The SodaStream drinks maker is a fantastic addition to any kitchen.
It not only allows you to make your own custom sodas or sparkling waters but also helps save you money when compared with the cost of buying soda regularly.
It’s also a great way to experiment with various carbonated beverages and sparkling water, and flavor syrups BUT all provided that it can produce the required amount of fizz (light fizz or strong fizz) and carbonation level to be enjoyable in a fizzy drink.
Sometimes, however, people (myself included) often experience a lot less fizz than they’d like.
Not enough fizz is simply not enough fun!
Your SodaStream might not be producing enough fizz for several different reasons, however, the top 3 common mistakes people make when using their SodaStream machine for the first time are
- The water temperature is wrong
- Water Purity (Water quality)
- Carbonation Tank is running Low
Water is recommended to be cold and this isn’t out of some preference from the manufacturer but is a chemical necessity to ensure that the carbonation process happens as intended.
Failing to chill your plain water (cold water) beforehand can result in less overall fizz and make you wonder if the machine is faulty rather than the plain water itself.
Whatever your reasons for not getting the carbonation and bubbles you desire in your homemade soda, there are really easy methods to fix each of them.
In most cases, your SodaStream only requires a little surface level maintenance or you just need to re-examine your soda-making methods in order to determine what the issue is.
In most cases its not the machine that’s at fault and especially with new or first time users.
How long does SodaStream stay fizzy?
SodaStream is a popular home soda maker that allows people to make carbonated drinks at home. One of the most frequently asked questions by users is how long the drinks will stay fizzy once they have been made. The answer to this question depends on several factors, including the type of SodaStream machine being used, the ingredients being used, and the storage conditions.
The most important factor affecting the fizziness of the drinks is the carbonation level. SodaStream machines allow users to choose their desired level of carbonation. The more carbonation added to the drink, the longer it will stay fizzy. Generally, a highly carbonated drink can remain fizzy for several days.
Another factor affecting the fizziness of the drink is the temperature at which it is stored. Cold temperatures help to preserve the carbonation, while warm temperatures can cause the fizz to dissipate quickly. Therefore, it is recommended to store the drinks in a cool place such as a refrigerator.
Finally, the ingredients used in making the drinks can also affect the fizziness. Some ingredients, such as citric acid, can cause the carbonation to dissipate faster. Therefore, it is important to follow the recommended recipe and use only approved ingredients.
In summary, the fizziness of SodaStream drinks can last for several days if the right amount of carbonation is added, the drink is stored in a cool place, and approved ingredients are used.
Reasons For The Lack of Fizz In Your Sodastream
So let’s get into a bit more detail on these reasons why your SodaStream might not be adding the right amount of carbonation to your custom soda beverages.
Image Courtesy of Ted Eytan
The most common reason for soda stream not fizzing is that the carbonating bottle hasn’t been installed correctly at the base of the water maker therefore the reason for SodaStream not carbonating.
Make sure that the carbonating bottle has been fully placed into the SodaStream apparatus so that you hear the securing latch click.
This signals that the bottle with the level of carbonation, is actually in place and is ideally sealed to keep the incoming carbonation inside the bottle itself.
However, the issue may be with the carbonating cylinder itself.
Check the back of the SodaStream machine by opening the rear protective plate and examining the carbonating cylinder to make sure that it has been screwed into place tightly.
A faulty leak with the carbonating cylinder may be causing some carbonation to be escaping during the fizzy drink or beverage-making process making a good reason for sodastream loses carbonation quickly.
While you’re examining the carbonation cylinder, check to make sure that it actually has CO2 gas present before you continue trying to push the button.
It’s easy to forget how much CO2 gas you have left in the tank, especially if you make lots of soda beverages frequently.
A CO2 tank that is starting to run low will necessarily produce less of a fizz (strong fizz) in every subsequent soft drink you try to make.
Quick Tip: You can refill your carbonation tank at plenty of select retailers, and they’ll often give you a lower price if you bring in your used tank.
The problem may also be with your water temperature.
As you might know, water is best used for making soda when it is at a cold temperature. Carbon dioxide gas only fully diffuses into the water if the temperature is cold.
Warm water will negate this process and will prevent much of the carbon dioxide from actually being absorbed by the water inside the bottle.
You could be using all the carbon dioxide in the gas tank but actually wasting it or letting it build up in the empty space at the bottle’s top.
This is also a bad thing since it might result in an explosive bottle when you’re trying to untwist it from the latch to remove the bottle.
Make sure to fully chill your water in the refrigerator for several hours before you try to make a fizzy drink or beverage with it.
