Midwest Homebrew Supply - I got my bottle capper, caps, keg system and bottles here. Very good prices and you can call them with questions as well. Keep on the lookout for occasional specials posted on facebook, twitter, or their homepage.
Keg Connection - Another supply store specializing in kegging systems. I have not ordered from them myself, but according to what people are saying on message boards, they are very reliable. Their prices are decent and they do custom kit orders fully assembled.
Keg Outlet - A kegging superstore. These guys know their stuff and there's lots to see and learn here. They also sell Rainbow extracts as well.
United Bottles - Wholesale bottles in a variety of styles, browse their catalog for a few selections of bulk caps. Not sure at this point how to order exactly.
Torani Syrups - A little pricey if you're mixing this straight, but they have a large selection and can be used to accent recipes of your own.
Monin Syrups - Another fabulous place to get syrups and inspiration for recipes of your own. A slightly larger selection than Torani, though with a number overlaps. Although these look slightly more expensive than Torani, the bottles are usually bigger and end up being about the same price.
Fizz-Giz Products - As a SodaStream alternative, the Fizz-Giz is a bit unique. Basically there are three types of carbonators that all use the same needle-valve caps. One uses 16g CO2 cartridges while the other two connect to a paintball tank. Check out the videos there to see how easy they are to use.
Sodastream Soda Maker Starter Kit
- The SodaStream contraption seems kind of underwhelming to me. You can carbonate 1 liter at a time for about $100, or you can buy a kegging system for a bit more and carbonate 5 gallons at a time. But there's a lot of people who absolutely love theirs. I guess it's all a matter of preference and whether you want it to fit on your counter and how much effort you want to dedicate to making soda.
Monterey Bay Spice Company - If you can't find a Sassafrass tree to dig roots from, or you're worried about digging the wrong thing, you can order your roots online. Anywhere that sells bulk herbs will help you out, but I've found that Monterey Bay seems to have the best prices and biggest selection. I also find them quite useful on what these roots and herbs are typically used for and if you're really willing to take that on. Remember that early sodas were developed as medicines, so you'll find that some of their traditional ingredients have some side effects for better or for worse. A google search for "bulk herbs" will also turn up a number of vendors if you want more selection.
Prairie Moon Beverage Syrup - If you're looking for syrups or syrup concentrates, this company has some great flavors. The nice thing about the syrup concentrates is you're purchasing just flavor, not the sugar that you can add in yourself. When you consider shipping weight, the savings is a no brainer.
References:
Homemade Soda by Andrew Schloss
Available from Amazon
(also on Kindle
)
200 recipes and tips on making homemade soda. This is similar to Cresswell's book, but includes tips on more methods for carbonation, more types of recipes, and more recipes in general. Most are scaled to a 12oz serving, but can easily be scaled up.
Make Your Own Soda: Syrup Recipes by Anton Nocito
Available from Amazon, (also on Kindle
)
Artisan Syrup Recipes by the founder of P&H Soda. From fountain classics to gourmet creations, this book has a number of basic recipes with an artisanal flare. Nocito specializes in using natural, fresh ingredients and his recipes are planned accordingly.
Cordials from Your Kitchen: Easy, Elegant Liqueurs You Can Make & Give
(book) - An excellent source for flavor inspiration.
Homemade Root Beer Soda & Pop by Stephen Cresswell
Available from Amazon
(also on Kindle)
A great reference including historical tidbits and recipes including a bit about tapping maple and birch trees for sap. Mostly fermented recipes with instructions on adaptation for force carbonation.
The Artisan Soda Workshop by Andrea Lynn
Available from: Amazon
(also on Kindle)
, Barnes and Noble, (also on Nook)
Small, but specifically designed with the Sodastream in mind. Great artisan flavor combinations, but expect some of the ingredients to run you artisan prices. Great reference for those looking to develop their own Sodastream recipes. Give a number of these a whirl and you'll be an artisan soda syrup maker, too.
