It’s also easily customizable based on what you have on hand and flavors you prefer. Lemon verbena with thyme, mint with basil and elderflower sage are some of our favorite combinations, but get creative and see what works best for your palette.
The fermentation process takes a little bit of patience and attention, but once you’re done you’ll be happy you took the time and effort to make your own soda. The recipe has the option for two different methods of fermentation, so pick one or try both and see which you like better!
Homemade Herbal Soda: Yeast Method
The yeast method is super simple and doesn’t require any extra preparation. You can use whatever yeast you have on hand. Ale, champagne or active dry yeast all work just fine.
- 1 gal. water
- Large handful fresh herbs and/or edible flowers (i.e. elderflower, mint, sage, lemon verbena, thyme, basil, hibiscus)
- 1 ½-2 cups all-natural sweetener (i.e. sugar, honey, maple syrup)
- 4 Tbsp. lemon juice
- ¼ tsp yeast
- Sturdy resealable glass bottles
- Choose flavor and gather ingredients.
- Fill pot with water, add herbs and bring to boil.
- Allow to cool slightly, then stir in sugar until completely dissolved.
- Once mixture has fully cooled, stir in lemon juice and yeast. Mix well.
- Using a funnel and a strainer, pour mixture into sanitized glass bottles.
- Set bottles in a room temperature area and let sit for about 48 hours until carbonation forms. Tip: If bottles are stored in a warmer environment, 36 hours should be enough.
- During the fermentation period, check for carbonation levels in your bottles by opening one, checking for fizz levels and then quickly resealing it. Take caution when handling as high carbonation levels can lead to sticky messes and in some cases glass breakage.
- Once you’re satisfied with the fizziness, your soda is ready to drink. Pour over ice and serve.
- Refrigerate soda with seal fully closed for up to a week.
Homemade Herbal Soda: Ginger Bug Method
The ginger bug method involves the making of a ginger starter as the base for your fizzy soda. With a few steps and a little bit of patience, this recipe will be good for 12 batches of soda or about 1 month. If you’re looking to keep this ginger bug going for longer, you can feed it as indicated in step nine. After you have your ginger bug bubbling away, you can use it in the recipe above with any herbal combination you want.
- 1 gal. water
- Large handful fresh herbs and/or edible flowers
- 1 ½-2 cups all-natural sweetener
- 4 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 5 Tbsp. grated ginger root (skin on (2 Tbsp. reserved))
- 5 Tbsp. unrefined sugar (2 Tbsp. reserved)
- 3 ¼ cups chlorine-free water
- Cheesecloth (or coffee filters)
- Sturdy resealable glass bottles
- In medium jar, combine water and 3 tablespoons sugar. Shake lightly until sugar is dissolved.
- Add 3 tablespoons grated ginger and mix.
- Cover jar with coffee filter or cheesecloth. Secure with rubber band and place in a warm, dark area.
- Stir once or twice daily.
- After 3 to 7 days you should notice some bubbling. Once you see bubbling, mix in another 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon grated ginger. Repeat the following day.
- Your ginger bug should now be really bubbly and ready to use.
- A slight yeasty smell and bubbles are normal signs of fermentation. Note: Mold buildup is not normal and the batch should be thrown out if this happens!
- Use ½ cup of the ginger bug in place of the yeast in step 4 of the above recipe and then follow the rest of the steps as indicated.
- Cover ginger bug with airtight lid and refrigerate until your next batch of soda.
- If you’re looking to feed your ginger bug after using it, replenish it with 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon grated ginger and ¼ cup water. Cover it with a cloth and leave out for 24 hours. Give it a good stir, replace the airtight lid and refrigerate until next time.
