Super yummy blueberry soda.

I have become obsessed with making fermented sodas and other drinks. I have been making kombucha and water kefir for a while but only recently became interested in trying to make fizzy sodas for my kids. Unfortunately, my kids have not been fans of either my kombucha or the water kefir so I am hoping to increase their consumption of fermented foods by appealing to the soda loving part of them. (However, if you love kombucha, go here for easy kombucha making instructions.)

Even my dog, Roxie, is interested in improving her gut health with fermented soda.

I was interested in trying to do a wild ferment using a ginger bug and found a great recipe for ginger bugs on The Holistic Squid. When I first read the term ginger bug, I was a little intimidated to try to make one but it really turned out to be very easy. The only thing about ginger bugs is they require time. They take about one week to fully ferment so if you are in a hurry, you will need to explore a different soda making method. (I will be posting a recipe for raspberry soda soon, which I am fermenting using champagne yeast. It is quicker.)

Chopped ginger to start the ginger bug.

Ginger Bug Recipe

Ingredients

3 cups of water
3 teaspoons of sugar
3 teaspoons of chopped ginger

Instructions

In a quart sized jar, mix all three of the ingredients.
Cover jar and give it a shake to mix the ingredients.
Place in a warm spot away from direct sunlight. (Above 72 degrees)
If your house gets cold at night, you might want to use a seedling mat or heating pad to warm your bug.
Everyday for a week, add 2 more teaspoons of ginger and 2 teaspoons of sugar.
Shake after each addition.
Towards the end of the week, you will see your liquid begin to get bubbly.
Once good and fizzy it is ready to be combined with the blueberries.

http://www.nourishedrootspdx.com/blog/naturally-fermented-blueberry-ginger-soda/

Ginger bug plus blueberries.

Above is a picture of the ginger bug on the seventh day. You can see the bubbles near the top of the jar. You can also see the blueberries in the background. I used organic frozen blueberries but fresh works just as well.

Once the bug was done, I used a recipe from Learning Herbs to make my blueberry soda.

Naturally Fermented Blueberry Ginger Soda

Ingredients

6 cups of blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 cup of ginger bug
filtered water
Gallon jar and large pot

Instructions

Put 1/2 gallon of filtered water in a large pot.
Bring to a boil.
Stir in sugar.
Add your blueberries to the pot and allow the water to come back to a boil.
Boil for 10 minutes.
Taste to see if tastes fruity. If you want a fruitier taste, let it boil longer.
Pour boiled liquid into the gallon jar and fill jar a few inches from top with more filtered water. (I put a metal knife in the jar to draw out some of the heat and keep the jar from cracking.)
Allow liquid to cool completely.
Strain ginger bug to remove particles of ginger.
Add ginger bug.
Cover with cheese cloth held down with rubber band or you can use paper coffee filters.
Place jar in warm spot but not in direct sunlight.
Allow to sit for at least 3 days. Stir each day 2-3 times.
After 3 days, taste your liquid, if it has the right balance of sweet and tart for you, then it is ready to be bottled. (This could take up to 7 days.)
You want to strain your liquid to remove all the berry solids.
Place strained liquid into small, capped bottles. (I used some flip top bottles I found at Ikea and some recycled glass kombucha bottles.)
Allow to sit out for another day to increase the fizziness of the soda.
When it is a bubbly as you want, move it to the fridge to stop the fermentation process.
When cool, enjoy!!

http://www.nourishedrootspdx.com/blog/naturally-fermented-blueberry-ginger-soda/

Blueberry soda fermenting on the counter.

I am happy to say that even my kids like this blueberry soda. In fact, they kept hunting for more even after it had all been consumed! I was happy because my mission to get them to consume more ferments was accomplished. (Read more about the importance of fermented foods here.) The soda was fruity and fizzy but not too sweet. It tasted very refreshing on the hot summer days.

Finished soda ready to drink.

This post was shared on Plant Based Pot Luck, Homespun Oasis, Allergy Free Alaska, Urban Naturale, Real Food Forager and Live, Laugh, Rowe.

It seems like every time I pick up a magazine or look on the internet there is an article about adding probiotic foods to your diet. Besides the “normal” items you read about like yogurt or sauerkraut, kombucha, a fermented tea, has become a big part of the conversation. It is amazing how easy it has become to find this naturally carbonated, fermented beverage filled with amino acids, probiotics and a spectrum of B vitamins. In fact, the other day, I even saw some on the self at Target! But what is kombucha and why are so many people talking about it?

