Bottled Homemade Lemonade
By Cat, Aug 2007 (Photo, right, from Wikimedia Commons)
- Includes: 1. Kefir Lemonade; 2. Kefir Ginger Ale; 3. Kefir Cream Soda; 4. Kefir Sources
- See Also: 1. Old-Fashioned Sodas (Lacto-Fermented), which include Orangina, Ginger Ale, Sassafras Root Beer, and Apple Cider; 2. Lemonade, plus two variations; 3. Limeade
Lacto-fermented beverages have been made since Biblical times. They are fermented by lactic-acid forming bacteria, such as the probiotics present in our own gut, and in cultured dairy products like buttermilk, yogurt and kefir. Most lacto-fermented beverages have a very low alcohol content, as the fermentation focuses on the formation of lactic acid as opposed to alcohol.
The beverages on this post use water-kefir as the starter, but another method is to use whey as the starter, as in old fashioned ginger ale and root beer. These recipes are from Nourishing Traditions and Eat Fat, Lose Fat by Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, PhD..
Kefir Sodas: Introduction
For these recipes you can use powdered kefir culture, or water kefir grains. Some powedered cultures cannot be reused; others can be reused up to 7 times. Water kefir grains are regular kefir grains cultured to ferment slighly sugary water, and can be reused indefinitely. See Kefir Sources at the bottom of this page.
For more on using kefir grains, refer to The EssentiaList: Using Kefir Grains ((3) written by me for The Essential Stuff Project, a sustainability group in my home town of Bigfork MT). See also Dom’s Kefir (4) website for more information.
Storing Kefir Sodas
When I tested this recipe, I used powdered kefir starter from Body Ecology. It fizzed up nicely while fermenting, but lost some of its fizz when I served it. It still tasted slightly tart and gingery. I recommend storing the product in glass beer bottles with caps, to retain the fiz.
CAUTION: Do not use decorative vinegar bottles with wire-held stoppers, as they have a tendency to explode! Use bottles designed for storing fermented beverages, such as beer.
Reusing kefir for future batches:
- If using kefir grains, rinse with filtered water and use again right away, or store in a jar in he refrigerator with about ½ cup water mixed with 1 tablespoon Rapadura, Sucanat, or maple sugar.
- If using Body Ecology kefir powder, reserve about ½ cup liquid as a starter for the next batch. This will work for about 5 or 6 batches; then you will need to use a fresh packet of powder for the next batch.
- If using any other kefir powder (such as YogoGourmet), you cannot reuse it. You will need a fresh packet for each batch.
Kefir Ginger Ale
Makes 2 quarts.
Ginger is very soothing to an upset digestive system. It is also a good warmer for the body, from the inside out. Ginger ale is very refreshing after a day of outside work in the sun.
NOTE: another version of ginger ale can be made using whey instead of kefir starter (see Old Fashioned Sodas). I used powdered kefir starter from Body Ecology. It fizzed up nicely while fermenting, but lost some of its fizz when I served it . It still tasted slightly tart and gingery. I think I’ll hunt down the glass beer bottles with caps for future batches, to retain the fiz.
Ingredients & Equipment:
- 1 packet kefir powder or ¾ cup water kefir grains (see below for source info)
- 4 Tablespoons fresh ginger root, peeled and coarsely chopped
- juice of 4 limes
- ½ cup Rapadura or Sucanat (Dried sugar cane juice) or raw maple sugar
- filtered water
- 1 half-gallon canning jar with wide mouth lid
- optional glass beer or soda bottles capped with wire-held caps.
- small strainer (optional). I use a special strainer made for homemade yogurt cream cheese.
Method:
Make the ‘mother’ batch
- If using kefir grains, make sure you get water grains as opposed to milk grains.
- Place kefir grains or powder in half-gallon jar. Add chopped ginger, lime juice, and sweetener. Fill with filtered water.
- Cover tightly and leave at room temperature for 48 hours.
- Strain through a non-metallic strainer.
