Natural, fermented raspberry soda has a lovely floral sweetness and delicate effervescence that quenches your thirst just right on a hot summer afternoon. And since it's naturally fermented, the drink is positively alive with beneficial bacteria, acting as a digestive tonic.
How to Make Fermented Raspberry Soda
Like other fermented drinks, this raspberry soda takes a few days to culture, and it's worth your time. It's delicately sweet - almost dry - and wonderfully effervescent. And, if you use a ginger bug, it has the faintest touch of fresh ginger which complements the raspberries nicely.
First, you'll start by simmering raspberries and the lightest touch of sugar in water. Not long enough to make them jammy, of course. But, you'll want to simmer them just until the sugar dissolves, and then let the raspberries steep in the water until it cools to room temperature. That's long enough for the raspberries to impart their flavor, aroma, and vivid red color.
Next, strain the cooled raspberry water into a pitcher. Then, whisk in your ginger bug or another starter culture like water kefir, jun tea, or fresh and active whey. The key here is to use a starter that contains plenty of active beneficial microbes and probiotics to give life to your raspberry soda.
After that, all you have to do is bottle the soda base, seal your bottles and wait a few days. Your soda will ferment quickly in a hot kitchen, and more slowly in a cool one. Transfer it to the fridge for a few days to allow bubbles to set, and then enjoy it over ice.
Brewing Tips
Making fermented sodas at home is marvelously easy. After all, you only mix, pour and wait. Nevertheless, there are a few tips that can make sure your raspberry soda comes out every time.
- Use good-quality fruit. Your soda will only be as good as what you put into it. Fruit that's over-ripe or molded will introduce undesirable microbes into your soda, and reduce the likelihood of success.
- Cool everything to room temperature before adding the starter. The microbes in your starter are sensitive to heat. So, if you add them to hot raspberry water, they may die or become damaged.
- Stir your starter really well. Yeast in starters like ginger bug, kombucha and water kefir will sink. Accordingly, stirring them well incorporates them evenly into your raspberry water. And that means more even bubbles.
- Strain the raspberries without pressing. Pressing your raspberries may increase the sediment in your brew, resulting in cloudiness.
- Ferment them in a cooler. Homemade sodas may explode due to carbon dioxide buildup. Watching your temperature can help mitigate this, as can burping bottles, but you can also ferment them in a cooler at room temperature.
- Open carefully over the sink. This fermented raspberry soda can get quite lively, so open it over the sink to keep your kitchen clean.
Troubleshooting
From time to time, you might notice that your soda develops a film at the surface. Or maybe it never developed a fizz. Maybe it was too sour, or too sweet. There are a few ways to troubleshoot your soda-making.
- Your soda never got fizzy. A poor seal and a dead starter are the two most likely culprits. Next time, make sure your starter is active and fresh and ferment in flip-top bottles with a tight seal.
- Some bottles were fizzy, others weren't. Remember to stir your starter really well before adding it to your raspberry water.
- Your brew developed a white film at the surface. This could be kahm yeast, or it could be sediment - especially when you use whey.
- The soda's too sweet or too sour. You can make this soda successfully with up to 1 cup of sugar, and you may make it with as little as 2 teaspoons.
Nadine says
Thanks for this recipe!
Can I substitute other fruits for the raspberries?
Jenny says
Hi Nadine! Yes, most fruits can stand in for the raspberries.
4waystoyummy says
Sounds lovely! What is fresh and active whey exactly? Can I just pour some of the whey of yogurt or another dairy product? Thank you!
Jenny McGruther says
Hi Heide!
Fresh and active whey means the whey drawn off from cultured dairy products such as yogurt and kefir. Processed, powdered whey won’t work and the whey from most cheesemaking won’t work either.
Jocelyn Vandeberg says
Is it possible to use frozen organic raspberries in this recipe?
Jenny McGruther says
It sure is!
Tom freeman says
Hi, I've followed the recipe and I have noticed a bit of white sediment at the bottom of the soda whilst it is fermenting on day 1, is it normal to have a but of sediment or is it something wrong?
Thanks
Jenny McGruther says
Hi Tom! The sediment is spent yeast and it's normal, but you can siphon off the soda if you like, leaving the sediment behind. That's a common technique for clarifying home-fermented drinks like kombucha, whey sodas et.c
Wendy Ellis says
I really want to try this, but I am terrified by the explosion comments in these reviews. Can you please address how to prevent this? Fermenting in a cooler doesn’t prevent the explosion, I don’t think? just prevents a big mess? Will it still develop carbonation/effervescence if it’s not sealed in a swing top bottle for fermentation?
