Syphons and "charged water"

[KittyT]

Hello Connoisseurs, do any of you use syphons at home to make charged/carbonated water for cocktails or regular consumption? I have my eye on a vintage one at a local antique store and am wondering a few things:

1. How well do they work?

2. Do you have any tips and tricks?

3. Are they cost efficient? From the calculations I've done, it seems to be a little more expensive, but I would also like to consider things like the environmental impact of plastic in landfills, and also the energy and pollution to produce and transport the plastic 2L bottles I buy at the store.

4. Where is the cheapest place for buying the gas cartridges? I have found prices ranging from $5-9 for boxes of 10 cartridges. Are you aware of any place that sells them bulk in larger quantities? We drink a LOT of carbonated water in my home.

5. Do the standard gas cartridges fit all or even most vintage models of water syphons? I'm afraid to buy one, only to discover that the cartridges that are available won't fit.

6. And finally, do you have a cool syphon that you'd like to show off to me? I'd love to see it.

[Absinthe_1900]

One the west coast you can actually have them delivered to your home:

http://www.seltzersisters.com/index.html

I have a couple of vintage bottles, I'll have to take a photo of them.

these guys might help:

http://www.kegworks.com/home.php?cat=310

[Vladimir Berkov]

I have a vintage one and a modern one. They work fairly well, although if you charge them at home you never seem to get the same level of carbonation as commercial seltzer. To get it properly charged you also have to let it sit for a while after you add the gas, it seems to help.

It is a definate problem making sure modern cartridges fit the vintage bottles. My vintage bottle is not compatible with modern cartridges for some reason. Adapters are available, but they do not always fit as well as they might. That's why I use my modern syphon. It easily works with modern gas cartridges, and is also easier to clean.

[KittyT]

It is a definate problem making sure modern cartridges fit the vintage bottles. My vintage bottle is not compatible with modern cartridges for some reason. Adapters are available, but they do not always fit as well as they might. That's why I use my modern syphon. It easily works with modern gas cartridges, and is also easier to clean.

Do cartridges only come in one size?

[Vladimir Berkov]

Do cartridges only come in one size?

I have only found them in one size. Perhaps in Europe or elsewhere they come in other sizes though.

[KittyT]

C'mon, you guys are all super vintage geeks. You have to have some more information for me!

[Ethan Bentley]

I'm in the UK.
The one I've got holds about a litre (quart) you have to fill it with water, I use filtered. You then screw the lid back on. And push in the cartridge, this then releases all the gas which carbonates the waters. The pressure is what cause it to squirt out when you push down the handle.

When buying vintage check they can take cartridges I have one, a heavy glass Schwepps syphon from the 1930s which, to be recharged had to be sent back to the factory, a service they no longer offer. So it's just a bar ornament now.

One disadvantage is that sometime the the soda water will not be as fizzy as the bottle stuff.
Another advantage/disadvantage depending on how you look at it, is that after a few drinks, when it's hot in summer, people have a tenancy to want to squirt each other with it. Like some slapstick comedy. - they did enjoy themselves though.

[rumblefish]

Kitty, I use my siphon all the time. I have a modern ISI.

Tips; Ice cold water only, shake the heck out of it before you squirt, and don't expect huge nose tickling bubbles. It comes out more like the lighter carbonation in mineral water.

See here for more- http://prairiemoon.biz/index.html

All of the chargers I've seen are the same 8 gram size.

Oh, always CO2 for soda and N2O for whipped cream.:)

[PoohBang]

Here's another one of mine. I posted before in another thread but was told there was a syphon thread already...

http://i379.photobucket.com/albums/oo234/happyhooligans/DSC04652.jpg

A soda King No.4

Awesome little syphon

and as always... more pics on my blog

[kpreed]

My $0.02 on this is, I really love mine, no, it is not as "fizzy" as store bought, and at under a dollar at some stores for 2 liters, but I can live happy with that and no bottles to recycle. What I think is cool with it is taking some clear fruit juice (I really like apple) and adding bubbles.
I only use some old stock Soda King chargers I have with it right now, but when they are gone...
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc8/kpreeed/seltzer.jpg

[BinkieBaumont]

"This one is Marked BOC made in England, ,it sits in its own little Bakelite "Saucer"but is purely for display, I do so prefer Tonic water, and it is so much easier to have it available in the Refrigerator at all times in plastic bottles!"

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2506/3774093797_01194f44a5.jpg

[John in Covina]

Galco's used to have a source for repairing and charging the old glass soda syphon bottles but their local guy went out of business or retired. They used to offer the resuable old time glass soda syphons and those were charming.