Sticking your water in the freezer is another good idea provided that you don’t let the water freeze entirely, as then you’ll have to wait for it to thaw, too.
As an aside for when you make your soda and IF you intend putting that in the freezer to cool down just be careful as leaving it too long could cause that to explore – as I explained in this article.
Finally, the SodaStream machine requires you to press the carbonating button several times to dictate how much carbonation you want to be infused into the current (plastic bottles) bottle of water.
You can always add an extra push to the carbonation but in order to let the machine know you want a little extra fizz for your next fizzy drink.
Pushing the carbonation button for longer stretches of time can have a similar effect.
The instruction manual of your SodaStream has a few different ways you can push the carbonation button, but these are merely guidelines.
Pushing the button for longer or in bigger patterns will let you dictate how much of your current CO2 tank you flush into your water bottle.
In fact, this is recommended since not everyone will enjoy the same amount of carbonation as everyone else.
Your personal preferred amount of carbonation should be discovered through little experimentation.
That’s what the SodaStream is about in the end, anyway: discovering your perfect bottle of soda or carbonated water – making it to YOUR preference.
What are some Sodastream tips?
The above are some Soda Stream tips for the most common impediments preventing your SodaStream from properly carbonating your beverage.
But there are a few other tips you can use if the above solutions don’t work or if you just want to improve the fizziness of your drinks in the future.
For starters, you can always buy carbonated water at the store and add carbonation using your SodaStream to achieve a drink that is truly fizzier than all the rest.
Take care when removing this bottle of water, as the pressure might be a lot more intense than you are expecting.
I’ve tried this and had fizzy soda shoot out through my nose before – no joking!
Another great tip is to chill your flavored syrup before adding it to the carbonated water.
SodaStream machines usually require you to carbonate plain water before adding any flavoring to make your custom sod.
But warm flavoring or syrup will immediately cause some of the carbon dioxide to be lost since the ambient temperature of the water will be raised by a few degrees.
Chilling the syrup or other flavoring compounds will prevent this temperature change from occurring and your water will retain more of the CO2 gas as a result.
Overall, you’ll experience a fizzier beverage.
Finally, one last tip involves “hacking” the SodaStream machine.
Although it seems counterintuitive, don’t screw the SodaStream water bottle into the apparatus all the way up; instead, leave a little bit of space between the bottle and the carbonation nozzle so that there is a way for some of the air to escape.
Next, press the carbonating button once or twice to push some CO2 gas into the bottle’s reservoir.
You should then quickly screw the bottle into the apparatus tightly until the securing latch clicks.
This process will purge some of the remaining air out of the top of your bottle and make the seal even tighter than before. It’ll also increase the amount of space available for CO2 to be safely infused into the beverage.
Sodastream Cleanliness
One other aspect of overall SodaStream fizziness is commonly ignored by many users.
But the cleanliness of your machine and of the water you are using can both drastically affect your carbonating results.
It’s always a good idea to clean your SodaStream machine with a warm washcloth after every use, even if you don’t try to re-carbonate flat soda or make a difference sparkling drink.
The carbonating nozzle and surrounding parts can all be exposed to dirt or grime over time and should be maintained like any other frequently used tool to keep it in perfect working order
This cleaning is even more important if you do decide to try to re-carbonate flat soda or make a fizzy beverage that already has some ingredients for flavoring in the water (like wine or coffee, for example).
The sugary elements present in these drinks have a tendency to cake onto the nozzle and harden over time.
This is not only nasty and can affect the flavor, but it can block the carbonating nozzle’s opening and prevent all of the CO2 gas from being infused into your water waiting below.
As you can imagine, this is inefficient and ends up wasting gas from your CO2 container.
Double-check the nozzle opening after every time you make any carbonated beverage besides plain water.
Water quality is also important. If you don’t use water that has been filtered, your bottle will accept less carbonation since the water molecules will be fuller of both physical molecules and bacteria.
Even running your tap water through a normal water pitcher filter is a great way to increase the quality of your custom sodas.
While most tap water is filtered to some extent, this trick can increase the fizziness of your soda beverages if your SodaStream drink maker is having difficulty producing the carbonation you desire.
Now go create your perfect fizzy favorite homemade SodaStream soft drink! but just avoid using milk!
Also, for further information on features and setups check out my new Sodastream How-To guide here.
I’m the owner and blogger here at SodaPopCraft.Com. I’m a soft drinks enthusiast, bringing you all I know and research from the world of Beverages, Soda Pop, Soft Drinks, and many more.
I hope it inspires you to make Healthier, and Creative Drinks at Home.
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