I had *zero* expectations going into this experiment. Inspired by the process of making tepache (natural pineapple soda), I wanted to see if it would also work with persimmons. I was unsure whether there would be enough natural yeast on the persimmon skin, as there is on pineapple skins, to naturally ferment and produce soda. I couldn’t find any online resources to help either, so I decided to just give it a try! And WOW, did it ferment!
This persimmon soda came out tasting similar to fruity kombucha— tangy and a bit sweet and very effervescent. I can definitely see myself making this again and again during persimmon season!
If you’re interested in creating your own naturally carbonated persimmon soda at home, this blog post details my process. I hope you find it helpful!
How to make persimmon soda from scraps
🧬 Ingredients
- 200g persimmon peel & scraps
- water
- 2% sugar by weight
- more sugar to taste
⚙️ Equipment
- kitchen scale
- 32oz mason jar
- paper towel or coffee filter
- fermentation weight (any small weight like a tea cup, would work), optional
- rubber band
- 1/2 liter flip-top bottle and funnel
- funnel
- strainer bag or cheese cloth
- ladle
📝 Process
Step 1: Setup
- Place a a sanitized 32oz mason jar on top of a kitchen scale and tare it
- Add persimmon scraps to the mason jar and fill it up with enough water to cover.
- Measure the weight of the mixture and calculate 2% of that amount. This is the quantity of sugar you should add. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved and evenly incorporated.
- ex:
- total weight: 800g
- amount of sugar to add: 800*.02 = 16g
- ex:
- Weigh the scraps down using a weight of some kind (optional). Cover the opening of the jar with paper towel and secure with a rubber band.
Step 2: Fermentation
- For the next 3 days, stir the mixture twice a day to promote fermentation (This is especially important if you’re not weighing down the persimmon scraps, as it helps prevent any pieces from being exposed to air too frequently). By the third day you should see quite a bit of foamy bubbles.
Step 3: Strain, bottle & carbonate
- Attach a funnel to a 1/2 liter flip-top bottle and funnel. On top of the funnel, place a strainer bag or cheese cloth.
- Using a ladle, carefully scoop the liquid from the mason jar, avoiding the solid pieces, and pour it through the strainer bag positioned in the funnel. Continue straining until you’ve extracted all the liquid into the flip-top bottle.
- Secure the top and let the soda ferment at room temperature for 2 days. Then, transfer it to the fridge to continue to ferment for about 3-5 days.
- Taste the soda to see it reaches your desired carbonation level, if has not, let it continue to ferment in the fridge for a couple of days. Please note that the fermentation time varies drastically depending on the ingredients used and the environment.
Step 4: Enjoy!
- Once the soda has reached your desired level of carbonation, it’s time to enjoy! Like other sodas, it’s best served cold or over ice.
- You now also have a persimmon starter culture. You can use this starter to jump start your next batch of natural persimmon soda (it will help cut the fermentation time) or you can use it as a culture for your next flavored soda.
Looking for more fermentation projects? Check these recipes out:
