Coca-Cola or other soda

[Kappax]

Hi,
I have been experimenting with different types of soda to see if it would be possible to distill them. I tried coca-cola, Dr Pepper, and A&W Root Beer.

I poured 50ml of soda into individual flasks. I put 1/4 of a teaspoon of yeast with the soda. The root beer and dr pepper both fermented.

For the Coca-cola, I read an old post that you may need to but need to put baking soda to allow fermenting. So, I made a 50ml batch with and without baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon of yeast. Neither fermented...

Has anyone tried to make soda washes?

[belialNZ]

I find that quite fascinating. But I guess soda is just fizzy sugar water.

Dr Pepper fermented?

Cokes probably full of various preservatives, and no idea what kind of pH level it is at initially.

I can't imagine it being very cost effective to make a wash this way.

[BMAC]

I have seen first hand where a bag of soda concentrate sells for a buck at rest auctions. It would be worth while, but why would you use the soda for a wash?

Maybe use the soda to help cut the final product when drinking it...

I would imagine the PH on Coke is fairly low. That stuff will eat your stomach lining and the shingles off your house.

Probably need to do a litmus check on the Coke and add a bunch of sheet rock dust to it (AKA Calcium Carbonate)

[Uncle Jesse]

Sounds really nasty to me.

If you're curious about taste that's one thing; if you're just into it to make a cheap wash so you can get drunk then you're not of the same mindset I am.

[Kappax]

I am curious about the taste. It would be more of novelty, making only a few liters. I hadn't thought if using just the syrup for soda machines, ill have to check into that.

[Uncle Jesse]

My pal's father in law makes hooch from Gatorade.

I have no interest in making it, but I suppose I'd try a sip if someone offered.

[belialNZ]

found this short discussion on the same topic (well, for fermenting, not distilling).

http://www.realbeer.com/discussions/sho ... eadid=4597" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[mikeac]

There is also U-tube video of some guy fermenting coke. He had to add a bunch of baking soda to make it work.

[19Kilo]

there are bunches of you tubes on distilling the coke. Notice all of them are using them are using a beaker, saran wrap, and plastic tubing.
BAH!

[mikeac]

too true, but they do show how to get it going...they supply the recipe, you supply the intelligence

[Kappax]

thanks i will check out the youtube videos and see if it is truly possible

[wineo]

If there using baking soda,it would cause problems if distilled.

[Kappax]

If there using baking soda,it would cause problems if distilled.

What kind of problems would the baking soda cause?

[wineo]

Using baking soda on a stripping run{1st run}will produce ammoina and it will react with the copper/materials in your still and make the booze undrinkable.

[belialNZ]

Given that he just wants to increase the pH, there must be a alternative thats going to be ok to distill.

Chalk for instance?

[HookLine]

It is not the baking soda itself that is the problem, it is the increased pH. It doesn't matter what you use to raise pH. If it goes above about 6 (from memory) then you can get the problems Wineo described.

Also, high pH will not always cause a problem, only if there is excess ammonia-based nutrient left over after the ferment has finished.

[high-grade]

First post here... and have been reading up for the last 4 months. Thanks alot to all the wise folks here!

I was just looking at thus thread http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4112 and was going to try a Pepsi wash for my bokabob mini to make a neutral; I've made birdwatcher's recipe (for sugar wash) with very good results.

I'll try this wash soon, as I have some extra bottles of Pepsi that everyone forgot about, and I was about to dump out.