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Sourdough Soda

Sourdough soda is a unique, naturally fermented drink that's tangy, slightly sweet, and refreshingly effervescent. It's made using the wild yeasts and beneficial bacteria found in a sourdough starter, which is typically used for baking bread. This fermented beverage takes advantage of the fermentation process to produce its natural fizz and distinct flavor, offering a delightful and fun way to use sourdough culture to create something other than baked goods.
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Course Drinks
Servings 0.5 liter soda

Equipment

  • 32oz mason jar for fermenting the soda
  • 1/2 liter flip-top bottle for bottling the soda
  • paper towel or coffee filter
  • rubberband
  • strainer bag
  • funnel

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g water room temperature
  • 25 g cane sugar
  • ~20 g sourdough discard
  • ~65 g sourdough bread
  • slice of ginger optional
  • other inclusions of choice

Instructions
 

  • Toast the sourdough bread to your desired level (optional). Bread that is toasted until it is very dark with charred parts will create a darker soda with a more malty and caramel flavor. Bread that is toasted till it is golden will produce a light colored soda. You can use un-toasted bread, which will create a very light tasting soda-- this is best if you plan to flavor the soda in some way, otherwise it doesn't really have much flavor.
  • Break the bread into chunks and place them in a large mason jar. Then, add sugar, water, sourdough discard, and any other ingredients you’d like, and mix thoroughly until the sugar is completely dissolved.
    If you have any small weights (like a small mason jar or tea cup), you can weigh the floating pieces of bread down. This is optional.
    Cover the top of the mason jar with a paper towel (or coffee filter) and secure it with a rubber band. This allows the mixture to breathe and release gases during fermentation while keeping out unwanted particles.
  • Let the mixture ferment for 2-3 days, making to stir a couple of times every day to prevent any one floating piece of bread from staying on the surface too long.
    The soda is ready to be strained and bottled with it looks bubbly and smells a bit sour.
  • Strain the mixture through a cheesecloth, fine mesh bag, or coffee filter placed over a funnel, discarding any large chunks of bread. Position the funnel on top of a flip-top glass bottle to collect the strained liquid.
  • Bottle the mixture in a flip-top glass bottle and let it continue to ferment and carbonate in the fridge for at least 3 days before serving.
    Alternatively, for faster carbondation, you can let it continue to ferment at room temperature after bottling for one day before transferring it to the fridge to chill before serving.
    The soda may look a little cloudy but the yeast will settle during its second ferment in the fridge (similar to the natural yeast in kombucha settles at the bottom)
  • Pop, and serve the soda over ice. You can keep the soda in the fridge for about 2 weeks. To prevent the soda from over-pressurizing, I recommend de-gassing the soda every couple of days.
    Please note that you may notice some white sediments at the bottom of the soda. This is the yeast mentioned above. For aesthetics, I recommend not re-mixing the sediments into the drink before serving so the soda maintains a more vibrant and clear look.

Video

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A post shared by Xian | Sourdough Baking (@craving_nomz)

Notes

Recipe inspired from @ediblealchemy.co and @amateurfoodalchemist 
Keyword bread, sourdough, sourdough discard