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