Homemade Lemon-Lime Soda ~ Ginger Bug

Homemade Lemon-Lime Soda ~ Ginger Bug

Want a healthy soda? This good, old-fashioned version is easy to make and it tastes fantastic!

Before we get into the wonders of making our own lemon-lime soda, I’ve got a confession to make…

For years now, I’ve been drinking diet soda. It’s just been a weakness of mine since I can remember. I love the fizz, the sweetness without all the calories and the taste of it. Unfortunately, it’s really bad for me. I won’t get into all the horrible chemicals that are incorporated into commercially made sodas and how they wreak havoc on your body but I can tell you that I knew the day would come when I needed to give in and make the change.

Since I’ve ventured into the food blogger’s territory of fermenting, sprouting and culturing food and drink, I’ve found that the taste of homemade beverages are far superior to anything else. I LOVE making my own kombucha tea, rejuvalac lemonade and the money that it saves me.

However, I still want soda pop. So, make soda pop, we will!

Of course, it needs to be easy to begin with and lemon-lime is the very first step. Further complex flavors will come after fizz is achieved.

I should say that lemon-lime soda is the second step because the first thing you’re going to need to make is a ginger bug. It’s the starter culture for your soda. This is a probiotic combo of healthy bacteria made with freshly chopped ginger, water, sugar and a hand from Father time.

It takes approximately 5 days to make the ginger bug.

On day one, you’ll place 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped ginger (leave the skin on) and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a quart mason jar filled with non-chlorinated water. Stir well, place a cloth or coffee filter on top and affix with a rubber band. Sit in a warm place to rest. After 12 hours, give the mix a stir.

Day 2, add another tablespoon of freshly chopped ginger and a tablespoon of sugar. Stir well, cover and stir again in 12 hours.

On Day 3, 4 and 5 you will repeat the process for day 2. This is building strength and allowing the natural bacteria and yeasts to bring the mixture into a living community that will give your soda it’s fizz as well as the healthy benefits we’re after.

Your ginger bug will likely be bubbling and possibly fizzing by day 5. The ginger pieces will float up and down here and there. After you’re done building your ginger bug, you can store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.

Now you’re ready to make soda. I’ve included the recipes for both ginger soda and the lemon-lime soda in the printout below. I’ve made both and they’re delicious. The ginger soda has a bite, like it should and the lemon lime is a bit more mellow.

To make your soda, you’ll need to fill a large pot with 1 gallon of non-chlorinated water. Btw, if you’re using tap water, you can let it sit out for 24 hours or so to let the chlorine evaporate and you’re good to go.

In the pot, place 1/3 cup of freshly chopped ginger (if you’re making ginger soda) OR 1/3 cup lemon and lime peels. Be sure to skim only the zest part of the lemons and limes and not the white pith. That’ll make you’re soda bitter.

Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover with a lid and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove the lid and pour in 1 to 1 1/2 cups of sugar (depending on how sweet you prefer the soda to be). Stir well and allow the mixture to cool completely to room temperature.

Once the mixture has cooled, strain out the ginger or lemon and lime peels. Pour the remaining liquid into a large glass jar.

For the ginger soda, you’ll add 1/3 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice.

For the lemon-lime soda, you’ll add 1/2 cup of freshly squeezed lemon and lime juice combined.

Next you’ll add your ginger bug. Strain the ginger bug through a fine mesh sieve. Add 1 cup of the strained liquid to your soda mixture and place the rest of the ginger bug into a clean jar.

Stir the mixture well and cover the top of the jar with a clean cloth or coffee filter. Affix with a rubber band and allow it to sit in a warm place for 24 to 48 hours. You’ll know it’s ready by tasting it. If it’s too sweet after 24 hours, give it another day. If it’s to your liking, go ahead and bottle it.

Refresh your ginger bug for the next use. Add 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped ginger and 1 tablespoon of sugar to it and top off with non-chlorinated water. Continue the steps for building the ginger bug as before for 2 or 3 days, leaving it in a warm place.  Then refrigerate for next time.

After you have bottled your soda and sealed it with lids, you’ll want to leave it out in a warm place for 24 hours before refrigerating. You can test one of the bottles by opening it to see how carbonated it is. Just reseal and leave the test bottle out for a few hours longer than the rest before placing it in the refrigerator.

