How To: Homemade Soda Part 2

Give fools their gold, and knaves their power; let fortune's bubbles rise and fall; who sows a field, or trains a flower, or plants a tree, is more than all. – John Greenleaf Whittier 

Look at all the bubbles on the top – just from water, sugar and ginger. (Day 8)

Sorry for no weekend posts. I've never missed two days before, and I apologize.

My excuse? We're getting very busy with the house. Every day we're closer to putting it on the market. Yesterday was outside porch painting and inside kitchen walls. What a difference new paint makes.

 I also need to apologize for these pictures. I really need a better camera. Anything up close (like...say, bubbles in a soda...) is extremely difficult to get in focus. I need a camera with f-stops and a good tripod. 

Another thing for on the "after we move" list.

Still lots to do at the house, but I *think* I can see the light at the end of the tunnel (and hopefully it's not an oncoming train!!!).

But I want – and need – to continue writing to you. It's an outlet that I find very therapeutic, especially now when all is upheaval around me. And I have a good post for today. Week one is over in my lacto-fermented soda adventure, and I have to say it’s a success. So far…

This was day 7.

Making your own soda sounds complicated, but I have to admit, so far it's been easy and my result seems to be extremely good. I have a TON of carbonization in my 1 L Mason jar.

How I achieved it was simple. I put some water, sugar and ginger in a preserving jar. Instead of putting the centre part of the top on the jar I stretched pantyhose over the opening and then screwed on the ring. The soda has to breathe to come alive, but “foreign matter” needs to be kept out. 

Then every evening I added 2 teaspoons of grated ginger and 2 teaspoons of grated sugar to keep it going.

That’s all I did. Seriously. The result is the “soda mother.” (I have also heard it called "wort", just like when you brew beer.)

At about the 4-5 day mark (or there about) you will see little bubbles forming at the edge of the jar. On my "Day 8" I’ve capped it off and refrigerated the “mother.” Refrigeration slows it down and gives you time to figure out what kind of soda to make.

It really worked well. I’ve got enough carbonization that I have to be careful opening the top of the jar or it may foam up over the top.

Tomorrow I’ll have to get some bottles with cages and corks on top, make my fruit infusion and then wait a few more days to get flavoured soda.

I’m going to repost the recipe here, just so you don’t have to go looking. In a week when I have soda I’ll post the whole thing again. I’m excited about the result.

It's surprising the things you can do for yourself if you just try.

Day 5. Lots of little bubbles along the top, but I kept it going.

Homemade Soda Starter

Time 1 week

1 L Mason jar

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

2 tsp sugar*

Every day maintenance:

2 tsp ginger, grated

2 tsp sugar

Fill the mason jar 3/4 full with spring water. Add the ginger and sugar and shake well. 

Every 24 hours add the additional ginger and sugar. Taste it too. It should be slightly sweet and slightly gingery. 

What is happening is the ginger and water are using the sugar and converting it to culture. The amounts are approximate for maintenance and can be adjusted.

At the end of the week you will have soda culture which can be flavoured. It may take a shorter or longer time for this. The starter is ready when you can see bubbles at the edge of the liquid in the jar when it’s sitting on the counter.

* Don’t substitute honey. Honey has anti-bacterial properties that will inhibit the growth of the bacteria you need to lacto-ferment the liquid.

I don’t really know what kind of soda to make. I know that Nova scotia strawberries are on sale now. It’s their last week and it might be fun to convert some to soda form.

If you google lacto-fermented soda you get quite a few links with some very interesting information. 

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