Natural sodas are the perfect way to start your fermentation journey. If you love carbonated beverages but want to start drinking healthier options, turmeric soda is a great starting place. Turmeric soda is made in a simple 2-step process. To start, you’ ll need to create a soda fermentation starter, or “bug.” That’s the name for a natural lacto-fermented “soda” starter. Once you have a cup of bubbling bug, get started on part 2 and make your very own soda!
Ingredients
- 1 quart glass jar with lid or towel and rubber band
- 1 gallon glass jar (carboy) with a plastic lid.
- 6 quart pot
- funnel
- 6–10 inches of turmeric, washed (about ¼ pound)
- 2 cups organic cane sugar
- 1 gallon filtered water
Preparation
TURMERIC BUG STARTER
Day 1: Mix 2 tablespoons of sugar, 2 inches of turmeric and 1 cup of water in a jar. Cover the jar with a towel or lid. Stir or shake the jar 4–5 times a day, opening briefly to release CO2. Repeat every day until the solution starts to bubble, about 4 days. Now you have a turmeric bug!
TO MAKE SODA
Boil 6 cups of water and 6–12 inches of turmeric. Add 1 to 1½ cups of sugar. Once sugar is dissolved, add 10 cups of cool water. Ensure the solution is cool to the touch (less than 95°F). Add the turmeric bug to the room-temperature solution. Stir.
Optional: Strain out turmeric pieces. Add the mixture to a 1-gallon glass jar with a plastic lid. Seal tightly.
Leave on countertop out of direct sunlight. Shake 3–4 times a day. Wait for the jar to pressurize. Relieve the building pressure daily by opening top briefly and closing again.
After 2–3 days, taste it. If it’s good, put it in the refrigerator. If it’s not fizzy, add more fresh turmeric and repeat previous steps. Reserve 2 tablespoons of your soda to use as a bug to start your next batch. In order to grow more starter, put the 2 tablespoons of turmeric soda in a fresh recipe of turmeric bug starter ingredients and it will go right to work turning it into a new starter!
About this recipe
Note: Natural sodas are considered non-alcoholic if harvested within the first 48 hours. Longer ferments will produce increasing amounts of alcohol.
