How to Brew Your Own Soda Pop

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Measure out a quantity of water equal to the amount of soft drink you want to make.

   Perhaps
   1.5 cups/gallon.
   
   This sugar may be white or brown, as desired. , The volume of this container should be somewhat larger than the volume of the liquid, and the container should be able to be sealed. ,, This may be purchased, or reused from a previous batch. ,, Fewer days (perhaps as few as 3) results in a wetter (as opposed to dry and astringent) mouth-feel and a more pronounced change in flavor, as well as a somewhat higher (though still very low
   - most will be converted to lactic acid) alcohol content.
   
   A long fermentation period for a soft drink may be considered to be 10-12 days
   - though these numbers are rough and depend upon the exact cultivar of ginger beer plant, the initial chemistry of the liquid, and the conditions under which the fermentation is proceeding. , You may notice a bunch of translucent, granular lumps: these are ginger beer plant nodules.
   
   Gather them and keep them refrigerated so that you can start the next batch. , After a period of time (perhaps 2-5 days), it would be prudent to refrigerate them to slow the build of pressure, but it will still be necessary to consume them within a month. ,
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   Step 2: Boil any flavoring herbs or roots (ie

3. 3

   Step 3: ginger) in the water.

4. 4

   Step 4: Strain the flavoring ingredients from the liquid.

5. 5

   Step 5: Dissolve some sugar in the water.

6. 6

   Step 6: Pour the liquid into a fermentation container.

7. 7

   Step 7: Allow the liquid to cool to body temperature (37°C) or less.

8. 8

   Step 8: Add some (perhaps 1 cup per gallon) Lactobacillus Hilgardii ("ginger beer plant") culture.

9. 9

   Step 9: Add an airlock to the vessel

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    Step 10: or some other way to keep intruding oxygen to a minimum.

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    Step 11: Allow the beverage to ferment in a dark place for a few days.

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    Step 12: When the fermentation is "complete"

13. 13

    Step 13: siphon off the liquid

14. 14

    Step 14: leaving behind any sediment at the bottom of the container

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    Step 15: into pressure-capable bottles (or other containers).

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    Step 16: Allow the bottles to sit around in a dark place

17. 17

    Step 17: carbonating themselves with the CO2 produced by the yeast

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    Step 18: but do not let the bottles sit too long: they might burst!

19. 19

    Step 19: Consume the beverage.

Detailed Guide

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