# DIY CO2 drink :D



## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Yes, a DIY CO2 drink:

A few days ago I was replacing the 2 litter bottle of my DIY CO2 and I thought that since the content had been pretty much sterilized during preparation there wouldnt be much of a problem if one drank the liquid. Me and a friend of mine joked about it for a while and then each of us took a small sip from the bottle.

Honestly, there are much worst tasting beers out there! Miller Light comes to mind - it's definitely worst tasting than a the fermented sugar in water. The yeast reactor liquid tasted more like a weak wine and had enough CO2 left in it so it could be classified as "bubbly"  

Now I was wondering how many of us here have thought of trying or have tried "the brew"... and how could one "improve" its taste? 8) hehe

--Nikolay


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## HanshaSuro (Jun 22, 2004)

Well, I think if you add some barley hops you'll take one step in the right direction. 

That being said, I hope we can get a disclaimer in here that says, DON'T DRINK YOUR CO2 MIXTURE!

I guess I just did it myself. 8)


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## mm12463 (Mar 5, 2004)

This is weird.

Last night I was changing my two 2 liter bottles in the kitchen. I was thinking if the cops busted in the door for whatever reason and tried to arrest me for making swill I would just make them drink it. Then they would let me off.

It smells like crap that is for sure but I don't think I have ever taken a sip. I don't have enough brain cells as it is. :lol:


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

niko said:


> Honestly, there are much worst tasting beers out there! Miller Light comes to mind


LOL! I couldn't agree more - of course pretty much any light beer tastes like that to me. Give me my good ol MGD. 

One mixture I _know_ I would never, ever, ever try is the stuff in the Hagen jugs. :shock: Just the smell of the stuff almost put me over the edge. I'm so glad to have pressurized now...


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## S (Oct 1, 2004)

I am using a champagn yeast so I asked the guy at the home brew store the same thing. It seems there are a few more steps in the process beyond just drinking it straight from the fermentation bottle.


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## Ngaio (Oct 7, 2004)

http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/CO2/co2-ferm.html#14

There you go. A recipe for drinkable CO2generator by-product.


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## Rex Grigg (Jan 22, 2004)

Kids, kids, kids.....

MGD is not beer. It's horse piss. If you really want beer come out to Portland. You can get REAL beer here. In fact if you want to have a bunch of fun come out the last full weekend in July for the Portland Brewers Festival. I run with a bunch of guys that make a three day weekend of beer, beer, cigars, and more beer. But anytime of year Portland is a beer town. One of my favorite places has around 70 different beers available all the time. Everything from industrial swill beer to industrial strength beer that you can almost stand a spoon up in.

You might have had a Guinness Stout at one time. How about beers that make Guinness look like near beer?


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## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

For some reason, I thought I've read that drinking the end result of our DIY co2 would be poisonous or dangerous somehow? Is this not true? How different is it from moonshine ? (which can be dangerous?)


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## MatPat (Mar 22, 2004)

The taste could be improved quite a bit actually by using apple cider, honey and champagne yeast! You would actually be making a meade ( I think that is the correct spelling). I made a few batches back in my homebrewing days  

For those who are so inclined, and of legal age...take one gallon of non-pastuerized, preservative free apple cider (not apple juice) and boil it for 10-20 minutes. Add 1 pound of non-pastuerized, preservative free honey (flavor of your choice) and boil for a couple more minutes. This sterilizes the cider and honey and kills off any wild strains of bacteria/yeast. Cover tightly and cool to the recommended temperature for the strain of champagne yeast you are using. Make sure to use champagne yeast as ale/wine yeast won't survive the higher alcohol produced during fermentation. No need to add sugar as the cider and honey contain plenty!

Pour into (4) sterilized 2 liter bottles (run the bottles through the dishwasher on the rinse cycle without any detergent) filling each about half full (this leaves some room for fermentation) and add 1/4 of the yeast mixture to one bottle. Store the other cider/honey filled bottles for future use. You could probably use (2) 1-gallon milk jugs, each filled half full, with screw on lids, but I've never tried this, so attempt it at your own risk!

Use the 2 liter meade mixture as you would any other DIY CO2 mixture. Once the bubbling ceases ( it will probably only last a week or so) you could filter the yeast and nasties from the meade by pouring it through a coffee filter or paper towel or you could just drink it straight from the bottle  However, if it were me, I would filter it and store it in a cool dark place (maybe under the aquarium) and let it age a bit as the flavor should get better with time.

As a disclaimer, I've never used this method, or any other method, of DIY fermentation, so I'm not sure how well it will work, but I have made a few meades in my day. 

Now, why did your CO2 swill remind you of a Miller light? Did you happen to use corn syrup for the sugar in your CO2 mixture? The three major amercan breweries use either corn or rice as an adjunct to their malt in the brewing process. This allows them to save money by using less malt. Corn and rice are very cheap! The one that uses corn has a yellower color than the two who use rice. The addition of more sugar versus malt gives a lighter looking and tasting beer. 

A straight sugar/water/yeast combo will be drinkable, assuming it hasn't been contaminated by the aquarium water or other nasties, but I wouldn't try it. Then again, I won't drink beer from the three major brewers here in the US either! If it smells alcoholic or yeasty it is probably OK to drink. But if it smells nasty it probably is. Though I wouldn't try either myself. 

Well, Niko, you asked if it could be made any better. Hope my explanation helps you in your quest for a better tasting CO2 mixture  Let me know how it turns out :wink:


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## ShaneSmith (Feb 15, 2004)

Haha yesssssss! I'll give it a go.


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## Edward (May 25, 2004)

Simply use wine yeast instead of baking yeast. The difference will be the taste and smell. Baking yeast drink smells like bread, wine yeast like wine. Drop in some dried raisins, sugar and water as usual.
You can add little strawberry syrup after the fermentation or any fruit for the aroma, simple.


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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

Niko, I sure have! 

Recipe for Moonshine, the Great Southern Drink...

Sugar
Water
Yeast

Two weeks of fermentation......

Distill

Drink


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## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

Phil - why does it have to be distilled?


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