Kefir is a fermented beverage that’s said to have more probiotics than kombucha. But without any of the intense acidic flavor. With kefir, you can turn your favorite juice into a probiotic-rich soda and today I will show you two different ways to do it.

Kefir sodas are more sweet and not really acidic at all, especially when compared to kombucha. The most common way you might have seen kefir is in cultured milk products. It uses the same components to infuse probiotics into the milk as we are doing today. They use crystal-looking things called kefir grains and they are like SCOBY for kombucha. SCOBY is a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. And these grains work to convert the sugars in your liquid and create lactic acid. But there’s a bunch of good bacteria and yeast in there as well. These are the probiotics that support gut health. Some studies have shown that kefir can aid in digestion, weight management, blood regulation, and immune defense. It’s also loaded with nutrients and antioxidants. The fermentation does create trace amounts of alcohol. But in most cases, it’s less than 0.5%.

Two main ways to make kefir soda

The harder way involves growing the grains and maintaining them. And an easier way is using an instant kefir product.

For the first method, you will need water kefir grains. You can easily buy them online. Or if you have a friend that makes kefir I’m sure he will let you have some. Opening the bought package of kefir grains there are some simple instructions and a sachet of dried grains. And you need to bring them to life. Right now they’re dormant.

In a glass measuring cup combine a half cup (118 ml) of warm water with 1/4 cup (50 g) of sugar to dissolve. You can use any sugar as long as its a fermentable sugar. Sweeteners like stevia or Splenda will not work.

Once the sugar is dissolved add that to 3 cups (710 ml) of cold water. Then drop the grains in. Cover it up with a paper napkin and a rubber band. Let it sit at room temperature for 3 days. This gives the grains time to wake up. They will start fermenting again and get primed for the main fermentation later.

The temperature is somewhat important to kefir. The ideal temperature is anywhere from 68-85 F (20-29 C). The warmer the faster the fermentation might be so just keep that in mind. After 3 days you’ll see the grains have plumped up and dropped a bit of their color. The water has also become more opaque. Now strain off the grains from the water and we are ready to ferment.

Making water soda kefir

Pull out a glass or plastic fermenter. The size of it will depend on how much kefir you want to make. For this recipe, we use a 1-quart mason jar. You can use any sugary liquid of your choice. Your favorite juice. coconut water or if you just want plain water kefir then just repeat the steps from before with sugar and water.

Whichever way you choose just mix in the grains and let it ferment. This time for just 24 hours. Then strain that water into a bottle. Place the grains into another batch of sugar and water and enjoy your water kefir. As long as you keep that cycle going you should have an endless supply of kefir.

The kefir grains are little living creatures. So as long as they have something to eat (sugars) they stay alive and you can continue to use them. But if you leave your fermentation on the counter for too long they’ll run out of food and eventually die. So if you want to stop making kefir for a few days do this.

• Start a new batch of sugar water mix.
• Cover it up with a napkin and a rubber band on top
• Place it in the fridge

This should be fine for up to a month. When you want to start making kefir again just place them in a new batch of sugar water mix like in the beginning and they will simply wake up.

Easier way to make water kefir

If you don’t want to bother with kefir grains you can try the instant kefir powder. The powdered starter means less setup, and quicker product but also has a less probiotic punch. And unlike the grains you only use the powder a few times before having to start over with a new pack. In the package of the kefir starter kit, you get 4 sachets of instant powder and instructions. The steps are simple.

Add one sachet to 1 quart (946ml) of sugary liquid. This can be juice, coconut water, or just more of that sugar water to the same ratio as before. Sprinkle it in, and cover it with a napkin and a rubber band.

Store it in an area a little bit warmer than room temperature. Around 72-74 F (22-23 C). Then wait for 12-18 hours. When it’s done you’ll see the liquid become cloudy and you can taste it to see how you like it. It’ll have a slight sourness but not too much. You can reculture this up to about 7 times before it will stop working.

All you need to do is take 1/4 of the finished kefir and add it to another quart of more sugary liquid. Refermenting again for 12-18 hours.

With the powder, there isn’t much you can do to extend the life. This is more meant for single to a few time uses. So if you are just looking to experiment then give the powder a try.

Make it fizz and add flavor

The easiest way to make flavorful kefir is to use juice instead of water. At the same time, you can add spices and herbs to add additional flavors to it. You can experiment with mint, ginger, vanilla, cinnamon, or different combinations of juice and fruits.

To make it fizz fill the water kefir into a bottle 3/4 of the way. Add some more of the same juice to fill it up to the top leaving a little bit of headspace. This will add more sugars to it and in turn will referment. This is also the time you can add herbs and spices to your kefir if you haven’t done it during the main fermentation. After another day or two on the counter, it will become fizzy by building pressure in the bottle. Just make sure to use bottles that can hold pressure.

Water kefir soda can be drunk by itself as a refreshing summer beverage. You can also mix it with other drinks and make cocktails. Whichever way you choose I’m sure it will be delicious.