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If you're not into reading, whenever someone asks me about what they need to get started with sodamaking, I always suggest to start with this Easy Ginger Ale recipe as all it takes is an empty 2L, a lemon, some ginger, and a bit of champagne yeast. FWIW, the forum that's on is a pretty good resource, too.


If you're into reading, my best advice would be to pick up Jeremy Butler's book "Making Soda At Home". I stumbled across it when I was getting started and along with 3 or 4 other books, it's the only one I come back to all the time.

It covers everything all the info you need to get your bearings, and understand what your options are and where to go next. It's a fun read, has a good handful of recipes (I'm guessing 15-20?) and each of them has instructions for: (a) forced carbonation, (b) fermented carbonation, and (c) syrup + seltzer carbonation.

Here's a quick rundown of what's in it:

1. The Basics of Homemade Soda
   

• Soda's 3 main components
  
• Natural carbonation
  
• Force Carb
  
• Syrup + Seltzer
  
• Storage
  

2. Developing Recipes
   

• Keeping a notebook
  
• Principles of Development
  
• Adapting Other Beverages
  
• Know Your Roots
  
• Comparing to Commercial Flavors
  

3. Serving Sodas
   

• Post mix
  
• Premix
  
• Soda Siphons & Other Countertop Carbonators
  
• Kegerators
  
• Converting or Adding to an Existing wet Bar
  

4. Recipes
   

• Fruity
  
• Roots & Herbal Teas
  
• Indulgent
  
• Holiday Recipes for Special Occasions
  
• Beyond The Basics: Experimental Sodas
  

5. Science Projects
   

• ... You get the picture.
  
  In my personal opinion, I'd start with syrup and seltzer until you find something worth bottling, then try out the yeast carbonation!
  
  I made the Herbal Cola recipe from that book tonight (my first time making it) and it's pretty great!
  
  Welcome to r/sodamaking, if you've for a thing for soda you'll like it here; happy to have you along and happy to answer any questions you have.

I'll share what I use. I'm not to sure what you would use to pressurize a 5 gallon water bottle, because even if you could find a cap that would hold the pressure, you have to agitate the bottle while filling in order to get enough co2 into it to do any good. And agitating a 5 gallon water bottle while filling it would be...interesting.

I use one of these https://www.amazon.com/Carbonation-Carbacap-Coupling-Carbonate-Fruit/dp/B01039C0Z0/ref=sr_1_10?keywords=carbonation+cap&qid=1555387830&s=gateway&sr=8-10

and 2 liter soda bottles. I have a 5lb co2 tank that I bought on craigslist from someone who gave up trying to make beer. It came with a regulator, some hoses, and the mating end to the cap I listed above.

There are a ton of different caps on amazon, but most of them are metal and I have found that the threads are too deep and I cannot get a good seal on the 2 liter bottles. While the plastic one I listed above has worked great for the last couple of years. Good luck!

edit: I've always wondered if you could use a commercial paint shaker to agitate the bottles while filling them. One day I will run across one used somewhere and give it a try. But I know they hold 5 gal buckets of paint so maybe one would work for you too.

I got the oils on Amazon. I think I actually got most of the stuff for the recipe from amazon. The Open Soda page has recipes for 2L batches as well.

https://smile.amazon.com/Flavoring-Oils-Flavors-Dropper-LorAnn/dp/B007HSDNS4/ref=sr_1_5_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1525710242&sr=8-5&keywords=lorann+oils

When I first started making soda I used old Homebrew equipment. Basically all you need is a corny keg (soda keg) a co2 tank, the fittings and hose to connect the tanks and a picnic tap to pour from the keg.

Basically you make a syrup, add water, chill in the keg while force carbonating with co2. You’ll have 5 gallons of home recipe goodness on tap in no time.

keg

co2 tank

gas line

connectors

picnic tap