Making Sparkling Water At Home
Our bodies are 60% water. A human cannot go more than a few days without drinking water. For many of us, we don’t get enough water daily. If you’re like me, drinking plain water is not all that pleasant. Starting in high school, I developed a sparkling water habit that has stuck with me well into my 30s. I drink so much plain seltzer water that my kids even drink it and call it “bubble water.” My kids have enjoyed bubble water since they were young. Most of my mom friends and their kid friends think we are crazy for loving plain seltzer water so much.
My husband teases me for how many cans of seltzer water the kids and I go through. Now that we live in a state that doesn’t have a 5 cent return on cans, he gets irritated with the number of bottles of sparkling water we go through.
The last house we lived in had a fridge that had a Soda Stream Seltzer maker in the door, and that was a dream come true for me. As long as I kept Soda Stream CO2 canisters around, I had as much seltzer water as I needed right in my fridge, and it came out the in-the-door water dispenser.
We’ve moved, and our new fridge doesn’t make my sparkling water. I’ve had to search for alternatives to make sparkling water at home because our house doesn’t have recycling pick up and the cans and bottles of soda water are wasteful.
So naturally, as a DIY-er, I’ve become quite interested in making sparkling water right at home.
Why Make Sparkling Water at Home?
If you’re like me and have a hard time stomaching plain water, seltzer water is a great way to increase your hydration.
If you’re trying to cut out sugary soda, sparkling water is an excellent alternative to quench your need for something cold and bubbly.
One of the best reasons to make your seltzer water at home is affordability. Even with the cost of CO2 cartridges from soda makers, you save money in the long wrong by making your seltzer at home. These guys crunched the numbers and found that making seltzer at home saves you about $0.54 per liter. For the casual soda water drinker, the savings might not be worth the upfront costs of a soda maker or a soda siphon, but if you’re like me and drink it daily, the savings are genuine.
One thing to keep in mind when investing in a soda maker is that it was frustrating for me to run out of CO2. So make sure to get into a routine of keeping full CO2 canisters at home. I’ve joked with my husband about building a kegerator when we finish the basement. One tap for beer and one tap for homemade sparkling water. Then I would never have to worry about running out of CO2.
How to Make Sparkling Water:
If you’ve been with us for a while now, you may have seen our articles in our favorite soda siphons and our favorite soda makers. We’ve talked a lot about the ways to make soda, but those same machines and the same methods can make sparkling water. The only exception to that is the yeast method. I’m not sure I would be interested in drinking yeasty sparkling water.
Let’s start with our soda maker. For the sake of this post, we will take the most popular soda/seltzer maker, the Soda Stream. If you’re only interested in making sparkling water, you don’t need the expensive setup. For $69.00, you can get a Soda stream maker and a 14.5 oz CO2 canister and be minutes away from making seltzer water at home.
Tips for Making Sparkling Water at Home:
- Start with cold water. Fridge cold water will carbonate better and stay carbonated longer.
- Try it with lower fizz and work your way up. I prefer lighter carbonation with my homemade seltzer, and my CO2 lasts longer when I use lighter carbonation.
- Find an attractive home for your Setlzer maker. If you have a dedicated space for your sparkling water set up, you’re more likely to use it, and it won’t sit forgotten inside a dark cabinet.
Directions for Making Soda Water:
- Fill your dedicated Soda Stream canister with cold filtered water.
- Make sure your CO2 canister fit in your machine correctly.
- Place your soda bottle on the Soda Stream. Make sure the bottle inserts correctly, or you will be wasting CO2.
- Start small. Press down the carbonator button for 1-2 seconds initially. Try a few short bursts and taste your water. If you like your water with a lower level of carbonation, leave it alone. If you want more substantial carbonation, you can place the bottle back in the Soda Stream and continue to carbonate. Aim for preserving your CO2 by not over carbonating your water.
Flavoring Your Sparkling Water
If you’re a fan of flavored sparkling water and look forward to the seasonal flavors water companies release every year, you’ll want to figure out how to flavor your homemade sparkling water.
Ways to Flavor Soda Water:
- Fresh Herbs: Crush the leaves of fresh herbs to add flavor to your seltzer. Try rosemary, mint, or basil with a twist of lemon.
- Citrus: A twist of lemon, lime, or orange can add refreshing flavor to your sparkling water without added calories from sweeteners.
- Crushed Berries: Infuse your seltzer with crushed raspberries or other fruit for a slightly sweet fruity essence in your water.
- Low-cal Flavorings such as Crystal light or fruit juice: A splash of flavor goes a long way in sparkling water to add some zing and depth to your beverage.
Enjoying Seltzer Water at Home:
Whether you’re looking to add more water to your daily intake or impress some lunch guests, making your soda water at home is impressive and more affordable. Soda water is a healthy way to stay hydrated without getting bored with plain water.
