I have a love for all the fizzy drinks but unfortunately not all of them are good for you. And the ones that are considered healthy are expensive to buy. So when I heard my friend made her own fizzy berry soda I knew I had to have her teach me how. After she taught me and I made my own - I was hooked! It is so delicious! I wanted to share it with you all!
Step 1:
It starts with a ginger bug! It sounds kind of crazy but a ginger bug is a mix of fresh ginger, water and sugar that has been fermenting until it's bubbly and foamy. My friend was kind enough to share some of her ginger bug with me. But if you're starting from scratch with your ginger bug here's a great video to watch showing how to get one started:
After your ginger bug is fizzy and fermented you're ready to get started making a berry soda!
Step 2:
Gather your ingredients & Supplies:
Your active ginger bug
2 TBSP chopped Organic ginger root
1/2 Cup Organic cane sugar
2 cups Organic mixed berries (I got mine frozen from Costco)
4 cups Spring water or filtered water
Cutting board
Knife
Strainer
Pot
Step 3:
Add 2 cups of mixed berries
&
4 cups of spring water or filtered water to a pot.
Bring the pot to a boil and then set the timer for 20 mins
At the 10 min mark, press out more juices from the fruit.
Step 3:
After 20 mins of boiling, remove from heat and press more juice out of the fruit.
Immediately add 1/2 cup of cane sugar to the hot mixture and stir to dissolve.
Let the mixture cool completely.
Step 4:
After mixture is completely cool, add 1/4 cup of active ginger bug
Strain the mixture using a tea towel or cheesecloth - make sure to squeeze out as much of the berry juice as possible!
Step 5:
Transfer the mixture into a swing top bottle. Make sure there's enough space at the top of the bottle for the air pressure that the fermenting process creates.
Step 6:
Place your bottle full of the berry soda in an area that is away from sunlight.
Preferably a spot that's warm.
The spot I picked in my house is on the floor in front of a heat register and it seems to work great! Otherwise my friend said that she uses a heating pad to keep the bottles warm while it ferments.
Keep the soda in a warm place and "burp" them every 12 hours to release the pressure.
After 3-4 days of processing, transfer your soda to the fridge and pour yourself a glass once it's cold!
It's a pretty easy and affordable way to get your fizzy drinks in! Enjoy!