Jenny McGruther says
Hi Wendy,
There are a few things that help:
1. Exploding bottles are rare but it does happen.
2. To prevent it, follow the directions and do not ferment it longer than necessary. Your bottle should also be nearly full (leaving only about 1 inch of head space or filled to the shoulder is fine). The more space in the bottle, the riskier it is. Letting it cool down in the fridge for a few days before opening helps. If it's hot, you can always burp the bottles once a day. Lastly, you can ferment in used plastic soda bottles.
3. No, the bottles MUST be sealed otherwise the C02 escapes and they won't be fizzy.
Karen says
I used frozen raspberries. It was nice. A little sweet, and kind of like kombucha.
Vienna Woods says
Absolutely lovely. It's a great alternative to a classic pre-dinner cocktail. The flavour is complex and not too sweet.
Marie says
I made the ginger bug years ago and love it. It is especially good in apple juice. I just made it again. My ginger was on the old side and a bit gelatinous. The bug was ready in 2 days. But then, still smelling and tasting good, the whole thing turned gelatinous!
I made ginger gel. What do you think of this?? Thanks.
Donna says
Would putting the prepared soda in a wider jar to ferment a couple days before bottling into swing tops and refrigerating minimize the massive explosion when opening the bottles? I’m washing soda off my ceiling! Is there any way to minimize or diminish without losing half your batch?
Jill says
I have a question! I just made my first batch of homemade soda, and now it’s teady to drink. Problem is, while I sterilized the bottles and everything, I forgot to sterilize my whisk and funnel that I used to mix and fill. Is there any risk of mold or other pathogens? It looks and smells fine. Thanks for the advice!
Jenny says
I don't sterilize any of my equipment, and don't find it necessary at all. As long as your equipment is clean, it's fine to use.
megan says
I cannot eat fruit and sugar together.....will inulin or agave work?
Jenny says
No, and keep in mind that agave is sugar.
Roberta says
Can you sweeten the soda mixture before putting it in a flip top bottle? Or will that give the yeasties too much to eat, thereby making bottle bombs?
Jenny says
You could try and let us know how it goes, but I recommend following the recipe as written.
Lauren says
This makes only 2 bottles?
Jacalyn Rix says
How much alcohol will this contain? Is it possible to ferment foods that will be non-alcoholic?
Jenny says
Hi Jacalyn,
YES, most fermented drinks will contain alcohol. This is particularly true of yeast-based fermented drinks (NOT lactofermented which will typically have less). Yeast-based ferments include anything fermented with ginger bug, kombucha, etc. Lactofermented drinks include things like whey-based sodas and beet kvass (though not traditional Russian kvass which traditionally uses sourdough rye as a starter).
The amount of alcohol found in these fermented drinks is relatively tiny. Less than .5% for commercial kombuchas, for example, except those that have been brewed specifically for alcohol and are sold as 21+. For home-brewed fermented drinks, the alcohol level generally hovers between .05% and 1.5%, depending on the type. A good friend of mine tested her water kefir, and it was .64%.
To put this in perspective, non-alcoholic beers have about .4% alcohol. Freshly squeezed fruit juice is about .1%, and commercial orange juice usually hovers around .2-.5%. Get this: a RIPE banana contains about .9% alcohol (that's more than what kombucha typically contains) and an over-ripe banana contains up to 4.5% alcohol.
So, yes, fermented drinks contain small amounts of alcohol, comparable if not less than fruit juice, ripe and over ripe fruit. If you avoid fermented drinks based on alcohol content, I would caution you to avoid ripe fruit, and fruit juice as well. There is a lot of evidence that *small* amounts of alcohol is beneficial.
cheri lawson says
You can buy back grohlsh beer bottles with flip tops from beverage return centers for only 5 cents each..Soak them in one step to sanitize and you are all set..I have cases of them that only cost me $1.20 each 🙂
Maya says
Hello, I really liked your reciepe, because it keeps raspberries juice fresh and not pasturised. I've tried it, but after 36 hours I found a lot tiny small almost transparent worms floating on the top of the juice 🙁 I think they are fruit worms, but still I am not sure if I filter the drink is it still good for drinking? The color and the smell of the juice are perfectly OK, only these little worms...
Jenny says
It sounds like it could possibly be fruit flies. How long did the raspberries sit out before you processed them? Also, did you ferment everything in a closed environment?
Maya says
I bought the raspberries from the market and 4-5 hours after that I rinsed them and then the next steps for fermentation. During these 36 hours of fermentation the jar was covered with a towel.
After posting my comment here I decided just to try to filter the liquid very well - trough 3 filters. Today it looks there are no more worms and the soda tastes like heaven. Anyway, I am not so brave to drik a lot from it 🙁
One more question: Have you ever had a thin layer of mold - the same like in sauerkraut - on the top of your fermented sodas or ginger bug?
