Homemade soda .... healthier versions

freemotion

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So I stumbled across this article last night and almost fell out of my chair giggling with glee:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/2004-12-01/Brew-Soda-at-Home.aspx?page=5

I'd just mentioned to my dh that I was craving a soda. This past ridiculous 100 F spring/summer/fall I craved soda and gave in 3-4 times and had a Celcius orange soda with Splenda. Yummy, expensive, and....well....Splenda!

Why didn't I think of making my own before? We made rootbeer when I was a kid, and I remember the little bottle of flavoring and LOTS of sugar and the yeasty taste and the exploding bottles. That's why I didn't consider it before. But in researching wine recipes online, the above article caught my eye.

There are some ideas for making it essentially sugar-free, by using only enough sugar for the yeast to convert and then using artificial sweeteners. There is a request for recipes from anyone using stevia.

No one responded.

I am taking up the call for stevia soda recipes. Another project for this winter. I am imagining a fun cookout next July, complete with homemade wine and beer and soda, and homemade fermented condiments and even homemade hot dogs. OK, let's get real, there will be NO pork left by next July. But I can dream.

Who wants to join me in this quest? I know BBH made sweet potato fly last summer. I made the ginger ale from NT but forgot it in the fridge too long (craziness) and by the time we opened it...I sent my dad out with it into the front yard....most of the bottle ended up in the snow. The NT recipes have way too much salt.

I will be trying the MEN recipes with champagne yeast. I first need to get a couple of plastic soda bottles, because I want to have my learning curve be a bit safer before I switch to glass bottles. The process is exactly the same as wine, but very quick, bottled and refrigerated before alcohol is formed.

I am imagining some creative sodas next summer, flavored with herbs maybe. What do you think of a lemon soda flavored with lemony herbs such as lemon balm and staghorn sumac? Or a mint soda with a mint tea base? Ginger ale, of course, and even a chai soda might be good. Orange soda with orange juice? The sky is the limit!

I am not interested in using the little bottles of artificially flavored and colored commercial mixtures, nor am I interested in making sugary drinks. I cleaned that out of our diets and I am not going to bring it back. So.....who's in this with me? C'mon!!!! :frow
 

urban dreamer

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That sounds great! Me and Noobiechickenlady are working together to break our Dr. Pepper habits. I'm looking forward to reading more here! :D :pop
 

Wifezilla

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I first need to get a couple of plastic soda bottles, because I want to have my learning curve be a bit safer before I switch to glass bottles
You mean you don't want to dig glass shards out of the side of your cabinet with a needle nose pliers? No sense of adventure!
 

freemotion

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I used up all my sense of adventure when I bred and birthed my goats this year! I'm currently completely out of that level of sense-of-adventure! Now I have to wait for it to recharge. A bit of wine or mead will hurry it along. :D

Thanks for the link, MTN!!! And UD, reading only not allowed. You must break out the supplies and experiment along with us. I figure on small, small batches so I don't get back into a full-blown soda habit.
 

freemotion

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Fantastic link!!! Just read it. I LOVED the suggestion for opening bottles using two bowls! No more soda wasted as lawn fertilizer.
 

urban dreamer

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freemotion said:
I used up all my sense of adventure when I bred and birthed my goats this year! I'm currently completely out of that level of sense-of-adventure! Now I have to wait for it to recharge. A bit of wine or mead will hurry it along. :D

Thanks for the link, MTN!!! And UD, reading only not allowed. You must break out the supplies and experiment along with us. I figure on small, small batches so I don't get back into a full-blown soda habit.
Ok I guess. :rolleyes: I'll get to take advantage of Fermentables down the road. They are LOADED with beer and wine making supplies including yeast, hops, bottles, cappers, ect. :D DH wants to make beer someday.
 

ORChick

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I follow these instructions for ginger beer (though I use honey instead of sugar), and it is very nice. I use the sturdy plastic bottles that carbonated mineral water comes in (because I have them). This needs to be drunk in a timely manner (like within a few months, not next season ;)) otherwise you will (like free's dad :D) lose most of it when it comes whooshing out of the bottle (guess how I know this :rolleyes:)

http://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2009/10/live-traditional-food-making-ginger.html

ETA the link
 

noobiechickenlady

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freemotion said:
What do you think of a lemon soda flavored with lemony herbs such as lemon balm and staghorn sumac? Or a mint soda with a mint tea base? Ginger ale, of course, and even a chai soda might be good. Orange soda with orange juice?
What do I think? I think I love you!! Like UD said, we're ditching the DP together and man, as good as chai tea with kombucha is, sometimes you really want something a little more bubbly.

The grape soda sounds great! Mmm plum soda, blackberry soda, cherry vanilla soda! I'm in!!

I have blackberries & plums in the freezer, so I'm going to try blackberry soda.
 

urban dreamer

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noobiechickenlady said:
freemotion said:
What do you think of a lemon soda flavored with lemony herbs such as lemon balm and staghorn sumac? Or a mint soda with a mint tea base? Ginger ale, of course, and even a chai soda might be good. Orange soda with orange juice?
What do I think? I think I love you!! Like UD said, we're ditching the DP together and man, as good as chai tea with kombucha is, sometimes you really want something a little more bubbly.

The grape soda sounds great! Mmm plum soda, blackberry soda, cherry vanilla soda! I'm in!!

I have blackberries & plums in the freezer, so I'm going to try blackberry soda.
Ooooooooooooooooooo :D I have blueberries! I'm going to try the Honey Ginger first. Sounds yummy!


Free, what have you done! :lol:
 
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