The beginnings of this bubbly drink date back to the early 19th century, when it gained traction with American taste buds after one inventor mass-manufactured a soda-making system and then sold it to retailers. None would argue against the popularity of pop today—from renowned restaurants to movie theaters, this simple soft drink is a mainstay of beverage menus. 

But you don’t have to plan a night out to enjoy your favorite soda. This approachable DIY guide will walk you through the art of crafting delicious bubbly drinks from the comfort of your kitchen.

Essentials for making soda at home

Whether you’re winding down after your work commute or leaning into a lazy Sunday, making soda at home can be the cure to weeknight (and weekend) boredom. And for those hoping to reinvent how they host, it’s a delightful offering to add to the at-home bar for any party. 

However you imagine serving up soft drinks, you’ll need a few simple essentials first: 

● Large pot and stirring spoon – Dig through your kitchen drawers and pot pantry. Brewing at-home soda begins on your stovetop where you’ll mix up two fundamental ingredients to produce the perfect fizz. 

● Sugar and yeast – When heated and stored at the right temperature, this dynamic duo interacts to release CO2, the not-secret-ingredient in every carbonated drink.

● Plastic soda bottles – Pour and store your soda mixture into as many bottles as you need and tightly seal the tops to keep your brew bubbly. Plastic bottles are ideal to test for carbonation—your soda is ready when they’re firm to the touch. Pop them open throughout the week or whenever you feel a fizz craving coming on. 

● Glasses or reusable tumblers – Whether throwing a surprise party or opting for a night in, serve your soda in creative cocktail glasses and reusable tumblers to enhance the sipping experience or recreate a date at the cinema. 

Once your checklist is complete, consider the ingredients you’ll choose to make this classic carbonated drink an original creation.

Choosing the right ingredients

Just like a dish you craft from scratch, discerning which ingredients will go into your homemade soda dictates its taste, texture, and even how healthy it is. Adding organic elements to your bubbly brew creates a natural option for unwanted ingredients like dyes, and offers alternatives to artificial sweeteners like aspartame.

If you enjoy the flavors of ginger ale, consider experimenting with ginger and lime juices. If you enjoy strawberry flavors, a homemade strawberry Italian soda would perfectly suit warmer weather.

Tailoring your carbonated drinks to your taste buds or dietary needs can be as simple as swapping out traditional ingredients to make your pop more personal. Copy these insights into your recipe book before you start brewing:

● Gluten-free options – While champagne yeast or brewing yeast is preferred to maximize bubbles, baker’s yeast is guaranteed gluten-free and works just as well to create carbonation. 

● Natural sweeteners – There’s no getting around it: sugar is an essential ingredient in homemade soda. But you can swap simple table sugar for a few handpicked ingredients to soften sweetness. Honey or cane sugar can deepen the flavor profile and transform the mouth feel of your fizzy drink. For even healthier options, add half the sugar needed and swap in an antioxidant-rich, zero-calorie sweetener like monk fruit.

● Fruit-forward flavors – Flavoring your sodas with whole fruits like raspberries or peaches is a fresh substitute for sugary syrups. What’s more, fruits are nature’s finest source of fizz—their natural sugars can increase carbonation by feeding the yeast. 

While you may already have some of these ingredients in your pantry, don’t just dash to your nearest grocery store if you’re coming up short on essentials. Elevate your soda-making endeavor to a weekend-long experience. 

Pop into your local pastry shop and consult the baker on the best yeast options. Source fresh fruit from the farmer’s market to add deeper meaning to the word “homemade.” These easy efforts can turn making soda at home into a master craft. 

Now that you’re brimming over with anticipation, it’s time to start brewing. 

Step-by-step guide to making homemade soda

If you’ve been wondering how to make homemade soda, take a look at our step-by-step for all the juicy details:

● Combine sugar and water in a pot on the stove and bring it to a boil. Stir frequently until the sugar is dissolved into a maple syrup-like consistency. 

● Transfer the mixture to a second container to cool and add in your flavors and yeast. 

● Divvy up your mixture in plastic bottles and store at 70° Fahrenheit. Temperature is important here—the just-right conditions encourage the yeast to “feed” on the sugar.

● Check your carbonated beverage every 24 hours with a squeeze test to assess carbonation. If the bottles are firm to the touch they’re ready to pop in the fridge.  

● Bring out your bottles when company calls and serve them as refreshments at your next cocktail party or as the perfect pairing to your oft-talked-about BBQ chicken.

Now that the foundation for making homemade soda is firmly laid, consider the finer points of your fizzy drink. The flavor is essential to crafting distinguished carbonated drinks.

