Cream Soda
Next up in our fermented soda series is a delicious cream soda! If you like vanilla, you will adore this soda. It's full of rich fresh vanilla which, in my mind, automatically makes it taste creamy.
Gut healthy cream soda
You will need:
4-6 whole vanilla beans
1 1/2 cups sugar of your choice
1 Tablespoon lemon or lime zest
1 gallon filtered water
1 1/2 cups ginger bug (learn to make it here)
Directions:
1. Snip the vanilla beans into a few pieces.
2. Place the beans, sugar, and half of the water (2 quarts) in a large pot. Pour the other half of the water in a large glass pitcher. Set aside.
3. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
4. Add in the lemon or lime zest. Personally I prefer the lime.
5. Cover and let this simmer for 15-20 minutes.
6. Once it’s finished simmering, remove the mixture from the heat pour it all into the pitcher with the other half of the water.
7. Cover (I use a towel and rubber band) and allow this to cool to room temperature.
8. Once it’s cool add in the ginger bug.
9. Cover it back up and leave the pitcher sit on your counter for 1-3 days to ferment.
10. Once it starts to bubble it’s time to pour into bottles. This particular soda does not seem to get very fizzy, though, so it might just be a "taste it, and when you like it, bottle it up."
11. Using a fine mesh strainer, strain off the vanilla beans and lemon zest.
12. Pour the soda into bottles of your choice, just making sure to leave a little head space (about 1 inch). This leaves room for the extra carbonation.
13. Now you will let the bottles sit on the counter for another day or so to build up the carbonation for some nice fizz. Watch this carefully, however! If you let it sit too long you could have an explosion. If this makes you leery, then here is my suggestion: When first starting out, use pint sized mason jars with the metal lids and rings. Every so often, check the “bubble” on top of the lid by pushing it down. If it gives under pressure, then your soda is not ready. Once the lid becomes firm and does not give anymore the soda has become carbonated.
14. Immediately place the bottles of your cream soda in the refrigerator and drink to your health!