True Brews by Emma Christensen
(book) - A book dedicated to the merits of fermented beverages. If a beverage is or can be fermented, chances are you'll find it here. Emma Christensen writes for The Kitchn and has been a beer reviewer for other publications. Among the many recipes it contains, it has a basic soda recipe and technique that Christensen builds off of with a few variations on flavor.
The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz
Available from: Amazon
, (also on Kindle
)
A hefty reference for all things fermented, including a number of interesting soda recipes. Most are not well adapted to force carbonation without some significant know how.
Fix the Pumps by Darcy O'Neil (book) - Written by the author of the Art of Drink blog (link below), this focuses on the history of the soda fountain, and contains mostly cocktail recipes as I understand. I have yet to get my hands on this to review it.
ComeuntoChrist.org This is one reason why I prefer to carbonate without yeast to avoid alcohol. Take a look if you'd like to learn more about my beliefs. Exploding bottles is another reason, but that's another discussion for another time.
Forums and Blogs:
HomeBrewTalk Forums This is actually a homebrew forum, but they have an extensive user base and some really great recipes being submitted frequently in their soda section.
Art of Drink Blog A blog mostly about cocktails, but it has a nice section with soda history and some recipe ideas, mostly striving to recreate Coke. All in all, a fascinating read.
A Dash of Science A blog by a colleague from school with posts on various food science subjects. This link is for a post on water flavor, which can make more of a difference to homemade soda makers than one might think, particularly if you're trying to compare to a commercial soda.
Ellen's Kitchen My recipes are mostly in 1 gallon yields, which is a bit much if you're making it for yourself, or a bit small if you're making it for a gathering. Ellen's Kitchen has a lot of great information for planning for a large group. It has recipes, estimates for large gatherings, and even a forum for recipe requests.
Root Brew A blog specifically about homemade root beer. Lots of posts to get you going, but not many frequent updates. I can't say that frequency here is much better, but such is life.
Wisebread A DIY/Frugal Living blog. The link here is for a fairly comprehensive overview of different methods for homemade soda. Poke around for other great projects and ideas.
Natural Fizz More folks with a passion for homemade soda and sharing their recipes. Some great fruit soda recipes there.
Emma E. Christensen Author of True Brews. Christensen edits recipes for The Kitchn and offers up advice on all things fermented.
Libations Blog Haven't read through this much, but it did have a post for chocolate soda.
United Bottles - Wholesale bottles in a variety of styles, browse their catalog for a few selections of bulk caps. Not sure at this point how to order exactly.
Torani Syrups - A little pricey if you're mixing this straight, but they have a large selection and can be used to accent recipes of your own.
Monin Syrups - Another fabulous place to get syrups and inspiration for recipes of your own. A slightly larger selection than Torani, though with a number overlaps. Although these look slightly more expensive than Torani, the bottles are usually bigger and end up being about the same price.
Fizz-Giz Products - As a SodaStream alternative, the Fizz-Giz is a bit unique. Basically there are three types of carbonators that all use the same needle-valve caps. One uses 16g CO2 cartridges while the other two connect to a paintball tank. Check out the videos there to see how easy they are to use.
Sodastream Soda Maker Starter Kit
- The SodaStream contraption seems kind of underwhelming to me. You can carbonate 1 liter at a time for about $100, or you can buy a kegging system for a bit more and carbonate 5 gallons at a time. But there's a lot of people who absolutely love theirs. I guess it's all a matter of preference and whether you want it to fit on your counter and how much effort you want to dedicate to making soda.Monterey Bay Spice Company - If you can't find a Sassafrass tree to dig roots from, or you're worried about digging the wrong thing, you can order your roots online. Anywhere that sells bulk herbs will help you out, but I've found that Monterey Bay seems to have the best prices and biggest selection. I also find them quite useful on what these roots and herbs are typically used for and if you're really willing to take that on. Remember that early sodas were developed as medicines, so you'll find that some of their traditional ingredients have some side effects for better or for worse. A google search for "bulk herbs" will also turn up a number of vendors if you want more selection.