Flavoring your soda: tips and ideas

Making soda at home diversifies your drink options and means you’re no longer bound to the limits of store-bought brands. With just a handful of herbs and a dash or two of freshly squeezed juice, you can customize your sodas to suit your palate and satiate your beverage cravings. 

A few favorite flavors can personalize pop to your liking:

● Caramel and cinnamon recreate the classic taste of cola

● Lemon and lime channel that crisp citrus tang

● Orange juice offers a refreshing bubbly beverage in the morning 

● Black or green tea elevates a traditional summer refreshment

While classic flavors are sure to satisfy cravings, don’t be afraid to experiment further—creativity is key to enjoying the delights of homemade soda. In addition to sweet sodas, consider adding seasoning to infuse spicy and savory layers into your libations. Mixing and matching herbs and spices converts a hobby into a weekend-long workshop in beverage making. 

Flavor is an important element to any home-crafted cocktail, but what about the quintessential component soda is most known for? 

Carbonation techniques for perfect soda

Cracking open a can of soda at lunchtime or when the summer sun is high makes the list of universal human experiences. Every ear is perked in expectation for that sublime “ssss” that indicates your drink will deliver the perfect amount of carbonation. 

But what makes this plain habit so pleasurable? Scientists at the University of California may have solved it. According to Emily Liman, senior author of the study, “carbonation evokes two distinct sensations”—the hint of something sour and a bit of burning. And while that’s not what you typically taste or experience when sipping soda, your body does. 

The cells in the body that respond to carbonation express a gene known as TRPA1, the same gene that detects pain.6 When it comes to enjoying a carbonated drink, the sensation is subtle enough to elicit a reaction but not intense enough to trigger pain. 

If consuming soda is biologically linked to pain, the study begs the question, why do we love it? Well, it likely boils down to personal preference. The same reason your brother loads up his hotdog with extra spicy mustard at the picnic table. 

But if it’s the maximum carbonation you’re craving from your homemade soft drink, a few techniques will take you there:

● Top your soda brew with cold water—cold liquids release CO2 more rapidly.

● When bottling your brew, ensure there is as little space as possible between the liquid and the cap. Leaving a little headspace increases carbonation and keeps other gasses like nitrogen and oxygen from diluting it.7

● Before you crack open your bottles and serve your soda, flush them with carbon dioxide once or twice—that is, give your cap a quick twist open to release dissolved oxygen, then pressurize again by quickly closing it.

A faster, easier way to carbonate

When the craving for carbonation strikes, satisfy it quickly by keeping an easy-to-use soda maker on your countertop. Fill the seltzer bottle with your desired ingredients, press a few buttons, and enjoy your sparkling water, Italian soda, or other carbonated beverage!

Outfitting your kitchen with everything you need to become a connoisseur of carbonated drinks allows you to sip soda whenever the craving calls. For those asking, “Can you recarbonate flat soda”, the simple answer is yes! Use the same method for making a soda from scratch to recarbonate your beverage.

Incorporate Breville’s InFizz™ machines into your kitchen today. Do away with store-bought brands and flat soft drinks with our InFizz Fusion, or invigorate your water with something much more interesting with the InFizz™ Aqua. 

Master your soda-making skills with Breville

Soda has a long history of tantalizing taste buds and quenching thirst. Whether you’re washing down a hamburger or hankering for a sweet refresher, it’s the soft drink of choice. This tasty treat evokes images of movie theater magic, date nights at your favorite diner, and cooling off with a little carbonation along bustling boardwalks. 

But you don’t have to clear your calendar on a Saturday night to enjoy this classic drink. In fact, you can sip homemade soda right from your patio.

Bring the delight of carbonated drinks from the restaurant to your refrigerator with Breville. In addition to our InFizz Fusion, our selection of soda-making accessories like the FusionCap™, and bottles in an assortment of sizes invite you to delight in the perfectly carbonated drink whenever you desire.

 

Sources: 

1. ThoughtCo. Introduction to Pop: The History of Soft Drinks. https://www.thoughtco.com/introduction-to-pop-the-history-of-soft-drinks-1991778.

2. Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. How To Brew Your Own Soda. https://www.escoffieronline.com/brewing-your-own-soda/

3. British Soft Drinks Association. Ingredients. https://www.britishsoftdrinks.com/ingredients-old.

4. Beyond Celiac. Is Yeast Gluten-Free? https://www.beyondceliac.org/gluten-free-diet/is-it-gluten-free/yeast/

5. Healthline. Monk Fruit Sweetener: Good or Bad?. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/monk-fruit-sweetener#what-it-is

6. USC Dornsife. Sparkling Drinks Spark Pain Circuits. https://dornsife.usc.edu/news/stories/sparkling-drinks-spark-pain-circuits/

7. Science Direct. Carbonated Beverage. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/carbonated-beverag