Donna says
We have been getting Grolsch Beer bottles from the beer vendor. They are very cheap - the price of the bottle deposit, and usually a little extra for the vendor's inconvenience to dig the bottles out.
Washing the bottles - It works great to use a bottle washer/rinser used in cleaning wine bottles.
It's a little extra work, a lot less money!
Laura says
Is it possible to make this without the SUGAR, perhaps with monk fruit or stevia?
Jenny says
No, you need to use a caloric sweetener or the soda will not ferment. Carbohydrates are what feeds the beneficial bacteria.
paul says
Is it possible to bottle this in PET bottles?
Jinna beeler says
I'm sooo glad I stumbled upon you're site. My old timey dreams have come true! Not only are the recipes great. I don't have to search for supplies any more. We're totally doing the raspberry and root beer. Thank you thank you!
Assilem says
I just wanted to update my above question---I kept feeding it with one tbsp of sugar and a little water and after about five days it started fizzing like crazy again!
Assilem says
I made a ginger bug and it was going great but I forgot to feed it for two days and now it is no longer fizzing. So did I kill it? It isn't moldy. What do I do? Do I add sugar and revive it? Do I have to start over??
Genevieve says
I have a question. This recipe calls for 1 cup of ginger bug, but the recipe for ginger bug says to never remove more than ¼ cup at a time. Do you just remove ¼ cup at a time until you have one cup? Or do you quadruple your ginger bug recipe for this? I'm very interested in making this, but I want to do it correctly. Thanks!
Bill says
Hi Jenny
Would you please address the two explosion comments and what we can do to avoid it?
I'd like to try this but I'm afraid that it will be a disaster.
Thanks
Bill
Susan says
Like someone mentioned in another comment, I make mine in plastic soda bottles--that way, you can check when the bottle is firm, full of pressure and ready to stop the fermentation. And then at that point, I transfer my soda to the glass flip-top bottles. I usually avoid plastic like the plague, but it's extremely hard to avoid explosions without being able to push against the plastic and check the pressure.
Gill says
We make ginger beer, as we call ginger soda, every summer in glass flip top bottles. The amount of fizz on opening does vary from batch to batch. We learned the hard way (!) to place the bottle in a large mixing bowl and to hold an inverted jug over the top of the bottle, lifted high enough for a second person to be able to flip off the top. Most of the time this is a big non event... But just once in a while the whooshing up of the soda is then redirected by the jug and caught in the bowl below. Tip the soda back into the jug, and if you are lucky, there might still be a little in the bottom of the bottle!!
Karen says
I am confused about the recipe too. Seems like it would only make 2 bottles, is that right?
Jenny says
Yes, it makes two bottles.
Jacky says
I am still confused about the ginger bug in this recipe. When you follow the link for the ginger bug recipe, it directs you to mix the ginger bug liquid with a quart of sweetened tea at the very end. In the raspberry ginger soda recipe, it asks for an entire cup of ginger bug. Does this mean one cup of the tea mixture from the ginger bug recipe, or one cup from the source not mixed with tea? If it requires ginger bug from what I am only adding 2 tbsp of water to, is there a way to get to one cup faster for this recipe (assuming it is not asking for the tea mixture)? Thank you!
Jenny says
Hi Jackie, good food takes good time. First prepare the bug until you can get 1 cup strained liquid, then mix it with the raspberry juice to make this recipe.
Laura says
I am confused at the amount of Soda Bug to use..... this recipe has 1 cup of the soda bug for only 3 cups of juice/water combination but the actual Soda Bug recipe uses 4 cups of sweetened herbal tea with only 1/4 cup of the bug.
Help?
Sandra says
Thanks Jenny, I'll give that a try for sure. I quit making Kombucha for the same reason. So many different opinions, it gets very confusing for me.
Sandra says
This looks delicious but according to Donna Gates of Body Ecology, you should not consume anything that is derived from wild yeast if you are dealing with Candida.
Jenny says
I love BED and think Donna is fantastic; however, it's hard to take that admonition seriously and to heart when her system for treating "candida" is predicated on buying her starters. There's an inherent bias there. That said, if you're following BED try making this with their kefir starter. It works super well and I often use it.
Sara says
Oh boy. Here's a warning to all those who want to try this recipe: Get ready for an explosion!
I followed this recipe exactly, and went to burp the bottles this morning. I use a swing-top bottle, and thought it would be OK after just letting them sit overnight. WRONG! All the contents exploded everywhere! Took me 3hrs to clean up the kitchen, not including the shower I had to take to get raspberry pulp out of my hair. I opened up the second bottle on my porch, which now looks like a murder scene.
I have made my own ginger ale before and kombucha on a regular basis with no problems, but THIS! I think it was the sugar in the raspberries and the summer weather that made the fermentation go overboard.