Prairie Moon Beverage Syrup - If you're looking for syrups or syrup concentrates, this company has some great flavors. The nice thing about the syrup concentrates is you're purchasing just flavor, not the sugar that you can add in yourself. When you consider shipping weight, the savings is a no brainer.
References:
Homemade Soda by Andrew Schloss
Available from Amazon
(also on Kindle)200 recipes and tips on making homemade soda. This is similar to Cresswell's book, but includes tips on more methods for carbonation, more types of recipes, and more recipes in general. Most are scaled to a 12oz serving, but can easily be scaled up.
Make Your Own Soda: Syrup Recipes by Anton Nocito
Available from Amazon
, (also on Kindle)Artisan Syrup Recipes by the founder of P&H Soda. From fountain classics to gourmet creations, this book has a number of basic recipes with an artisanal flare. Nocito specializes in using natural, fresh ingredients and his recipes are planned accordingly.
Cordials from Your Kitchen: Easy, Elegant Liqueurs You Can Make & Give
(book) - An excellent source for flavor inspiration.
Homemade Root Beer Soda & Pop by Stephen Cresswell
Available from Amazon
(also on Kindle)A great reference including historical tidbits and recipes including a bit about tapping maple and birch trees for sap. Mostly fermented recipes with instructions on adaptation for force carbonation.
The Artisan Soda Workshop by Andrea Lynn
Available from: Amazon
(also on Kindle), Barnes and Noble, (also on Nook)Small, but specifically designed with the Sodastream in mind. Great artisan flavor combinations, but expect some of the ingredients to run you artisan prices. Great reference for those looking to develop their own Sodastream recipes. Give a number of these a whirl and you'll be an artisan soda syrup maker, too.
True Brews by Emma Christensen
(book) - A book dedicated to the merits of fermented beverages. If a beverage is or can be fermented, chances are you'll find it here. Emma Christensen writes for The Kitchn and has been a beer reviewer for other publications. Among the many recipes it contains, it has a basic soda recipe and technique that Christensen builds off of with a few variations on flavor.
The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz
Available from: Amazon
, (also on Kindle
)A hefty reference for all things fermented, including a number of interesting soda recipes. Most are not well adapted to force carbonation without some significant know how.
Fix the Pumps by Darcy O'Neil (book) - Written by the author of the Art of Drink blog (link below), this focuses on the history of the soda fountain, and contains mostly cocktail recipes as I understand. I have yet to get my hands on this to review it.
ComeuntoChrist.org This is one reason why I prefer to carbonate without yeast to avoid alcohol. Take a look if you'd like to learn more about my beliefs. Exploding bottles is another reason, but that's another discussion for another time.
Forums and Blogs:
HomeBrewTalk Forums This is actually a homebrew forum, but they have an extensive user base and some really great recipes being submitted frequently in their soda section.
Art of Drink Blog A blog mostly about cocktails, but it has a nice section with soda history and some recipe ideas, mostly striving to recreate Coke. All in all, a fascinating read.
A Dash of Science A blog by a colleague from school with posts on various food science subjects. This link is for a post on water flavor, which can make more of a difference to homemade soda makers than one might think, particularly if you're trying to compare to a commercial soda.
Ellen's Kitchen My recipes are mostly in 1 gallon yields, which is a bit much if you're making it for yourself, or a bit small if you're making it for a gathering. Ellen's Kitchen has a lot of great information for planning for a large group. It has recipes, estimates for large gatherings, and even a forum for recipe requests.
Root Brew A blog specifically about homemade root beer. Lots of posts to get you going, but not many frequent updates. I can't say that frequency here is much better, but such is life.
Wisebread A DIY/Frugal Living blog. The link here is for a fairly comprehensive overview of different methods for homemade soda. Poke around for other great projects and ideas.
Natural Fizz More folks with a passion for homemade soda and sharing their recipes. Some great fruit soda recipes there.
Emma E. Christensen Author of True Brews. Christensen edits recipes for The Kitchn and offers up advice on all things fermented.
Libations Blog Haven't read through this much, but it did have a post for chocolate soda.
