Forget SodaStream, Get Sparkling Mineral Water On Tap!
Updated: Jun 9, 2021
Yep! That's right. Ditch the expensive SodaStream. It's a bigger hassle than it's worth!
You can have ice cold, sparkling mineral water on tap, in the comfort of your own home!
It's really not that hard.
It does take a little bit of work to convert a beer kegerator into a home fountain that dispenses sparkling mineral water, but it is a thousand percent worth it! You'll have fresh, crisp, sparkling mineral water exactly the way you like it. And once it's flowing by the gallons and readily available on tap, you can share with everyone that you welcome into your home!
There's a couple of things to keep in mind before moving forward. First off, know that it's easiest to use your own tap water for this small project. So, if needed, you can look into setting up a water filter under the sink. The second thing to keep in mind is that you do need to fill the CO2 tank with food grade CO2. It isn't difficult to do, (see below) and it only costs $15-20. Depending on your preferred carbonation level, one full CO2 tank can carbonate about 20-25 Cornelius kegs. That's up to 120 gallons of Sparkling Water on a single CO2 tank. If you compare that to SodaStream, you pay about the same price for their gas tanks, which only carbonates 15-16 gallons (60 liters).
We love feedback! So feel free to leave us a comment on how your set up went or any questions. We'll be sure to reply back.
What you need:
Cornelius Kegs (2 kegs) ~ $190
Total: ~$723
Chalkboard Tap Handle~ $30
Tools
1. Screw Driver
2. Adjustable Wrench
3. Heavy Duty Scissors
Set-up
Before getting started, know that you will need to find a local CO2 supplier to fill your CO2 tank. Google search "CO2 gas near me." The best places are often welders.
So here you go:
1. Set up the kegerator as instructed. But stop before "tapping the keg." Set it up with the CO2 tank inside the kegerator.
2. If the metal keg connector was preinstalled on the liquid line (clear), you need to remove this. The easiest way to do this is to cut the water line at end. Then, install the 1/4" ball lock (black) and clamp.
3. Cut the CO2 tube at the end, removing the metal connector and install the splitter at the bottom of the "T." (See the photo in step 4). Don't forget to clamp it down tightly.
4. Next, take the CO2 kit and cut the CO2 tube in half. Install both pieces of the tube to the other two ends of the splitter with clamps.
5. On the other ends of the CO2 tubes, install the 5/16" ball locks (white) with clamps.
6. Fill both kegs with 4 to 4.5 gallons of water. The tank should be about 90% full. Add minerals to taste. (Follow proper cleaning instructions before first use and periodically there after).
7. Press the CO2 ball locks (white) on the "IN" of both kegs and the water line ball lock (black) on the "OUT" of one of the kegs. You should hear them click if they are properly in place.
8. Adjust the regulator to desired carbonation. (between 15-30 psi)
9. Place the CO2 tank behind the Cornelius kegs inside the kegerator. Wait 2-3 days for both kegs to fully carbonate.
10. After drinking the first keg, all you have to do is "rotate" the kegs:
a. Move the water line from the empty keg to the full keg. (Now fully carbonated).
b. Disconnect the CO2 line from the empty keg, release the gas from the kegerator, and refill with water.
c. Replace the keg into the fridge with the CO2 line connected.
Each time you refill the water, you can adjust the CO2 regulator until you've found the taste that you prefer.
Now you can ditch that SodaStream, and enjoy ice cold sparkling water on tap FOREVER.
