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Home » Ferment » Fermented Soda » How to Make Herbal Water Kefir Soda

How to Make Herbal Water Kefir Soda

May contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my privacy policy and affiliate disclosure.

Originally published on August 23, 2015. Last updated on March 4, 2024

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Fresh herbs in a bowl, and kefir water grains in a glass jar.

I’m really excited to share this post with you because of how wonderful, and surprisingly easy this is to make! You may or may not have heard of water kefir, but let me tell you, it has changed my world. It is similar to kombucha, but easier to make, in my opinion, as well as more versatile.

Yet, it’s still naturally fermented like kombucha is, so it has all of the good bacteria that our bodies need. There are many different variations you can do for flavoring the soda, but making an herbal tea is my favorite way. It makes me feel like I am giving my body a double duty benefit by adding in healthful herbs, plus it tastes wonderful.

Here is how to make herbal water kefir soda, with a tutorial on how to make water kefir if you are unfamiliar with that process. Don’t worry, it’s easy!

A glass of herbal kefir water on a wood table with fresh herbs.

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The first thing that you will need is to acquire water kefir grains, also called tibicos. Not really a grain, these are symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts, just like a kombucha SCOBY. Get them from a  friend if you know someone who makes water kefir, or order them online from Amazon or Kombucha Kamp.

water kefir grains in jar

Once you have your tibicos, start by putting a few tablespoons of them into the bottom of a quart jar.

water kefir grains

Then add ¼  cup of sugar, preferably raw, even brown sugar works. Tibicos need extra nutrients, so they prefer a sugar that has a little bit of it’s molasses intact. It’s also good to add a few raisins for nutrients.

add sugar and raisins

Then fill up your jar with unchlorinated water, leaving about an inch of space at the top. Stir gently with a long spoon to dissolve the sugar, being careful not to break up the tibicos.

stir gently

Cover the jar with a lid and set in a dark and out of the way spot for a few days. Stir it occasionally, and start checking the sweetness level after 2 days. I don’t like mine very sweet, so I generally let it go for 3-4 days. You should see little bubbles floating to the top.

water kefir bubbling

Once it’s at the sweetness level you desire it’s time to think about the flavoring you would like for you soda. You can use fruit juice, flavored teas, or anything you think would make a good soda! For this one I’m using lavender and elderflowers. Start by bringing a quart of water to a boil and steeping the flowers.

lavender and elderflower tea

I steeped my for several hours as I wanted a strong tea. Once the water has cooled to room temperature strain out the flowers into a large jar (at least a half gallon).

strain flowers

Then strain your water kefir directly into the tea.

strain water kefir

Save the tibicos for your next batch of water kefir. It’s an endless cycle! To make your soda bubbly you’ll need to seal the container. My half gallon jar has a flip top lid, so I just used that, but you can also bottle your soda into regular sized flip top bottles (reuse beer bottles with flip top lids, or buy from Amazon).

seal jar

Leave the sealed bottles out at room temperature for a day or two, then refrigerate before opening. Careful when you open it as it will be carbonated and might be explosive! It probably won’t, especially if your flavoring isn’t sugary as that feeds the carbonation.

lavender elderflower soda

It will most likely be fizzy and wonderful, just like a soda should be, but without all the bad stuff!

kefir soda with flowers

Just all the good healthy stuff that we should be consuming, like probiotics and herbs.

This soda turned out really good, I was impressed! I’ve done it with hibiscus tea and it was also delicious. Any flavor will probably be good, and you don’t even have to add a flavor, as it tastes quite good plain as well. Experiment!

Naturally Fermented Soda Recipes

Here are some more naturally fermented soda recipes for you to try.

  • 12 Fermented Soda Recipes
  • Strawberry Rhubarb Soda
  • Fermented Root Beer
  • Fermented Elderberry Soda
  • Elderberry Soda
  • Turmeric Soda
  • Sweet Potato Kvass
  • Winter Herb Kvass
  • Strawberry Water Kefir Soda
  • Homemade Soda with Yarrow

Happy kefir making!

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5 from 2 votes

Herbal Water Kefir Soda

Turn water kefir, a healthy probiotic drink with gut healing properties, into an all natural herbal soda! 
Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes minutes
Fermentation Time 6 days days
Total Time 25 minutes minutes
Servings 2 quart
Calories 16kcal
Author Colleen @ Grow Forage Cook Ferment

Equipment

  • Quart Mason Jar
  • Long Handled Spoon
  • Small Saucepan
  • Half Gallon Mason Jar
  • Fine Mesh Sieve
  • Flip Top Bottles

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric
  • few Tablespoons water kefir grains
  • ¼ cup raw or brown sugar
  • few raisins
  • 3 ¾ cups non-chlorinated water
  • 1 quart fruit juice or flavored tea

Instructions

  • Place a few tablespoons of water kefir grains into the bottom of a quart jar.
  • Add 1/4 cup of sugar and raisins. 
  • Fill up your jar with water, leaving about an inch of space at the top. Stir gently with a long spoon to dissolve the sugar, being careful not to break up the tibicos.
  • Cover the jar with a lid and set in a dark and out of the way spot for a few days. Stir it occasionally, and start checking the sweetness level after 2 days. I don’t like mine very sweet, so I generally let it go for 3-4 days. You should see little bubbles floating to the top.

