# any uses for old pop (soda)?



## zito (Dec 21, 2006)

In my brother's basement there's about 50 2 litre bottles of pop. It's not drinkable, as it's gone flat/decarbonated from sitting for some years. Technically it's drinkable, but only in some sort of emergency I imagine. He bought some cases of it, those cases got put in a hidden corner, and then got forgotten about. Anything that can be done with it, along the lines of brewing it into alcohol or anything? I tried google for any recipes, but had no luck finding anything. Any suggestions are appreciated!


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## Jerngen (May 22, 2006)

I'm sure this is of absolutely NO help... but at one time I read that coke will eat the battery corrosion often found on the cables attached to car batteries. 
I tried it once..... and the acid from the coke ate the corrosion right away!!! I severely limited my drinking of pop after that experiment!!! 
If nothing else you can use it for that!


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## WanderingOak (Jul 12, 2004)

I believe cola can be used as a marinade for tough cuts of red meat, while lemon/lime or ginger ale can be used for poultry.

Add some rum, and you won't notice it's gone flat.

As a scientific experiment, see if the 'mentos trick' will work with a flat soda.

If you want to try making alcohol, just add a bit of warm brewers yeast/water to one of the bottles, and put either a balloon or a cork with an airlock over the top. Keep it at room temperature for a few weeks, and if the airlock starts bubbling or the balloon begins to burp, you know you are getting alcohol. I have no idea how the resultant concoction is going to taste, or even if it will work with all of the crud they add to 'preserve freshness'.


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

make popsicles!

Add to winter animal water...


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Soda Pop Jelly

4 cups Soda Pop
1/4 cup Lemon Juice
1 box Dry Pectin
6 cups Sugar, granulated

Measure soda. Combine soda, lemon juice and pectin in a large saucepan
or kettle. Bring mixture to a rolling boil. Hard boil for 1 minutes.
Hard boil means the point at which the brew still bubbles even when
you stir it. Add sugar and bring back to a hard boil for 2 minutes.


Put in canning jars, seal and boil process for 15 minutes. Remove the
jars from the boiling bath and turn upside down for 5 minutes. Now,
turn them back right side uip and allow to sit overnight. Your jelly
is now ready and has been canned and can be stored for up to a year.


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## Jakk (Aug 14, 2008)

Dump them out, rinse them and fill with potable water. You can never store enough water!


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## bekab (Oct 14, 2008)

you can clean your toilets with flat soda. We've done it for years (because we rarely go through a whole 2 liter.) Pour the flat soda in the toilet, let it sit for 5 minutes, then scrub. Shiny potty


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## FoghornLeghorn (Nov 13, 2008)

We've used flat soda for getting any residue off our windshield.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

The soda will not only be flat, but will contain chemicals from the natural outgassing of the plastic over time. I use 2 liter bottles to store distilled water and find that after a few uses I have to throw them out and replace them because of the taste.


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## soulsurvivor (Jul 4, 2004)

Use it to clean drains, pour in and don't flush with water. Any corrosive action left in the soda will eat slime, hair, etc. 

Use the plastic bottles with the top cut off to cover new plantings in the garden to protect from early frosts.

Cut the bottle in half and attach a pipe cleaner handle and you have an Easter basket to decorate and fill. It's just the right size, not too big or too little.


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## moldy (Mar 5, 2004)

Pour over your compost pile and it will make it "work" a little faster.


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

there is a guy on PBS that makes a miracle gro solution for plants using cola(I think for the phosphorus?). I would just keep it till spring/summer and dump it on the plants, then keep the bottles for other uses. Or also use it for a cleaner like others said. I think different flavors have different amounts of that acid, it seems rootbeer has the LEAST and cola has the mOST(from what I remember, I'm sure you can google it)


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## zito (Dec 21, 2006)

Thanks for all the suggestions! I think I'll try both the jelly, and adding the brewer's yeast as was suggested. I'll also definitely try it as drain and toilet cleaner, as there's quite a bit. It's a store-brand version of Sprite, not cola, but we'll see how it goes. Thanks again!


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## redhousekiwi (Nov 30, 2008)

zito said:


> Thanks for all the suggestions! I think I'll try both the jelly, and adding the brewer's yeast as was suggested. I'll also definitely try it as drain and toilet cleaner, as there's quite a bit. It's a store-brand version of Sprite, not cola, but we'll see how it goes. Thanks again!


I have a neighbor up the road who works for Pepsi Bottling. I was talking to him about buying a year's supply of Pepsi Throwback when they bottle it again. He warned me against keeping it that long. The shelf life is closer to 3 months - and once the carbonation goes the drink goes off faster. In less than a year, even if it's not flat, it's potentially not fit to drink. 

This was news to me, however I'm inclined to take his advice and be cautious about consuming old/flat soda. 

Cheers, Liam


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## Blu3duk (Jun 2, 2002)

I doubt you will get much for alcohol, as the chemical preservatives in it prevent fermentation from taking place on the shelf...... I could be wrong.... but i personally wouldnt drink it, nor tincture with it.

William


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## raybait1 (Sep 30, 2006)

Blu3duk is right, It likely has preservatives. Sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate or any ingredient that has (preservative) beside it will hinder fermentation.


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## mullberry (May 3, 2009)

I would feed it to the hogs


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## zant (Dec 1, 2005)

Put bottles out back and use them for target practice.


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## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

At this point the empty bottles are probably more useful than the soda inside them. I like the idea of using them as little greenhouses over plants in the garden.


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## wogglebug (May 22, 2004)

Chill it. Pour half a glass, then add a small pinch of baking soda. If it fizzes, taste it. If it doesn't, also add a small pinch of citric acid (that's a pinch each of baking soda and citric acid). If it fizzes, taste it. If it doesn't fizz now, throw it out - there's chemical reactions been happening that are V.E.R.Y mysterious.

You could try fermenting it, but it's had sodium benzoate and maybe sulphur dioxide added as a preservative. You'd need to dilute it, then add sugar.


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