How to Make Soda from All Natural Ingredients
Did you know that you can make sodas out of your favorite flavors without the need for a carbon dioxide dispenser? In fact, you probably have most of the things that you need for this project in your kitchen right now. Take a look at the following steps, and see how easy it is to start making sodas that provide a healthier alternative to what you find on store shelves.
Preparing the Soda
The first step is to choose your ingredients or flavors. Some people make medicinal sodas by using a blend of medicinal herbs such as oregano, sage and anise. Others prefer to make sweet sodas with pieces of citrus, strawberries or grapes. The possibilities are endless, and experimentation is key to unlocking all kinds of flavor choices that your family will love.
Basically you just add a handful of your ingredients into a gallon of water in a pot. Bring to a boil and then turn off the heat. This will allow the water to cool slightly as you add about 1 ½ cups of sugar and stir into the mixture. Stir slowly and continually until all of the sugar has dissolved. Allow the liquid to cool before adding any citrus or mint to the flavor.
Yeast
The secret to this recipe is that you are using yeast to produce carbon dioxide which will carbonate the drinks. For this project, we get this by adding ¼ teaspoon of yeast to the liquid. Look for ale yeast, but bread yeast will work fine also. You can also make your own starter culture by using some juice from sauerkraut and whey and pour that into the mix as well. Having a starter culture established over time will give you an unlimited supply of yeast that is optimized for your sodas, but it comes with experience and through some trial and error as well.
Once you’ve added the yeast or cultures, mix the liquid thoroughly so that everything is evenly distributed.
Bottling
Take a funnel and start pouring your liquid into the respective and appropriate bottles through a strainer. The best bottles to use are the glass ones with manual pressure or flip-top locks. They look like beer bottles with a cork on top that is connected by two brackets on either side. These should give you adequate protection against caps or corks popping off as pressure builds inside the bottles. These bottles will also maximize shelf life and the retention of pressure. However, you can also use standard soda bottles as long as they are in good condition and the cap can be screwed tight.
Keep in mind that the yeast will ferment in the bottles and give off carbon dioxide which will give the soda its fizz. This also creates pressure that can damage inferior bottles as mentioned before. This is why it’s so important to chose the right containers for this project.
All you need to do now is seal the caps or lids and let the bottles rest for about 24-36 hours at room temperature. Test one or two of them for carbonation and pressure levels. Be prepared to tweak the amount of yeast that you use for successive batches in order to find the right balance. At the end of the day, this is a great way to produce some tasty and healthy drinks, and they will make a wonderful addition to any long-term food storage stockpile.
