorites]
Best answer: Immediate results are pleasing and you enjoy your life a lot.
posted by Trivia Newton John at 4:32 PM on December 26, 2013 [10 favorites]
posted by Trivia Newton John at 4:32 PM on December 26, 2013 [10 favorites]
Best answer: Sugar gets up in the mechanism, and it's VERY hard to clean. also sometimes the syrup provides nucleation sites and everything blows up / comes out of solution in an unsatisfactory fashion.
posted by KathrynT at 4:53 PM on December 26, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by KathrynT at 4:53 PM on December 26, 2013 [4 favorites]
I regularly carbonate lemonade and other non-water things.
It requires more cleanup to keep the machine from being sticky, but that's hardly a problem.
It also requires you to wait a little longer for the bubbles to recede between carbonation bursts, and before you remove the bottle.
Also... the "Toxic Collins":
1 Part carbonated lemonade or limeade.
1 Part carbonated water (or mix the lemonade 50/50 before carbonating)
1/2 Part gin. I'm fond of bluecoat or hendricks for this purpose.
1 sprig of mint.
posted by toxic at 5:50 PM on December 26, 2013 [2 favorites]
It requires more cleanup to keep the machine from being sticky, but that's hardly a problem.
It also requires you to wait a little longer for the bubbles to recede between carbonation bursts, and before you remove the bottle.
Also... the "Toxic Collins":
1 Part carbonated lemonade or limeade.
1 Part carbonated water (or mix the lemonade 50/50 before carbonating)
1/2 Part gin. I'm fond of bluecoat or hendricks for this purpose.
1 sprig of mint.
posted by toxic at 5:50 PM on December 26, 2013 [2 favorites]
Meh. I just got one and I'm half a mind to "break the rules."
You risk making a mess, maybe, and voiding your warranty, but plenty of people hack their SodaStreams.
posted by Brittanie at 6:38 PM on December 26, 2013
You risk making a mess, maybe, and voiding your warranty, but plenty of people hack their SodaStreams.
posted by Brittanie at 6:38 PM on December 26, 2013
"What exactly is the fear about carbonating something that's already flavored? They say "You risk damaging your drinks maker, not to mention making a big fizzy mess!", but why?"
Flavor usually involves a syrup which typically has sugar thus increasing the viscosity. A familiar example is that a pot of milk, placed on the stove, 'boils over' more easily than a pot of water at the same temperature.
More here.
posted by vapidave at 7:09 PM on December 26, 2013 [1 favorite]
Flavor usually involves a syrup which typically has sugar thus increasing the viscosity. A familiar example is that a pot of milk, placed on the stove, 'boils over' more easily than a pot of water at the same temperature.
More here.
posted by vapidave at 7:09 PM on December 26, 2013 [1 favorite]
The few things I've tried to carbonate that weren't water (coffee and apple juice come to mind) have been far, far more tricky to carbonate without causing huge, messy disaster. It can be done, but it takes patience.
posted by wotsac at 7:26 PM on December 26, 2013
posted by wotsac at 7:26 PM on December 26, 2013
This question seems to answer a question I've had since giving a Sodasteam as a gift, not having touched one since the '80s: did you always add syrup after carbonation? Because that wasn't how I remembered it, but it looks like the answer is: I remembered wrong.
posted by Mezentian at 10:05 PM on December 26, 2013
posted by Mezentian at 10:05 PM on December 26, 2013
I regularly carbonate juice. It can be messy though.... the secret is that you have to leave it to stand for several minutes, and then slowly ease the cannister out, in order to avoid destroying your kitchen - think kind of like how you'd treat a shaken up bottle of soda.
posted by jaymzjulian at 11:52 PM on December 26, 2013
posted by jaymzjulian at 11:52 PM on December 26, 2013
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You may notice sometimes that your soda fizzes over when you add syrup. Someone who knows science can explain the process, but it'll happen if you try to use that rig with water with stuff in it.
(I got distracted and did it out of order. It's a waste of syrup, if nothing else, and it is really hard to get the bottle unscrewed while you're being sprayed in the eyes.)
posted by Lyn Never at 4:25 PM on December 26, 2013 [4 favorites]