Making Homemade Sodas

Having been somewhat addicted to sodas earlier in my life, I know the lure of the bubbly, sweet drinks! However, being the meanie mom that I am, I do not allow my children to drink sodas at home... the dilema comes when the kids get sick of drinking milk, water or juice. So, I did some research (my favorite passtime) and found a book on making homemade sodas! I had already made homemade ginger beer for Noah's occasional upset stomach, so I was not a stranger to bottling fizzy drinks. Although the ginger beer called for natural fermentation, I am able to make these new sodas with baker's yeast. It is a fun activity with the kids, also! They enjoy checking the bottles for carbonation- and we can control the sugar content, which is much less than the commercial brands.




The ingredients/tools for making sodas are very basic- all you need is fruit juice, ginger, filtered water, various spices from your pantry, and bakers' yeast! I bottle my sodas in brown, 16oz bottles with caps, but it is possible to put them in recycled, plastic soda bottles.





Here is a photo of some cherry-citrus soda I made yesterday. With our tropical climate, the soda only has to ferment for about 36 hours before refrigeration. Look at all those beautiful bubbles!

Here's 2 recipes you are welcome to try:


Cherry-Lemon soda
1/2 gal cherry 100% juice mix (we enjoy cherry/white grape juice)
1 T lemon juice
1/16 t bakers' yeast + 1/8 c filtered water

1. Allow juice to reach room temp, then pour into 1 gal jug (I use clean plastic milk jug) with lemon juice.
2. Let yeast + water sit for 5 min, then add to gal jug.
3. Cap jug and invert jug several times to mix.
4. Bottle (in glass or plastic bottles) and cap tightly; place in dark place for 36-72 hours, depending on temperature. Check for carbonation until ready for refrigeration. Place in fridge until ready to drink!



Lemon-Lime soda
2 quarts filtered water
scant 1 c sugar (you can substitute with rapadura or other natural sweetener)
1 lemon
2-3 limes
1/16 t granulated bakers' yeast + 1/8 c filtered water

1.Heat 1 quart water and sugar until sugar is dissolved.
2. Mix with other quart of water in 1 gal jug (I use a clean plastic milk jug)
3. Juice the fruits and pour into sugar water- LET COOL TO LUKEWARM
4. Let yeast sit in lukewarm 1/8 c water for 5 min. , then add to gallon jug.
5. Cap jug and shake vigorously.
6. Let jug sit loosely capped for 2 hours, then agitate again before bottling.
7. Pour into bottles and cap tightly.
8. When carbonation is right (about 6-8 days*), refrigerate!
* carbonation is slow with citrus fruits*