Caution: Be sure to use good sturdy bottles as the carbonation can build up and cause the bottles to explode.

Your first batch of soda will be the beginning of a wonderful new adventure. No more worries about all those unwanted, unhealthy manufactured ingredients.

I have to say, I don’t miss the diet soda at all after making my own. I personally like the ginger soda best because it has that bite. The thing I love best about both flavors is that I know what’s in it. When you make it yourself, you make it better!

I hope you’ll give this one a try and let us know how it goes. We’d love to hear from you!

Have a fabulous day and as always, keep it delicious!

Till next time ~ much love, Connie

Homemade Lemon-Lime Soda ~ Ginger Bug

Connie Taylor

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Ingredients

  

• Ginger Bug
• 16 oz non-chlorinated water
• 5-7 tbsp finely chopped or grated ginger
• 5-7 tbsp organic sugar
• Ginger Soda
• 1/3 C finely chopped ginger
• 1 gallon non-chlorinated water
• 1 to 1 1/2 C sugar
• 1 C strained ginger bug
• 1/3 C freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Lemon-Lime Soda
• 2 Limes
• 2 Lemons
• 1 gallon non-chlorinated water
• 1 to 1 1/2 C sugar
• 1 C strained ginger bug

Instructions

 

• Ginger Bug
• In a 1 quart jar, combine 1 tbsp of ginger, 1 tbsp sugar and 16 oz water.
• Stir well.
• Cover with a cloth or coffee filter and affix with a rubber band.
• Allow to sit in a warm place for 12 hours.
• Stir and recover.
• After 24 hours, add 1 tbsp of ginger and 1 tbsp sugar.
• Stir well and cover.
• Each day for 5 to 7 days, you will need to add 1 tbsp of ginger and 1 tbsp of sugar.
• Stir the mixture every 12 hours until finished.
• Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Ginger Soda
• In a large pot, combine 1 gallon water and 1/3 C ginger.
• Bring to a boil.
• Cover and lower heat to simmer for 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in 1 to 1 1/2 C sugar.
• Allow mixture to cool completely to room temperature.
• Strain and pour the mixture into a large jar and add 1 cup of strained ginger bug along with 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice.
• Stir well and cover with a cloth or coffee filter.
• Affix with a rubber band and allow the mixture to sit in a warm place for 24 to 48 hours.
• Strain the rest of the ginger bug into a clean jar.
• Discard used ginger.
• Add 1 tbsp freshly chopped ginger and 1 tbsp sugar.
• Top off with fresh non-chlorinated water.
• Cover and repeat process of adding 1 tbsp ginger and 1 tbsp sugar every 24 hours for 2 days.
• Be sure to stir every 12 hours.
• After 2 days, place the ginger bug in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• After the ginger soda is ready pour into bottles or jars that have tight fitting lids.
• Attach the lids and allow the bottles or jars to sit at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours.
• Check one of the bottles or jars for fizz after 24 hours.
• When the soda is fizzy enough, place the bottles or jars in the refrigerator to chill before enjoying.
• Lemon-Lime Soda
• Peel the zest off of the lemons and limes.
• Squeeze the juice from the lemons and limes through a mesh strainer and set aside. (This should equal about 1/2 cup)
• Place the lemon and lime zest in a large pot along with the water.
• Bring to a boil.
• Cover with a lid and turn the heat down to low.
• Simmer 15 minutes.
• Take off the heat and stir in 1 to 1 1/2 cups of sugar.
• Allow the mixture to cool completely to room temperature.
• Remove the lemon and lime peels and discard.
• Pour the mixture into a large jar.
• Add the juice from the lemons and limes and the 1 cup strained ginger bug.
• Cover with a cloth or coffee filter and affix with a rubber band.
• Allow the jar to sit in a warm place for 24 to 48 hours.
• Refresh the ginger bug as described above.
• Pour the finished lemon-lime soda into bottles or jars with tight fitting lids.
• Attach the lids and allow the bottles or jars to sit at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours.
• Check one of the bottles or jars for fizz after 24 hours.
• When the soda is fizzy enough, place the bottles or jars in the refrigerator to chill before enjoying.

Notes

Recipe by: Connie Taylor @Happybellyfoodie.com