How to Make Your Own Healthy Soda

Few people would ever claim that soda is healthy, contrary to what manufacturers of the sugary stuff would say. And, with a whopping 39 grams of sugar per can of cola, it is harder still to imagine soda as anything other than completely unhealthy. But there is a type of soda that’s a naturally brewed and lightly carbonated, which is made by fermenting tea. 

Unlike the sugar-, color- and preservative-laden canned stuff, kombucha is packed with health-building microbes and is easier to make than you might think. Here are my step-by-step instructions for making your own kombucha at home. Don’t worry about the amount of sugar used, most of it is eliminated by beneficial bacteria during the fermentation process; however, it is a good idea to check with your doctor first if you suffer from diabetes. 

Easy Steps to Make Your Own Kombucha 

Ingredients

• Ceramic crock or wide-mouthed glass water jug, such as those used to make iced tea. (You can use any wide-mouthed vessel, bowl or crock. I use a crock with a spigot on the side for but any inexpensive glass water jug with a spigot works. Make sure the vessel is thoroughly cleaned prior to use.)
• 4 quarts/liters filtered, unchlorinated water (chlorine kills the good bacteria needed to make kombucha)
• 1 cup unrefined sugar
• 4 to 6 green or black tea bags or 4 heaping teaspoons of loose-leaf tea
• 1 piece of clean linen or cotton to fit over the top of the crock or glass jug (avoid using cheesecloth as it is too porous).
• 1 kombucha starter culture (also called the “mother,” the starter is available from most health food stores or from someone in your community who makes his/her own kombucha)
• 1 large stainless steel pot big enough to hold 4 quarts/liters of water
• 1 wooden spoon
• 1 large elastic band or string to secure the linen over the top of the crock

Instructions

1. Bring the water to a boil, add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Then add the green or black tea bags, and boil for an additional few minutes to kill off any unwanted microbes that may be present on the tea bags. Then turn off the heat and allow to steep for 15 minutes. Remove the tea bags.
2. Allow the tea to cool to room temperature or slightly lukewarm temperature, no higher than about 70 degrees Fahrenheit or 21 degrees Celsius. Any hotter than this can damage the kombucha culture. Pour the steeped tea into the crock or vessel you are using.
3. Add the kombucha starter culture and any tea it came with to the vessel.
4. Cover the top of the vessel with the cloth, and place the elastic band around the rim to hold the cloth in place. Alternatively, use tape around the edge to hold the cloth in place. This helps to ensure that the cloth wont fall into the crock.
5. Place the covered crock in a quiet area with air ventilation in a warm but not sunlit area where it will not be disturbed. The ideal fermentation temperature range is 73 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit, or 23 to 28 degrees Celsius. Once you have located a spot for it, do not move it while the kombucha is fermenting, as it may interfere with the culturing process.
6. Wait about 7 days to harvest your kombucha. First, check the taste of your kombucha. If it is sweeter than you would like, allow it to ferment another day or two. If it has a vinegary taste, you may need to bottle future batches after a shorter period of time. It is still fine to drink, but it may need to be diluted with water at the time of drinking to avoid irritating your throat or stomach.
7. Pour all but approximately 2 cups of your fermented kombucha tea into a glass jar or container with a lid, or multiple single-serving resealable glass jars and store it in the refrigerator. Old-fashioned soda pop bottles with the flip-top lid work well. To increase its fizziness, add a pinch of sugar and wait a day or two to drink it. If you keep it longer than a week, you may need to loosen the lid of the kombucha in the fridge to allow gases to escape and to prevent the glass from breaking due to excess pressure that may occur over longer periods of time.

That’s it. You made your first batch of healthy soda. Enjoy! Avoid drinking kombucha if you have an ulcer, as the acetic acid that naturally forms during the fermentation process can irritate the ulcers.