Grape Kefir Soda
Cinnamon Basil is hands down my favorite herb. I keep it growing on my counter in the winter because I can’t bear to be without it. I put it in everything soups, salads, pasta dishes, salad dressing even desserts such as cheesecake. It is milder and sweeter than regular basil and has a hint of cinnamon that makes it taste extra special. You can buy it at most nursery’s that sell herbs. I grow mine in a pot on the back porch so I don’t have to walk very far to get some. It makes this drink have an extra kick that you can’t quite tell (it you didn’t know) what it is. Taste just like a grape soda but a little more tart and is super bubbly. Watch out that you don’t ferment it to long on your counter because it could explode. Check it after a day or two by opening the lid and release the pressure. When it gets really fizzy when you open it then it is ready. Place in the fridge to calm it down and then serve ice cold.
Just the thing for summer time, lacto ferment sodas take the place of regular soda without all the sugar plus the extra bonus of being probiotic. It is super easy and you can use the first bottle as a starter for extra batches. It’s the fizz I love the most and it is naturally carbonated.
Cinnamon Basil Grape Soda ( lacto fermented)
2 cups grape juice
2 cups water
1 kefir culture package or 1/2 cup kefir whey
2 cinnamon basil leaves or regular basil (optional but delicious)
Place kefir pack in water and mix well.
Add all ingredients into a 1 liter bottle with a clamp down lid.
If you use the culture package let sit for 2 to 3 days or until bubbly and fizzy. If you use the kefir whey it can take longer 2 to 5 days to become fizzy. You should check it by opening the lid and you will hear and see the fizz. Then it is ready. It should also not be overly sweet but a little tart.
Then place in refrigerator.
To make another bottle: If you use the powder packages, you can take 1/2 cup of this fermented soda mixture and add some more grape juice, water and ferment again. It will only take a half to a full day to become bubbly. Check it often. You can do this up to 20 times or until it stops becoming fizzy. Then you will need another culture package.
If you use the kefir whey: Start with fresh kefir whey and let ferment again for 3 to 5 days.
My little Tank kept getting in the picture. It was just easier to leave him in it.
Basil gives it a unique flavor
Notice all the naturally occurring carbonation in the bottle. This is from me just opening it.
A super fizzy drink with kefir probiotics in it.
You can leave out the basil
Hi Donna,
I’ve been making kefir soda for a few months now and usually use dried fruit or fresh squeezed juice to second ferment. I just bought some grape juice to try making grape soda but it has ascorbic acid in it. I read that ascorbic acid is antibacterial…will it kill the good bugs in my kefir if I use it to second ferment, or do you think the kefir bacterias will overpower it??
Thanks!
Kim W. in KC
It will be fine. These are super strong cultures and so many good bacteria’s that they become dominate and can’t be killed.
Thanks Donna!
Will the recipe work with Welch’s Frozen grape juice that I reconstitute first? I don’t know where to get absolute fresh grape juice.
Yes it will work great. You don’t have to use fresh, I don’t and it works great.
ok donna i found the answer by searching thru your blog further. i have made peach, and blueberry. i didn’t add any sugars tho, which i find they use when they are making a ‘ginger bug’ thats for another day. thanks again! c. lou
Hi again. I just had to come back and ask you if you think this would work in a water kefir. I’m trying to make a soda, and will try your root beer suggestion when I start the kombucha or with water kefir, but wanted to see what you thought about something like this sugar free hazlenut syrup to flavor a drink.
http://www.davincigourmet.com/products/product_details/?productID=177
The bacteria needs the sugar to eat and convert this to co2. Without it it won’t work. Most of the sugar is consumed and you can always add less if you want, but sugar free syrups won’t work.
Thank you so much Donna. Sorry for the delay in thank you, but I so appreciate you and this website. I have to say, I just watched your story and am so moved by it. It’s very exciting to see the role kefir played in getting your premie strong and gaining weight. As well as healing you, bringing life and joy in to your body. It was awesome to hear how your love for your Holly kicked in and got your determined to get well so you could get her home. Beautiful story. Thanks so much for sharing.
I just have one more question on water kefir. And thank you for replying to my prior question…this is a follow up. On the hazlenut syrup, are you saying that the flavoring part of kefir making, after you’ve strained out the grains, that the whatever we flavor it with has to have sugar too not just the initial batch of sugar water?
Thank you!
Hi Donna, I love your blog and want to thank you for creating it! It’s so helpful and so healing.
I just started making water kefir but am trying to get over my fear of a bottle exploding in the kitchen and hurting one of my kids! So, I just made my first few batches. They came out good but I flinch whenever I go to open the bottles after they are done fermenting. Or in the process of fermenting.
I am using the swing top bottles, if I open them up every 24 hours would this be enough to prevent to much pressure from building in there? Or should I do it more often? I do the first ferment for 24 hours, then add juice or dried fruit to let it go another 18-24 hours. I am afraid to let it go any longer. But, if it is safe, what are the benefits of letting it 2nd ferment longer then 24 hours? Doesn’t it turn to vinegar?
Oh, also I have some old maple syrup glass bottles with the screw on tops. Will they still get fizzy. I saw your comment above saying we can do it with a screw on top. I take it is just won’t get as fizzy but we still need to be careful that they don’t explode. They are pretty small flask type bottles.
The clamp down’s I bought are the 34 ounce swing tops.
Thank you for helping us get healthy! I so appreciate your blogging.
You need to make sure whatever you ferment them in is thick glass. The kind that can handle the pressure and made for things fermenting in them. I wouldn’t let them go more 24hours if they are fizzy. They will keep fermenting in the fridge and get more fermented just not as much and it is safer this way too.You can open them a couple times a day just to check on them. Thanks for the comments. Let me know how it goes. I just made some kefir soda myself and have to go check it!
Well thank you for getting back to me. I let my bottle of coconut water sit out a little more today. I had already 2nd fermented and refrigerated but I did not let it go for the full 24 hours, only about 18. But had already drank half of it so it had quite a bit of head room. Sat it out for 2-3 hours and wow, it gave quite a pop when I opened it up again. I’m so excited about these drinks. Hopefully I can get off of dr. pepper and STAY off of it now. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve given that junk up only to pick it up again. Hope your water kefir turned out good! I’m sure it did since you’ve been at this for 10 years now.
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Two questions:
when you say to use Kefir starter or kefir whey, would that be milk kefir or water kefir?
I’m wondering if instead of using a starter or whey, could I just use some already fermented (once) water kefir and second ferment it with grape juice and cinnamon basil?
Thanks!
where can I get some more kefir grains? mine just wore out!
Here are some places: Shared Kefir Grains http://www.torontoadvisors.com/Kefir/kefir-list.php
Cultures For Health http://www.culturesforhealth.com/starter-cultures/kefir-cultures.html
Heal Thyself has a community of people willing to share kefir grains.http://heal-thyself.ning.com/group/introtoferments
Can you use a jar with a screw on lid for this?
You can, but it does much better in a clamp down lid. It also releases pressure from the gasket. That being said, you can do it with a lid and a jar just check it often.
Thanks for this simple recipe. It’s seems so delicious. Do you know of we can replace grape juice by lemon juice ? I’m wondering how to make a good lemonade !
You can replace it with lemon juice but you might need to add a little sugar so the yeasts have something to eat. Lemon juice is already tart. It will eat the sugar and make it bubbly!