Blog_WaterKefirFlavorExpermients_09.09.15_Suzanne_1 If you’ve read any of my posts before you know I don’t like to change my routine. When I find something I like I stick to it. And, I admit, I’m lazy when it comes to fermenting. That’s why for the past few years I’ve flavored my water kefir with lemon juice and maybe a few berries. It’s yummy, it gets fizzy, and my kiddo likes it so why change? Well this year I’ve been hankering for something a bit different so I decided to experiment a bit. Back in my sugar-eating days I loved soda. Yes, I drank lots of soda. And one of my favorite sodas was cream soda. As I began thinking about new water kefir flavors I remembered that love of cream soda, so I did a little research into making homemade cream soda. Then I translated what I found into a water kefir recipe. And what a treat! Using a honey syrup for flavoring is all it took. We now have a favorite dessert recipe for special occasions. Blog_WaterKefirFlavorExpermients_09.09.15_Suzanne_2 Since the cream soda venture was so successful, I kept going. Rhubarb is in season and it’s another one of my favorites, so I followed the same basic plan by making a rhubarb syrup of sorts to flavor the water kefir. The finished fizzy rhubarb soda was delicious.  Another success! Maybe next time I’m in a rut it won’t take me quite so long to dig out of it. Check out my recipes below.

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Water Kefir Vanilla Cream Soda

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Ingredients:

  • 1 cup honey
  •  1 cup water
  •  3 tablespoons vanilla
  •  4 cups finished water kefir
  •  2-4 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions:

  1. Add honey and water to a small pot and heat gently, stirring until honey is completely dissolved. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and cool completely.
  2. Combine cooled honey mixture with water kefir (grains removed).
  3. Fill flip-top or similar bottles with flavored water kefir mixture. Cap tightly and ferment 24-48 hours or until bubbly. This mixture tends to taste a little yeasty after 72 hours of bottling.
  4. Pour cream into the bottom of a tall glass. Fill glass with bubbly flavored water kefir. Enjoy!
Makes 4 servings.

Rhubarb Water Kefir Soda

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups chopped rhubarb
  • water
  • 2 tablespoon honey
  • 4 cups finished water kefir

Instructions:

  1. Place rhubarb in a small saucepan and add water until just covered. Heat to boiling.
  2. Reduce heat; simmer 10-15 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat. Stir in honey. Cool mixture completely.
  4. Strain rhubarb pieces and add cooled syrup to finished water kefir.
  5. Pour into flip-top or other tightly sealed bottles. Ferment at room temperature 24-48 hours.
  6. Enjoy!