Cucumber Kefir Soda

You make this yummy drink by first making a Cucumber Extract. This drink is so refreshing you'll want to make it again and again. Mint, basil, and cucumbers are a wonderful combination.

Course: Beverages

Equipment

32-ounce bottle Make sure you use thick glass bottles made for brewing. Craft store bottles will explode.

Ingredients

Cucumber Extract

1 cucumber Sliced
1 sprig mint fresh
1 leaf basil
1 ½ cups Sucanat

Cucumber Kefir Soda

1 packet Kefir Soda Starter Or ½ cup Kefir Whey
⅔ Cup cucumber extract
Water spring or filtered with minerals lightly filtered or spring

Instructions

Cucumber Extract

Place cucumber, fresh mint, and basil in a bowl.
Sprinkle Sucanat on top of cucumber and herbs, and combine thoroughly.
Cover and let sit overnight on the counter, and the next morning strain off the juices and store in the fridge or use to make your soda.

Cucumber Kefir Soda

Add the Kefir Soda Starter packet OR kefir whey to your cucumber extract and stir till dissolved.
Pour the cucumber mixture into a 32-ounce bottle (a funnel helps). Make sure you use bottles such as Grolsch or Bormioli thick glass bottles. Bottles bought at craft stores can explode.
Fill the rest of the bottle with water leaving an inch of room at the top.
Allow it to ferment for 3-7 days or until bubbly and fizzy. If your home is 75°F or warmer it will usually take 3-4 days. Colder homes can take 5 days or longer, but you'll need to check it by popping the top to see if it's getting fizzy. It will start to bubble out the top if it does.
When it's done, you can pour it into a glass and enjoy it right away or place it in the fridge. It will continue to ferment in the fridge, so burp it daily and consume it within 1-2 weeks for the most benefits and the best flavor.

Re-Culturing From Your First Bottle

You can use ½ cup of this finished kefir soda as a starter to make a new bottle. Add the other ingredients and ferment again. It should only take a half to a full day to ferment. It ferments faster on subsequent batches and you can make many bottles over and over again!