Flavoring Tea

  • Once it’s at the sweetness level you desire it’s time to think about the flavoring you would like for you soda. You can use fruit juice, flavored teas, or anything you think would make a good soda! For this one I’m using lavender and elderflowers. 
  • Start by bringing a quart of water to a boil and steeping the tea.
  • Steep for several hours to make a strong tea and cool to room temperature. 
  • Strain out the flowers/herbs and pour the tea into a half gallon jar. 
  • Strain the water kefir into the half gallon jar with the tea. (Reserve the tibicos or the next batch.)
  • Bottle the soda and leave the sealed bottles out at room temperature for a day or two, then refrigerate before opening.

Notes

  • Careful when you open it as it will be carbonated and might be explosive! It probably won’t, especially if your flavoring isn’t sugary as that feeds the carbonation.

Nutrition

Serving: 8ounces | Calories: 16kcal

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sue L says

    June 2, 2023 at 7:08 pm

    My absolute favorite herbal water kefir is hibiscus elderflower with jasmine green tea
    i brew a bit of dried hibiscus and elderflower with green tea in a David’s Looseleaf Tea strainer Once brewed i let it cool to room temperature and add in my strained off kefir water into a jar. i add the lid and let it second ferment for a couple days. turns out yummy but i also like sour drinks. My husband prefers a bit of sugar added to the second ferment to in his words”knock the edge off” :)

    Reply
  2. Aleece says

    December 3, 2018 at 11:51 am

    I’ve always been told to completely dissolve your sugar in the water before adding your culture to the jar since undissolved sugar grains touching your Kefir grains can harm them.

    Reply
  3. Jacqueline says

    July 25, 2018 at 12:21 pm

    Not all kefirs need molasses or raisins, or dark sugar. Be sure to know what yours likes…
    And as far as i have ever read, the alcohol comes on with time. Not all fermented products have alcohol. My pickles sure dont. Length of time turns the probiotics further to alcohol. And Never use metal with your kefir…which could be why yours takes so long… usally 24 – 48 hrs for the first ferment. I have a coconut sugar kefir that is bubbling in 12 hrs… my cane sugar kefir likes the full day plus… and is my fave kefir for clean flavourings….
    Great article, do you have a list of flavours and combos of herbs and or herb fruits yiu have tried?

    Reply
  4. suzanne says

    August 31, 2017 at 6:18 am

    how much lavendar /elderberry flower are you using? everyone says to use lavendar sparringly
    you don’t mention quantities here
    thanks very much

    Reply
  5. Billy says

    July 12, 2017 at 3:28 pm

    Is it safe to order kefir grains online? I worry that they could be negatively impacted during the shipping progress. I guess I don’t know enough about them – but I might try to source them locally if I can find them. I really want to try and make water kefir soda! Thank you for sharing this recipe.

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      July 30, 2017 at 4:02 pm

      I think it’s generally safe to order water kefir grains online :)

      Reply
  6. wipersnaz says

    July 2, 2017 at 8:20 pm

    I tried making water kefir one time and it smelled and tasted alcoholic. I even gave some to my 5 year old son before I really realized. I ended up throwing the rest away since I do not consume alcohol. Did I make it wrong and ferment too long? Is there alcohol content in yours?

    Reply
    • Linda says

      July 5, 2017 at 5:52 am

      We don’t do alcohol in our house so we shorten the time that we make the kefir and that takes care of the alcohol part. So we ferment for about 36 hours and then let it sit for 24 hours and then put it in the refrigerator

      Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      July 12, 2017 at 11:41 am

      The amount of alcohol is very minimal, but all fermented foods and drinks do contain a tiny amount. You could use less sugar and ferment for a shorter amount of time to minimize the alcohol content.

      Reply
  7. Mary Lou says

    August 24, 2015 at 8:10 pm

    When you say: “Cover the jar with a lid and set in a dark and out of the way spot for a few days.” What type of cover do you use? Is it a tight fitting cover that causes pressure to build behind it?

    Reply
    • Colleen says

      August 24, 2015 at 9:44 pm

      I just use a white plastic lid, the kind that you can buy for mason jars. It surprised me when I first started making it that all the recipes called for covering it with a lid rather than having airflow like you would do for kombucha. I don’t screw the lid on too tight so that pressure doesn’t build… you don’t really want that to happen until you bottle it.

      Reply
  8. Karen says

    August 24, 2015 at 12:41 pm

    It looks lovely, Colleen. I think my palette isn’t used to flower-y flavored beverages, but I may just have not have found the right combination last time I tried. Looks good! I love water kefir.

    Reply
    • Bonnie Spiker says

      April 19, 2022 at 11:44 am

      Now that its 2022, do you like flowery beverages now?
      Personally, I love Rose Kombucha but I have had many floral drinks I loved.

      Reply
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