Faced with the wasteful feeling of dumping your drink down the drain, burgeoning kitchen aficionados may well wonder: can you recarbonate flat soda, sparkling wine, or other beverages?

The short answer: yes, you can recarbonate flat soda.

Recarbonation of sparkling drinks is not only possible, it’s quick and easy thanks to modern kitchen technology. Read on to learn the ins and outs of recarbonation.

Causes of soda going flat

So, why do drinks go flat in the first place?

When soda companies carbonate their beverages, they inject carbon dioxide into the liquid at very low temperatures and high pressure. These two conditions force a CO2 exchange, causing the gas to stay inside the liquid (which is why warm soda goes flat faster).

But the highly-concentrated carbon dioxide (CO2) inside the liquid wants to reach equilibrium with the CO2 in the air.

When you release the tab on a soda can, creating that satisfying whoosh, you release the pressure that has been put inside the can to force the bubbles to stay put. Hence the slow decline of bubbliness in your drink of choice.

The science behind recarbonation

Knowing how to recarbonate a drink is as easy as repeating the steps that got it fizzing in the first place. Your goal is to force CO2 into your liquid of choice, and then keep it there to create a carbonated beverage.

When soda companies carbonate their drinks, they push an immense amount of pressure into the can. The space above the liquid will be pressurized at just above 15 pounds per square inch.

Whatever tool you use to recarbonate your beverage will do the same thing: forcing CO2  back into the liquid to reinvigorate those bubbles. 

Once CO2 has been forced into the beverage, a chemical reaction will occur that creates carbonic acid. That’s the substance responsible for the bitey, tangy flavor you know and love in sparkling water and soda.

You’ll also need to ensure that the temperature of the liquid is kept quite low—more on that in a bit.

Methods to recarbonate soda

While there are DIY methods to recarbonating soda, most people make use of a simple, modern tool: the at-home professional carbonating machine.

If you use a soda maker appliance at home, it will mimic the steps that are used in soda factories to add fizz to any drink. It will likely come with a carbonating bottle and a firmly sealing cap, which acts like the tab on a soda can, controlling and harnessing the amount of pressure inside the bottle.

With just a few taps, the appliance will release pressurized carbon dioxide into the liquid you’re fizzing. And—just as it is with the soda can tab—as soon as you unseal that cap, the CO2 will begin to slowly disperse to make the carbonated drink.

The beauty of these appliances is that they don’t require such low temperatures.

Do-it-yourself vs professional recarbonation tools

While professional, at-home recarbonating tools are the easiest and fastest way to recarbonate (or carbonate) beverages, DIY solutions are also possible. 

The components of a DIY recarbonation set-up

To craft a carbonation set-up at home, you’ll have to recreate the setting and steps used by soda-making companies and professional appliances:

● Temperature – First, you’ll need a sizable freezer to keep the liquid and gas optimally cool, plus a thermometer to ensure the temperature stays cold. 

● Kegs – You’ll need metal soda or beer kegs to contain the liquid you’re carbonating.

● Gas – Next, you’ll need pressurized canisters of carbon dioxide gas.

● Connectors – Finally, you’ll need basic plastic piping of some sort, connected to a picnic tap or other kind of dispenser.

Learning how to make soda this way isn’t a process for the faint of heart, though it may be fun for the adventurous.

At the end of the day, if you don’t have the space, time, resources, or energy for such a project, a professional recarbonating tool might be the better option for you. 

Can you carbonate beverages that weren’t originally carbonated?

Using a professional carbonation tool at home, you absolutely can.

Here are a few ideas for non-soda beverages you can bring to life with added fizz:

● Juice

● Wine

● Cocktails (a sparkling mojito, perhaps)

● Teas

● Cold brew

There’s no need to limit yourself to recarbonating flat sodas—you can bring a little sparkle to any drink that calls your name.

Invite fizz to the party with the Breville InFizz™

With the power of a simple kitchen appliance, you can add bubbles and fizz to any beverage.

Whether it arrived in your kitchen as sparkling lemonade or a smooth, silky tea, it’s easy to get a drink fizzing when you understand carbonation science.

At Breville, we believe in kitchen mastery made easy. You don’t need to be an expert to make excellent food or drink—you just need the right tools, like our easy-to-use InFizz™lineup for the perfect sparkling beverages at home. 

Check out our full line of kitchen appliances, which will make your counter more beautiful, your meals tastier, and your life a little easier. You can also peruse our blog for more culinary tips and tricks.

Sources: 

1. LiveScience. Why Do Soft Drinks Go Flat? https://www.livescience.com/32461-why-do-soft-drinks-go-flat.html

2. LiveScience. Why Does Soda Fizz? https://www.livescience.com/32492-why-does-soda-fizz.html

3. Glen and Friends Cooking. How We Carbonate Our Soda Water - Glen And Friends Cooking - Carbonating Water. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vRaJY3d47o

4. Breville. the InFizz Range | InFizz your flavour | Breville USA. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GGhQ87vkiM&t=47s