Welcome to The Green Green Gate,
How do we start the all natural sodas???
Have you the Ginger Bug starter made ???
https://www.thegreengreengate.com/index.php/2020/05/14/ginger-bug/
If you have, what are you waiting for !!!!
If not, get on it !!!!
What you need.
- Your fizzy fermented Ginger Bug. https://www.thegreengreengate.com/index.php/2020/05/14/ginger-bug/
- Bottled or good spring water.
- Fruit, vegetable or tea of choice.
- Organic sugar or I like to use coconut sugar as it has a nice rich flavour.
- Sugar, however is not always necessary as some fruits have plenty of natural sugars.
- Glass bottles, I used 1lt hinged bottles.
- Muslin cloth or a clean piece of clean breathable cloth.
- I find a funnel is handy.
- A juicer if using fruit or veg.
- A few measuring jugs.
- A sieve but muslin would also do just fine.
Tea as a base ingredient
The type of tea really doesn’t matter but do try and use the best you can afford. I tend to use caffeine free fruit teas or good green or Matcha teas. You most certainly will have to add sugar to these as they have very little to no natural occurring sugar and need a little help to ferment. They may also take longer to ferment.
My standard quantities for Tea sodas are as follows ;
- Per 1 lt bottle, I use 2/3 tea bags soaked in 750ml of boiling water.
- To that I add 25g sugar, I like to use coconut sugar but any type will do.
- Allow that mix to go cold.
- Once cold add 200g of your lovely fizzy Ginger Bug.
- Add a few slices of ginger and/or turmeric for an extra kick and goodness.
- Cover with muslin or breathable cloth and place in a nice warm part of your kitchen or house.
These Tea sodas will take a few days to bubble and fizzy, if you think they are not fizzing add a little more sugar and wait another day or two. BUT once you get a fermented smell, they are fermenting and may not fizz. When I have these troublesome ones, I just cover them and leave them another few days in the fridge and sometimes they fizz and sometimes they don’t. Regardless of fizz, they are so good for you and your gut health.
Some of my favourite combos to do are hibiscus tea with a few slices of ginger added. I have also done green Matcha and turmeric and wild berry tea with a few raisins added for extra richness.
Whatever combo you do it will be good for you !!!!!
Fruit and Vegetables as base ingredients ;
These are by far my favourite Sodas for many reasons. They are versatile, easy to make, delicious, fun to make , kid friendly (once not over fermented, remember fermentation does produce a little alcohol) and they are so so good for you as they not only contain gut friendly bacteria, they are full of vitamins and minerals from the fruit and veg, and take far less time to ferment.
I add little to no sugar to these as it is naturally occurring in most fruit and vegetables. If you do have to add sugar it will be fermented away up to the angels, so it’s still good for you.
Your Gut will thank you.
My Standard quantities for Fruit and Vegetable sodas are as follows ;
- Per 1 lt bottle I use 250ml of fresh Juice (what ever combination you prefer)
- No sugar needed as they have their own natural sugars
- 150ml of your Ginger Bug Starter
- Top up with spring or bottled water.
- Cover with muslin or breathable cloth and place in a nice warm part of your kitchen or house.
These fruit and vegetable sodas will or should not take longer than 24 hours to ferment but it does depend on the strength of your Bug and the heat in the room. They can take up to 48 hours but no more. Once you can see bubbles and fizz, and if it it has a fermented smell its ready to chill.
BE AWARE…….!!!!!!!
These fruit and vegetable sodas Do keep fermenting in the fridge. I advise you pop them each day, out of the fridge to avoid any leaks or fizz ups.
I’ve had many that have over fermented and once I’ve popped them they fire high in the air and I loose most of my hard work. When you do pop them open do so slowly and with patience. It will be worth the wait.
NOTE : there is always sediment at the end of the bottle. It is only the yeast and the juice particles. I strain them with muslin but my Blue eyed Man drinks it no problem.
Combinations I like to make
My Blue eyed Man and I have a clear favourite, Apple and Ginger. You just can not go wrong with it. The more ginger the better. I simply juice the apples and ginger together and follow the above method.
Pineapple and turmeric… it is the most delightful colour and so good for you.
Beetroot and ginger.
Pear and grape.
Ginger and coconut Sugar… very strong but so good for you. ( add 1 table spoon of coconut sugar to the ginger). Ginger beer on steroids !!!!!
Carrot and apple.
Green apple, kiwi and spinach. This looks amazing. So vibrant.
Anything you can juice you can use. Use what you like and experiment. That’s what we did. Some were not great and others are house hold staples. I get antsy if I don’t have any in the house or have the ingredients to make the next batch. Ginger is a must I believe for many reasons. It is so good for you, adds a zing and amps up the flavour of most juices.
Please Please Please Do yourself and your body a favour and make the bug and the sodas. A small glass everyday will do wonders for you gut and overall health.
Drinking them has cleared up my allergies, which helps me think clearly, I feel lighter and above all its improves my overall life as I’m NOT sneezing all day everyday !!!!!
I tried these as an experiment and I’ve never looked back.
This is how I dipped my toe into fermentation and have loved it all, even the fails.
Warm Regards
Sarah (not so sneezy)
https://www.thegreengreengate.com/index.php/2017/03/23/why-ive-gone-au-natural-inside-and-out/
