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Has anybody tried carbonating a couple of bottles a little early in the priming period - you know, just because guests are coming by and that batch is a little young in the bottle?

I've heard it can be very messy, but if the pressure is released very slowly it can be done. Another question is how does it compare to bottle priming?

Any experience before I paint the walls with beer?

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    I have not tried this, but I think hint one is: do this outside.
    – Atron Seige
    Oct 7, 2014 at 7:48
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    I've done it with alcoholic drinks (carbonated margaritas are great), but not beer. Be very careful removing, there could be lots of foam.
    – Wayne In Yak
    Oct 7, 2014 at 19:42
  • I would imagine it'd go similarly to this: youtube.com/watch?v=gb3A9zFjrvk
    – emachine
    Nov 12, 2014 at 1:17

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No personal experience, but I have heard that while this is not what the sodastream is for (instructions say to ONLY carbonate water), it can be done with success.

The method is as follows: get the beer/cider into the soda stream bottle. Get as cold as possible (like 32*F). Attach to Soda Stream. Use ONE 2-second pull of the lever (as opposed to multiple short pulls as with water). Let it sit for 30-90 seconds. Carefully remove, and be ready to reattach if it starts foaming (at least the mess will be in your sodastream CO2 nozzle and not throughout your kitchen. Pour and enjoy. Throughout the process, be prepared to ruin the soda stream and/or disassemble if need be.

Not exactly a precise way to carbonate, and the CO2 bubbles do not hydrolyze (which DOES happen if you carb slowly in a Corny keg and create a finer mouthfeel), but could be done in a pinch.

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  • Anyone tried this? Does it work?
    – Philippe
    Sep 20, 2018 at 17:32
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I have tried this. My soda stream is still sticky because of it. It is not advised.

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  • I've tried it also. Not only was it a mess, but my soda stream didn't work right for a month and the forced carb didn't take the way you'd want it to in the beer.
    – Matthew
    Nov 4, 2014 at 3:33
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If you have access to a CO2 tank and ball lock adapter, I'd suggest using that and The Carbonater. I've seen the kind of mess that can be created when using non-water liquids in a soda stream, it could potentially totally ruin the soda stream, aside from getting foamy sticky beer/grape juice/etc everywhere.

Definitely wait the recommended time so that the carbonation can set in properly, otherwise it will be very undercarbed, even if using 30+ PSI.

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I just tried it and it worked great. Chill to almost 0C (32F) then wait 2 mins after you pump. My soda stream capsule is pretty done though. I tried a few days ago without chilling and the cider went everywhere.. I put the standard white soda stream bottle filled with the cider in the freezer for about 1:30 hours

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