Okay, folks, let’s dive into my little adventure with a fountain beverage machine.
It all started when I got this crazy idea to have a soda fountain in my garage. I mean, who wouldn’t want endless soda on tap, right? So, I started looking around, checking out some used restaurant equipment, and finally, I snagged a used fountain beverage machine. It was a bit dusty and worse for wear, but I saw potential.
Getting Started
First things first, I gave this thing a serious scrub-down. I’m talking soapy water, brushes, the whole nine yards. Years of sticky syrup residue were no match for my elbow grease! I took apart everything I could, soaking nozzles and lines, making sure it was all squeaky clean. I even used a special cleaner that’s designed for these machines, to kill off any bacteria or mold.
The Setup
Next, I needed to figure out how to hook this beast up. It turns out you need a few things:
- Water supply: That was easy, I just connected it to my outdoor faucet.
- CO2 tank: This gives the soda its fizz. I rented a big tank from a local gas supplier.
- Syrup: You can buy these boxes of concentrated syrup online or from restaurant supply stores. I went with classic cola and lemon-lime to start.
- Bib Connectors:The connection between the machine and syrup boxes.
Connecting everything was a bit like putting together a puzzle. I followed the instructions that I found online(some are pretty vague, I’m not gonna lie). The CO2 tank connects to a regulator, which then connects to the machine. The syrup boxes connect with special tubes. The bib connectors have to match the syrup brand.
The Moment of Truth
After all that, it was time to test it out! I flipped the switch, held my breath, and… soda! Glorious, fizzy soda! I adjusted the mixture a bit, playing with the syrup-to-soda water ratio until it tasted just right. It wasn’t perfect at first, I had a few leaks and some sputtering, but I managed to fix those with some extra clamps and a bit of patience.
Final Touches
The machine worked! I added some drip trays and cup dispensers to make it feel like a real soda fountain. And you know what? It’s awesome! Now, whenever I’m working in the garage, I can just grab a cup and fill it up with ice-cold soda.
It’s definitely a conversation starter, too. Everyone who comes over is amazed by it. Was it a lot of work? Yep. Was it worth it? Absolutely!
