Yes, you read that right. Not only it is very possible to make a fizzy soda at home but it is natural and has numerous health benefits!
You will, I am sure, have seen the milk kefir in the shops and maybe flavoured water kefir too. Personally, I have my doubts about the store bought variety - partly because of any added ingredients and the quality of the kefir culture used.
So what is kefir? Kefir grains are a culture of yeast and bacteria that feed on sugars to make a probiotic fermented water. They are fantastic for gut health and, though the phrase "probiotic fermented water" or for that matter 'gut health' probably does not sound tremendously appetising, once flavoured with the juice or fruit of your choice, this is really delicious and refreshing.
Once you have made your kefir let it sit for approximately 24 hours and then decant it to remove the kefir grains. The water can now be flavoured and left to brew. This can take one to two days depending on the weather; hot weather will speed the process up. The longer it is left and the more sugar in the drink the more the microorganisms from the grains will have to feed on. This transforms it to a very low sugar, fizzy drink that will get tangier the longer you leave it.
A couple of warnings: the first is that if your finished kefir is in an air tight bottle, take care that when you open it it does not explode. It really does become that fizzy! If I have made it before I go to bed I usually loosen the lid and seal it the next morning. The process will be slowed down if you store the kefir in the fridge so I normally do this once it is ready to drink.
The second is: that like all fermented drinks, water kefir contains a tiny amount of alcohol. This will increase depending on the fruit used and how long it is left to ferment.
Where can you get kefir grains? You can purchase the grains very easily online or if you know anyone who makes kefir they will have a great supply. Water Kefir grains grow incredibly quickly so I always have a large amount of fresh and dried.
You can store unused kefir grains in the fridge using the first stage or for longer storage they can be dried out until hard and kept in a air tight bag.
Water Kefir - Natural Homemade Soda
Ingredients:
First stage:
1tbs Kefir grains
4tbs Granulated sugar
1tsp Molasses (optional - but does seem to make healthier grains)
750ml Filtered still water
Second stage:
Dried fruit or juice of your choice.
Method:
Into a large glass jar or bottle place the kefir grains, sugar and molasses if using.
Pour the water in and gently stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Cover and leave to sit on the counter for 24 hours. (Note: if your grains are new or have been dried this stage may need to be repeated several times to "wake up" the grains.)
Strain the grains and reserve them for the next use.
Pour the strained kefir into a fresh bottle and add in a 100g dried fruit or juice of your choice. (I usually fill up the rest of the bottle with juice).
Cover with an air-tight lid for 24 hours until you are ready to drink. Again take care as the carbon dioxide will build up the longer it is covered and left.
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