- Pour back into half-gallon jar, or into glass beer or soda bottles, and store in refrigerator. Using the wire-capped bottles will create a more bubbly result than using the half-gallon jar for storage.
- See Reuse kefir for future batches, above.
Kefir Cream Soda
There’s nothing like the sweet creaminess of a vanilla cream soda. Mmmm.
Ingredients & Equipment:
- 1 packet kefir powder or ¾ cup water kefir grains (see below for source info)
- 1 Tablespoon real vanilla extract
- slices of organic orange, tangerine, lemon or lime (optional)
- ½ cup Rapadura or Sucanat (Dried sugar cane juice) or raw maple sugar
- filtered water
- 1 half-gallon canning jar with wide mouth lid
- optional glass beer or soda bottles capped with wire-held caps.
- small non-metallic strainer (optional). I use a plastic strainer made for homemade yogurt cream cheese.
Method:
Make the ‘mother’ batch
- If using kefir grains, make sure you get water grains as opposed to milk grains.
- Place kefir grains or powder in half-gallon jar. Add vanilla extract, fruit slices (if using), and sweetener. Fill with filtered water.
- Cover tightly and leave at room temperature for 48 hours.
- Strain through a non-metallic strainer.
- Pour back into half-gallon jar, or into glass beer or soda bottles, and store in refrigerator. Using the wire-capped bottles will create a more bubbly result than using the half-gallon jar for storage.
- See Reuse kefir for future batches, above.
Kefir Lemonade
This is a lacto-fermented alternative to traditional lemonade. I’ve not tried this yet. For my regular lemonade, I use stevia as the sweetener, but for kefir lemonade, you must use real sugar or maple syrup.
Ingredients & Equipment:
- 1 packet kefir powder or ¾ cup water kefir grains (see below for source info)
- ¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- filtered water
- 1 half-gallon canning jar with wide mouth lid
- optional glass beer or soda bottles capped with wire-held caps.
- small non-metallic strainer (optional). I use a plastic strainer made for homemade yogurt cream cheese.
Method:
Make the ‘mother’ batch
- If using kefir grains, make sure you get water grains as opposed to milk grains.
- Place kefir grains or powder in half-gallon jar. Add lemon juice and maple syrup. Fill with filtered water.
- Cover tightly and leave at room temperature for 24 hours.
- Strain through a non-metallic strainer.
- Pour back into half-gallon jar, or into glass beer or soda bottles (original recipe says: repeat process; I’m not sure what that means), and store in refrigerator. Using the wire-capped bottles will create a more bubbly result than using the half-gallon jar for storage.
- See Reuse kefir for future batches, above.
Kefir Sources
water kefir grains (do not use kefir grains intended for milk culturing):
- If you use regular kefir grains for culturing milk, you can train some to thrive in sweetened water. See The EssentiaList (3) below for details.
- Order by telephone from Marilyn Jardembski, (419) 237-3095 (per Eat Fat, Lose Fat)
- Order from Dom’s Kefir in-site website in Austrailia (users.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefirpage.html). American customers are considered “Overseas” in his instructions.
kefir powder (Body Ecology brand)
- Order by telephone from Body Ecology: (800) 511-2660, or on their website: bodyecologydiet.com,
- Order from Wilderness Family naturals: by phone: 866-936-6457, or on their website: WildernessFamilyNaturals.com (5)
- Mercola’s website (6) shop.mercola.com/Kefir_Culture_Starter-P177.aspx
kefir powder (YogoGourmet brand) is available in most organic or natural food stores.
References
- Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon with Mary G. Enig, PhD.
- Eat Fat, Lose Fat by Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, PhD.
- The EssentiaList: Using Kefir Grains, saved as a pdf on this site (catsfork.com/CatsKitchen/wp-admin/Kefir-Advanced_EsL.pdf)
- Dom’s Kefir (users.chariot.net.au/~dna/Makekefir. html); NOTE: Dom’s site has been restored after being hacked
- wildernessfamilynaturals.com
- Mercola: shop.mercola.com/Kefir_Culture_Starter-P177.aspx
