first batch of soda brewing.

[ussexplorer]

So I finally got enough stuff to make ginger beer. I mixed it all together and think I killed the yeast. LOL. I'll find out in a few days. Said luke warm water then another site said 97degree's I"m like that isn't really luke warm. So I'll find out. Yes going to go purchase a thing that measure temp. LOL. So I tell you I didn't realize how much sugar was used. 2 and 1/4 cups. Holy sh*t. I got there more tries before I run out of soda mixture. Doing ginger beer. Also still looking for smaller bottle  cleaner. I'm sure I'll find one someplace. I got a nice lot of soda pop shopee bottles and they are pretty nasty. As in cigerate butts and stuff in them. So even after bolling them. THere is still carp in them that need to be cleaned out. (any ideas?) though it did get ride of the old syrup in the bottles. So also any ideas of yeat temp?

Thanks,

Josh

[bubba]

You probably didn't kill the yeast. I looked around a bit and it looks like anywhere between 90-110 is a good temp to pitch the yeast. You are bottling in glass? For the first few time until you get the timing down, I think it may be better to use PET bottles. With the plastic, its a bit easier to tell when the fermenting is complete. If you let it go too long, you may end up with bottle bombs. Most homebrew supply stores sell soda making supplies and the PET bottles.

For cleaning, soaking the bottles in hot water and oxyclean free usually will loosen up the toughest funk in bottles. It works great for taking off labels as well. Homebrew stores will also have the right size bottle brush to get in and clean out any residual funk.

[dr galaga]

For cleaning, soaking the bottles in hot water and oxyclean free usually will loosen up the toughest funk in bottles.

Thanks for the tip; I may be cleaning some bottles myself sometime soon.  Can you use regular OxiClean? I have not heard of the Free and didn't see it on their website.

[bubba]

I get it at Wally World.. Its called Oxyclean Free. No perfumes or additives. I don't remember the exact reason, but I think the other versions were leaving a film in the bottles that would hurt the head on homebrew. I'm not sure how important it would be with soda.

I just cleaned a primary fermenter with oxyclean.. It was probably the nastiest I've had.. I put 1/4 scoop and filled with hot water.. Let it soak for a few hours and rinsed it. No scrubbing at all. The stuff is amazing.

[mznb1u]

Plain old bleach water works great for cleaning the bottles and removing the labels as well.  Just fill the laundry tub and let soak overnight.  I always wuse a bleach water rinse and then a hot water rinse to sanitize the bottles.  Then you can stand them upside down on the lower rack of your dishwasher to dry.

  Tim