Proceed with caution! (Although, what I had left in the bottles was delicious.)
Sandra says
My bottle actually exploded. I'm so glad it happened when we weren't home because somebody could have been hurt. I'm wondering if I got the wrong type of bottle? They were flip top and said they were for canning, is that different then the ones recommended here? We also had a very messy kitchen to clean up. I'm so bummed I was looking forward to this!
Jennifer says
I always have a terrible time getting my flip top bottles clean. Can you provide tips or a tutorial on how you keep yours super clean for fermentation? This would be extremely helpful. Thank you so much.
sarah says
Clean ethics Bottle bright effervescent cleaning tablets are the best! All natural and they support international clean water charity
Lorri Wilson says
This a definitely a must try. I make kvass on a regular basis. A couple of question. Your Ginger Bug photo gives the impression it is growing in a sealed mason jar at room temperature. Should the jar be sealed? Or covered with a non porous cloth?
I have had problems with fruit flies when I use Cheesecloth and have been considering using muslin. What are you using to cover your jars?
Lorri
Heather says
Hi Lori,
You don't want to keep a lid on the bug while it sits on the kitchen counter. You're right that you just use a cloth, to let air in and out. You want to feed the bug everyday if you're leaving it a room temperature; 2 TBSP of ginger, water and sugar. If you decide you aren't going to be using it very much you want to put a tight lid on it and put it in the fridge. When its in the fridge you feed it the 2 TBSP of ginger, water and sugar once a week. I also read that you want to set the ginger bug out of the fridge for at least and hour before feeding it.
Hope that helps!
Heather
Katie says
I use a clean dish cloth secured with a rubber band.
Lauren says
I'm curious what the sugar content of the end result of this product is. I'm currently avoiding sugar in all forms, except for berries and some vegetables (I'm eating carrots but not beets, for instance). Would this be too sweet for me? Could I let it ferment for longer in order to lessen the sugar content? Also, you mentioned that the Ginger Bug attracts wild yeasts... should this be something that I should stay away from while I trying to fight candida?
Laura says
Thank you! Can not WAIT to try this!!!
Tom says
If you bottle some in plastic soda bottles, when they are hard you know they are carbonated enough. Put them in the fridge.
Marjorie Johns says
remember my parents making home made root beer soda but never tried raspberry soda. will give it a try.
Daniela says
Hi Cheryl, how long would this keep for? Thanks
Jackie @ Crest Cottage says
I've never heard of ginger bug, so I am going to have to try this. My mom's raspberry bushes are in full swing, so this is HAPPENING! Thanks for the recipe and info!
Anna says
I've made other lactofermented sodas before and while they were good, I found them too sweet. I'm looking forward to trying this (blackberry season is about to take off) and enjoying a drier end result.
Kim says
How do you feel about carbonation? I've been trying to give up sodas not just because of sugar, but I heard that carbonation is bad for your bones.
Hilary Moshman says
It's the large amount of phosphoric acid in soda that harms the bones. Phosphorus must be in balance with calcium. Phosphorus acidifies the blood, calcium is pulled from the bones to make the blood pH more alkaline to keep the blood pH within the appropriate range. I believe this is right and it is not related to carbonation. I think carbonation may inhibit digestion.
Emily says
Completely false. While the basic reaction you are describing does occur in our bodies blood, it is an action that maintains the blood at a constant pH. What you eat has little to no effect on this. This buffering process is extremely effective at maintaining blood pH even if you injected a highly acidic or basic solution directly into your veins. This mechanism is incredibly important to our survival because if your blood changed in pH even slightly your blood sells would rupture and you'd die. To suggest that one's diet (something that often over human evolution has had to adapt based on scarcity) could have any impact on this is ridiculous. Please don't bastardize science for your misguided agenda.
Tami says
play nice
b says
Eloquent 🙂
Krysta says
speaking as a bone density tech, where do you think the body gets these buffering agents? Its from your diet people!! And we're seeing ALOT of weak bones in this age of pop drinking....
Amma says
there is no need to be rude.
Aimee says
Can you use liquid whey as a starter instead?
Cheryl King says
For sure!
Jenny hurd says
Is it possible to substitute 1 cup of komucha for the ginger bug?
I love your newsletter and all your recipes!
Cheryl King says
Definitely!
Emily says
This looks good! How would one use kombucha as the starter instead of the ginger bug? Same amount?
Cheryl King says
Just add the strained raspberries and a little cane sugar to your Kambusha or kefir water and bottle! Or you could be lazy like me and add the raspberries straight to the bush with some dissolved cane sugar and strain later. I mash em up with the sugar and put em straight in the bottle. It's best if the sugar is dissolved so I do so in a smidge of water and then add the rasp and mash.