Kombucha’s origins can be traced all the way back to the Chinese around 220 BC. From there, it spread to Tibet and into Russia where talk of the “miracle fungus” drink began to appear. Over the years, it continued to spread, eventually, appearing in the US in the Sixties. Since that time, it has grown in popularity.

Kombucha is amazingly easy to make. Black or green tea is combined with filtered water, sugar and a scoby (a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) and then left to ferment on the kitchen counter. After 7-10 days of fermentation, you are ready to bottle your own probiotic drink. It has the effervescence of a soda but without all the sugar and calories. (Sugar is used to brew kombucha. However, most of the sugar is consumed in the fermentation process.) Kombucha is easily and inexpensively produced at home using either the continuous brewing or single batch brewing method.

I have to admit. I was a little nervous to begin producing my own kombucha. However, with a single bottle of commercial kombucha ringing in around $3.99, my daily habit was getting too expensive for my budget. As I started to research at-home production, I found the Kombucha Kamp website. This website is a treasure trove of information about kombucha brewing. Here I could buy my scoby, get my starter liquid and find the answers to all my questions.

: Starting Scoby.

: Scoby forming at top of brewing jar.

: Growing Scoby

I was so excited when my scoby arrived and was even more excited when I realized how easy it would be to start producing my own kombucha. Kombucha Kamp’s directions are straight forward and are the ones I continue to use today.

Since producing my first batch of kombucha, I have produced hundreds of bottles. The best part is I no longer have to spend $3.99 a day to support my addiction.

Directions as Taken From Kombucha Kamp

Supplies Needed

tea kettle or large pot
1 gallon glass container (no metal or crystal)
3 quarts of purified water (no chlorine)
1 cup of sugar
4-5 tea bags or 4-5 tsp of loose leaf tea
1-2 cups of starter liquid (non-flavored kombucha from previous batch or included with your scoby purchase)
Scoby (obtain from kombucha making friend or purchase- I bought mine from Kombucha Kamp on the internet and it included the starter liquid)
Tightly woven cloth and rubber band (no cheese cloth because weave is too loose and fruit flies will get in)

Steps

Heat 4 cups of purified water in tea pot or large pot.
As water starts to boil, turn off heat and let cool 1-2 minutes, then add to your brewing vessel. Make sure your vessel isn’t too cold to prevent it from cracking.
Add 4-5 tea bags (green, black or a combo) and steep for 5-10 minutes.
Remove the tea bags and stir in 1 cup of sugar until dissolved.
Add 2 cups of purified water, lowering the temperature of the water. It needs to be no warmer than body temperature or it can kill the scoby.
Add your starter liquid.
Add scoby.
Cover container with tightly woven cloth and seal with a rubber band. (I used two layers of coffee filters held with a rubber band.)
Place container in dark, warm, ventilated area for 7-21 days. Try to disturb as little as possible during this time.
After 7 days, gently insert straw under the scoby to taste your brew. When it has the right balance of sweet and sour, it is time for bottling. (This is personal preference.)
With clean hands, remove the scobies and place in clean bowl.
Pour 2 cups of brew over the scobies to use as starter liquid for next batch. Cover with cloth and set aside for next brew.
Use clean glass bottles with tight fitting lids. (I reused bottles from store bought kombucha.) Metal lids are not ok.
If flavoring the brew, put juice, fruit or flowers in the bottles.
Insert funnel in the bottle and ladle or pour brew into the bottle. Leave some room at top for secondary fermentation.
Repeat with remaining bottles. Screw on the lids and allow to sit for 1-3 days on the counter, burping the bottles to release carbonation as needed.
Move bottles to fridge as they reach desired carbonation. Refrigeration halts secondary fermentation from flavoring.

Tips for Success

Cleanliness is VERY important. Be sure all utensils, hands and vessels have been thoroughly cleaned and rinsed of soap.
To dechlorinate water, allow to sit out overnight or boil for 10 minutes then allow to cool.
Kombucha brews best between 72-85 degrees. If below 70, will ferment slower and you run the risk of the scoby growing mold. (If your scoby looks like it has mold, you must throw it away and start over.) If your environment is below 70, you can use a heating pad to maintain adequate temperature.
Keep out of direct sunlight.
Your scoby is a living organism. Do not put it in water above 100 degrees or touch it with dirty hands or hands that have been cleaned with anti-bacteria soap.
Avoid contact between your brew and metal (except stainless steel). It can affect the taste and will weaken the scoby over time.

Tag Archives: fermented

Naturally Fermented Blueberry Ginger Soda

Easy Instructions for Making Kombucha

Directions as Taken From Kombucha Kamp

Supplies Needed

Steps

Tips for Success