In Southern California they have a great selection of sodas from aroun the US and the world. Here is a website:
http://www.sodapopstop.com/

[Wally_Hood]

"This one is Marked BOC made in England, ,it sits in its own little Bakelite "Saucer"but is purely for display, I do so prefer Tonic water, and it is so much easier to have it available in the Refrigerator at all times in plastic bottles!"

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2506/3774093797_01194f44a5.jpg

Binkie, exquisite cabinet! Please tell us about it, i.e., manufacturer, where purchased, and so on-

[BinkieBaumont]

"Thanks Wally, I do rather love it myself, I thinks its Australian there is no makers label, but it has "Farmers Dept store, Sydney" so I am guessing that is were it was sent to from the factory. I bought it from a South African Chappie, here in the Swan River colony, he advertised it for $90.00 in the classifieds around 1987 and I did not quibble on the price. it has a lot of storage down in the bottom cupboard, I used to keep my sound system there in the 1990'slol its "Bur Walnut" veneer, the light is not original I added that."

PS

Just noticed!!!Those black and white cards on the top right shelf are invites to my 30th birthday in 1987!!!

[Wally_Hood]

Absolutely stunning cabinet, Binkie. If it's local to the Southern Hemisphere, I shall let loose a sigh of resignation. I am beginning to search out a vintage or vintage style cabinet and yours is very much in the manner of what I want.

Other FLoungers, is there a liquor cabinet thread?

[Mike in Seattle]

Make sure that the only cartridges you use are food-grade. Restaurant supply shops would no-doubt carry them because they're used in whipped cream dispensers and the like.

[PADDY]

You should feel the weight of this - HEAVY!! Glass incased in medieval chain mail (or that's what it reminds me of).

There's a screw on piece to dispense the CO2 gas into the water, and then it screws off again. For a few pounds, (buried under dust on the top shelf of a junk shop) and it's in excellent working order, I'm pretty pleased with this vintage addition to the PADDY WAGON COCKTAIL CABINET.

I'm just cleaning and sterilising it tonight (GMT) before using it. Also came with a box of ten original and unused cannisters!!

Any idea of era, period folks...? All info welcome, but this is one heavy duty piece of kit.

http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc260/ROSSANDHARRY/COCKTAILS/SODA_SIPHON/sodasiphon002.jpg
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc260/ROSSANDHARRY/COCKTAILS/SODA_SIPHON/sodasiphon001.jpg
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc260/ROSSANDHARRY/COCKTAILS/SODA_SIPHON/sodasiphon003.jpg

[Silver Dollar]

If anyone told my family about charged water and a syphon, they wouldn't know what the heck you're talking about. To them it's all seltzer from a seltzer bottle. You'd go to the local candy store and get yourself a 2 cents plain. That was what we also called seltzer. If you wanted a little flavor you added some chocolate sauce. If you really wanted something good, you took some chocolate sauce, some milk and then added in very cold seltzer. Then you had an egg cream. It was invented in the Jewish neighborhoods of Brooklyn, NYC and had nothing to do with eggs. :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

[BoomBoomRoom]

You should feel the weight of this - HEAVY!! Glass incased in medieval chain mail (or that's what it reminds me of).

There's a screw on piece to dispense the CO2 gas into the water, and then it screws off again. For a few pounds, (buried under dust on the top shelf of a junk shop) and it's in excellent working order, I'm pretty pleased with this vintage addition to the PADDY WAGON COCKTAIL CABINET.

I'm just cleaning and sterilising it tonight (GMT) before using it. Also came with a box of ten original and unused cannisters!!

Any idea of era, period folks...? All info welcome, but this is one heavy duty piece of kit.

http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc260/ROSSANDHARRY/COCKTAILS/SODA_SIPHON/sodasiphon002.jpg
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc260/ROSSANDHARRY/COCKTAILS/SODA_SIPHON/sodasiphon001.jpg
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc260/ROSSANDHARRY/COCKTAILS/SODA_SIPHON/sodasiphon003.jpg

I'm looking to buy one just like this - - if it can be made to work. Does yours work? If so, is the water it produces as fizzy as you can buy in a bottle? Many thanks.

[scotrace]

http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc260/ROSSANDHARRY/COCKTAILS/SODA_SIPHON/sodasiphon002.jpg

I saw one of these the other day for $12. Let me know if it's worth going back to get it? How did it clean up?

[maff2k]

I know the thread is old but just wanted to say that BOC are still around and delivering gas of various types! They deliver O2 to the ambulance station I work from. Wonder if they still do syphon stuff?

[Mike in Seattle]

Make sure that you're using food-grade cartridges. Never a cartridge you'd use for a pellet gun or the like. The gas isn't 100% safe for consumption and, I'm told, some of the oils that end up inside from the manufacture of the cartridges can be toxic.