12 summer-kissed, fruity water kefir soda recipes to see you through the hottest days. Easy and adaptable. Fizzy and fun.
Water kefir? What’s that all about? I thought that was only a dairy thing.
If you thought kefir was only a fermented dairy drink – the smarter cousin of yogurt – think again. And go read my post, Water Kefir for the Curious. In that post I detail how and why you will be wanting to ferment your water. Probiotic and gently flavoured, water kefir is the essential drink this summer. Gut issues or not – and it is fab for these – you will want to be cooling down with this wondrously versatile drink. Great for kids and adults, especially if you are trying to avoid commercial sodas.
Going beyond the first fermentation
Water kefir is often drunk just after fermenting, usually 2-3 days after you first put water kefir grains in a jar with sugar water. During that time the grains “eat” the sugar and turn the water into a probiotic wonder liquid. Many healthful strains of good (lactic) bacteria and yeasts will infuse the water, tinging it the palest of yellows and flavouring it with the faintest of yeasty tangs. It can be an acquired taste at this stage. A bit bland too. I quite like it this way. Which probably says something about me!
But, if you add crushed, chopped or pureed fruits to this ferment, then let it ferment a little bit more, boy oh boy are you in for a treat. Not only is the taste fantastic, the fizz that develops once fruit is added and allowed to ferment… Well, you will just have to try it for yourself. When you do you will be wondering where water kefir soda has been all your life. I know that I did. Once you realise how simple and delicious it is to make your own natural sodas you will be eyeing up the fruit aisle for its water kefir soda potential; and truly, pretty much anything is fair game.
How to flavour your water kefir sodas
Flavouring your second fermentation is straightforward, with very few actual rules, more suggestions. And the benefits of a second ferment are even greater than stopping at the first fermentation. Adding fruits and herbs – even flowers – infuse extra nutrients as well as new wild yeasts to feed the water. And you. Your gut will be happy you made the very little effort. And, if recent-ish studies are to be believed (and I do believe), your gut is calling the shots in your food and drink decisions anyway.
The only points/advice to keep in mind are these:
1. Use organic if at all possible; lightly rinsing but not scrubbing
2. Ripe is everything. Undamaged, too (damaged fruit may harbour bad bacteria).
3. Chop it, crush it, puree it – you want as much of the flavour exposed to the water as possible.
4. Seal it up. Clip-top/swing-lid jars and bottles are best. Sometimes I ferment in jars then transfer to bottles. Whatever is easiest for you. My product recommendations are below.
5. Keep your second ferment at room temperature until it is the flavour intensity that you desire, then put it in the refrigerator. You can strain or or not, but the flavour will intensify gently after refrigeration, and the fruit will leach its colour, which isn’t always attractive. I always leave my fruit in.
6. Briefly burp your drink once a day for safety. Always cover with a tea towel just in case. Btw, I rarely take my own advice, and only the other day had to mop my floor. Learn from my mistakes!
7. If it is above 75F it may be best to add your fruit to the water kefir and immediately put the bottle in the refrigerator to slow down what might be a very rapid fermentation. Otherwise, refrigerate within a couple of hours.
8. Most water kefir sodas will be ready at room temperature within 24 hours. Keep away from direct sunlight.
9. Drink your soda within seven days after refrigeration. After that it can be quite fizzy and will lose its sweetness as the bacteria use up the fruit sugars. After sugar is used up the drink may be sour and yeasty-tasting.
Okay, let’s flavour that water!
12 Fruity Water Kefir Sodas for Summer
12 summer-kissed, fruity water kefir soda recipes to see you through the hottest days. Ease and adaptable. Fizzy and fun. xx
Recipe Notes
BASICS
1. Each recipe uses approximately 1/3 litre (1/3 quart) of first-ferment water kefir.
2. If you want to add sugar or other sweetener do so, but best at no more than 2 tbsp per 1/2 litre. If you won't be finishing the drink within a couple of days, add a little more to taste when serving as it may have lost it's sweetness with further fermenting. You can use any sweetener you like in a second ferment.
