Kegging and serving soda

[captain carrot]

My sister and brother-in-law have a Sodastream soda maker.
http://www.sodastreamusa.com/store.aspx ... MgodgRUAUQ
I figured I could do without buying all their equipment by mixing
1 Sodastream flavoring bottle with 3 gallons water in a corny keg.
How much carbonation is needed to mimmick commercial soda?
What would be the proper dispensing pressure?
Do I need more than 3 ft of 3/16" beer line?
Has any one tried this?
Thanks in advance

[Ozwald]

Sounds like it might work. I believe most commercial soda is in the 3.5-4 range.

[cornhole]

I've been making Soda Stream soda in my corny kegs. Flavors are ok. Take a look at the ingredients, some sugar, but there is also artificial sweetners in there too.

[captain carrot]

My wife's a Diet Coke fan and she liked the sodastream version. I mixed it and force carbonated like I would beer. It seems a little flat. I was just wondering if I boosted the carbonation if I would need a longer serving line. I have the keg on a picnic faucet with just under 3 ft of 3/16 ID beer line.

[CRBrewHound]

Haven't done SodaStream sodas in Kegs, but I have made Soda from the extracts sold by Northern Brewer. For carbonation, just do it to taste is the easiest way. If it is sweet and flat at more carbonation, if it is too fizzy and light, bleed some off. Note, for the sodas I have found carbonation to be more difficult, and tend to carbonate it by the shaking method, I set me CO2 to 30 PSI then shake the keg until I get the carbonation right, then turn down to despensing PSI.

[cornhole]

My wife's a Diet Coke fan and she liked the sodastream version. I mixed it and force carbonated like I would beer. It seems a little flat. I was just wondering if I boosted the carbonation if I would need a longer serving line. I have the keg on a picnic faucet with just under 3 ft of 3/16 ID beer line.

Was it cold?

[captain carrot]

My wife's a Diet Coke fan and she liked the sodastream version. I mixed it and force carbonated like I would beer. It seems a little flat. I was just wondering if I boosted the carbonation if I would need a longer serving line. I have the keg on a picnic faucet with just under 3 ft of 3/16 ID beer line.

Was it cold?

Yeah, I chilled the keg 24 hrs before doing the force carbonate method. I think the 2 gallons headspace in the keg threw things off. The soda would pour violently and all the CO2 would come out of solution. Things have settle down over time. I'm thinking of increasing the volumes of CO2 to give it more fizz. I just wasn't sure if would have to increase my serving line length to keep the CO2 in solution. A cold glass might help also.

[cornhole]

I'm making some soda stream root beer tonight. Even though I shook the shit out of it, carbonation seemed to get better sitting for a day.