3. Add all flavourings to a sealable bottle, topping up with water kefir. Leave at least one-inch head room.
4. Strain or not, as you prefer
Cherry-Vanilla Kefir Soda
12 pitted, chopped or pureed cherries - fresh or frozen + 1/2 vanilla pod, split
Blueberry-Lavender Kefir Soda
1 large handful blueberries, crushed + 2 small sprigs garden/culinary lavender or 1 tsp dried
Pineapple Punch
2 fat slices of pineapple, pureed or well-crushed + 1 orange, chopped (skin on if you like) or squeezed + 1 lemon, squeezed + 1/2 lime, squeezed
Elderflower Kefir Soda
3 washed heads of elderflower + 3 thick slices of lemon, mashed + 2 tbsp sugar
Strawberry-Lemongrass Kefir Soda
10 ripe sweet strawberries, well-mashed or cut up + 1 large lemongrass, bashed and cut up + 1 tbsp lemon juice
Baobab-Citrus Kefir Soda
2 large oranges, juiced + zest from 1/2 orange + 1 tbsp baobab powder + 1 tbsp sugar
Celestial Berries Kefir Soda
1 Celestial Seasonings Red Zinger Bag or 2 tbsp dried hibiscus flowers + handful raspberries, crushed + handful strawberries, crushed / or use a naturally-flavoured fruit teabag of choice
Pu-erh Tea Kefir Drink
2 tbsp loose pu-erh tea or Oolong tea + 1 tbsp lemon juice + 1 tbsp sugar (very much optional) Note: keep this lightly fermented - 6-8 hours will do
Pink Lemonade Kefir Soda
2 lemons, juiced + few pieces lemon peel + 2 handfuls of raspberries, crushed + 1-2 tbsp sugar
Peach-Raspberry Kefir Soda
2 ripe peaches, well-mashed or pureed + 2 handfuls raspberries, crushed
Orangsicle Kefir Soda
3-4 oranges, juiced + few pieces orange peel + 1/2 vanilla, split
Pure Melon Bliss Kefir Soda
1/2 Galia melon, pureed + 1 lightly bruised sprig of Thai basil, optional
**Please read my previous post to find out how to make water kefir, as well as find out more about the benefits of it. If you have any question about water kefir, please just ask and I will give my best answer. **
Follow my Facebook and Instagram accounts for extra, ultra-simple, complete recipes that don’t appear on the blog. This is my most recent Instagram + Facebook recipe, for {Bee} Golden Tahini-Stuffed Dates
And if you post an Instagram pic of one of my recipes that you’ve made, I will share it with pride.
Products I use to make water kefir
Happy Kombucha Water Kefir Grains
Kilner Clip Top Preserving Bottles
Kilner Beehive Water & Cordial Clip Top Bottle 800ml
Le Parfait Jar 2L (I use this one most often for larger batches)
Kitchencraft Nylon Mesh Strainer
Clear Plastic Filter Funnel (mine is similar but grey)
Brita Fill&Enjoy Jug (similar to mine)
**The above are Amazon UK affiliate links. Your purchase from my links helps support this site and keep it ad-free. Thank you!**
Further reading:
The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz – the best book on fermenting. Well written and fascinating. Not a recipe book though
DIY Fermentation by Katherine Green – good little recipe book with interesting fermentation projects
The Good Gut: Taking control of your weight, your mood and your long-term health by Justin Sonnenburg and Erica Sonnenburg – excellent, highly readable book. I’ve read it twice.
Gut by Guilia Enders (great reviews and recommended to me, but I’ve not read it)
The Clever Guts Diet by Michael Mosley – an easy, engaging “starter” book on the gut and health connection
The Diet Myth: the real science behind what we eat by Professor Tim Spector – un-put-downable read on how microbes affect weight, and more
Magical microbes: how to feed your gut – excellent article in The Guardian, quoting the top experts, including Professor Tim Spector (above)
**Remember to follow me on Pinterest and, if you make water kefir, click on the pin below and leave a photo of your make with a comment telling me what you think, or any awesome changes that you made. Whether on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or of course here on the blog, I love to see what my lovely readers do with my recipes, and I welcome your comments, tweaks and suggestions.**
Pin now. Make soon!
Brilliant post Kellie, so many flavour combinations!
You will laugh when you read this!
I just read your post & was wholeheartedly agreeing with everything & then opened my orange & passion fruit water kefir & it fizzed all over the place! Just as well I had a tea towel handy! It’s dangerous stuff!!
Managed to salvage half the bottle, the rest is on the ceiling & kitchen cupboards!!
It was delicious though!! Xx
These are beautiful and delicious. Such a treat to have really flavoursome summer drinks with a health kick
This is amazing and a new world to me. I often buy diary keffir but never even thought a water version existed. You’ve temped me to try with these beautiful looking flavour combo. So interesting 👏🏻
I drank my first home made water kefir today, it was flavoured with peach and it was was gorgeous, but I now know why it gets opened over the sink! Not too big a spill fortunately. I’ve never liked fizzy drinks like coke or irn bru but I love this. Where has it been all my life. I can see it replacing the hole that giving up coffee has left. I’ve been drinking milk kefir for a couple of months now and I’m able to take less omeprazole for a dodgy tummy. Not completely yet, I’m working up to that but I’m sure that day will come.
Oh I’m so glad, Marie. I have heard from quite a few people that it can help with acidity in this way. I find it helps to regulate my gut motility (I have a life-long condition that affects my digestive tract). So many potential helpful aspects to drinking and eating fermented foods. I’m happy that you’ve found it useful too. And tasty!
Thank you So very much for your info and helpful site! I have been brewing Kefir now for about 5 months . It is a wonderful world now for my gut and health. I have always had stomach issues and 13 inches of colon removed. So, I am beyond thankful and excited at how much my health has improved. I love 💕 your recipes and an excited to try the elderflower recipe when in season.
Also your little bottles are awesome cute, was wondering were to get some of these?
Thanks for your easy to follow posts and tutorials!
We have just started experimenting with our grains, we’re currently enjoying nectarine/lemonbalm and eagerly waiting for the papaya/date/ginger to be ready! 👍🍹🔆