I love making probiotic sodas at home. It’s fun and easy, and it’s cool to be in control of how sweet, how fizzy or how tart is turns out. One of the first sodas I made was Elderflower Soda, and after that success, I made a quick batch of Rhubarb Soda, and it was also a hit. Now that it’s almost spring, it’s Rhubarb Season again, so I whipped up the first batch of the year, this time using local honey as well. It’s kind of like lemonade, with a rosy flavor– so nice! Plus… Probiotics! What a nice way to get some more into your family. As with most home fermentation projects, this formula is flexible.
PrintHow to Make Rhubarb & Honey Soda (With Lacto-Fermentation!)
This Rhubarb Soda is kind of like a sparkling lemonade, with a rosy flavor– so nice! Plus… Probiotics! What a nice way to get some more into your family. As with most home fermentation projects, this formula is flexible.
Ingredients
- Rhubarb– I used 6 stalks
- Raw, local honey (or at least raw– you can order it here if you need to) And yes, you can also use sugar instead.
- Some kind of culture– you can use (homemade) sauerkraut juice or whey from strained yogurt– you only need a tablespoon or two
- a demijohn, an airlock, a funnel and swing-top bottles.
Instructions
- Chop the rhubarb into 1/2 pieces and put in a pot.
- Cover the rhubarb in the pot with water, and bring to a simmer. I used about a liter of water.
- Simmer until the rhubarb is very tender, then cool. I left mine overnight to steep, but you probably don’t need to.
- Strain out the rhubarb. (When I stirred mine with a spoon, it disintegrated, making something like applesauce. I added honey and now we have a nice rhubarb compote.)
- Add the honey and stir until dissolved. I used about 3/4 cup, which made it very, very sweet. Keep in mind that the sugars will be digested to create the fizz, so you do want to start with it much sweeter than you would like the soda to be. Dilute the syrup with water if it comes on too strong (super tart, since it will get more sour as it ferments.)
- Pour the “juice” into a sterilized demijohn, add your whey or sauerkraut juice and add your airlock.
- Let it sit for about three days, and taste it. Mine fermented pretty quickly, but there are some variables– the temperature of the room, the strength of the culture you used, etc. Taste it and let it ferment until it’s only a little sweeter than you would like it to be.
- Pour it into your swing-top bottles, and store in the fridge. You could leave them out at room temperature if you’d like to drink them sooner, but I usually pop them into the fridge to slow down the fermentation process. You will want to drink them within a week, or risk losing most of your Rhubarb Soda to the “geyser effect.”
Notes
Your beverage will get drier, more tart and fizzier the longer you wait. It will eventually develop more of an alcohol content, too, so you might want to taste it before giving it to your kids if you’ve been storing it for a while!
We enjoyed our Rhubarb Soda this weekend– it was nice and sunny, and we did a lot of work outside. It is rosy, tart and so refreshing– and not to mention the pleasures of drinking something pink. Plus, there is something really exciting about making your own intense carbonation, naturally. That always gives me a thrill. I hope you’ll try making some– it’s really very easy, and you can’t buy anything like it!
For more fermented beverage projects, you may want to check out these books: True Brews and Real Food Fermentation. Want to make something a little more grown-up than soda? We love Rhubarb Wine!
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JoWrites says
Looks interesting. Can’t wait to try it.
ariana says
I’m glad you will! Please let us know how yours come out!
Darryl Corp says
Hi Ariana,
What quantity does this make?
Thanks and regards,
Darryl
Chantal says
Hi
Can I use tap water?
Betty Harlacher says
How did you learn to do so many different things; like smoking meat, making soda? I am always afraid I will poison someone with tainted food. I have wanted to make my own yogurt forever but am fearful of bad bacteria going wild.
ariana says
Hi Betty! No one actually taught me to make anything beyond yogurt– I just took the view that it’s a fun biology experiment, and started trying things. I think that most of us just haven’t been exposed to people doing these things themselves, and so we begin to think that we *can’t* do it ourselves without expertise, equipment, etc. The truth is that it’s really easy to do, and actually pretty hard to get wrong, once you know the basics. I have never made anyone sick. Usually, it’s pretty clear when something goes wrong in fermentation– and you can tell by looking and smelling.
Another thing that might be helpful to keep in mind is that good bacteria usually trumps bad bacteria– this is why fermentation is used so much to preserve food and keep it from going bad. I hope you’ll give one of these projects a shot– it’s so much fun, once you get started!
Betlyn says
I am making my rhubarb soda but I added pineapple. Thanks
How much whey or sauerkraut juice do you add?
ariana says
Hi Betlyn,
I use about two tablespoons of culture. Let me know how it comes out with the added pineapple!
Laura says
This looks so yummy but all I have right now is previously frozen rhubarb. Do you think that it would still work or shall I wait for fresh?
ariana says
Laura, I definitely think frozen will be fine. Since you’re getting the fermentation culture from whey or kraut, the rhubarb is just there to make a flavorful “tea” to ferment. Try it!
goatsandgreens says
Talk about worthwhile inventiveness!
fairytalehausfrau says
Another recipe of yours that I can’t wait to try! 🙂
Ksenia says
Question – do you have to use an airlock, or is there another option?
ariana says
Ksenia, I have always used an airlock. But I know some people have had success with using a balloon with a pin prick hole in it as an effective airlock. Worth a try, for sure!
Danita says
Also did you add more water after straining it? I don’t understand how you had enough to fill a demijohn with only adding a liter while cooking down. Sorry I have never made soda before.
ariana says
Hi Danita,
I did not fill a whole demijohn– you’re right that this wouldn’t be enough! It was about a liter. What I would suggest is tasting it, then deciding if you think it should be diluted. You want a drink that’s like lemonade, but on the sweeter side, since the culture will be eating some of the sugar to create carbonation. Don’t start off *too* sour, because it will become more tart as it ferments.
Have fun!
Wendy says
You can make sodas with nothing more than fruit, honey/sugar and water. The wild yeasts on the fruit and in the air will create fermentation, just as they would with a sourdough starter. You may need a couple more days fermentation is all.
ariana says
This is true! But I believe that something that is cooked like this would kill all of the natural yeast on the fruit, so you would need to get it from the air. And it will take much longer– but that can be a really fun experiment!
lightatheart says
When does the alcohol content start in the process? One of my family members can’t have alcohol and if there is the slightest taste or smell of it would not drink it. I’d like to try this but definitely don’t want it to get to the stage of having an alcohol content if that is possible.
Thank you.
ariana says
It would depend on a few variables… The temperature of the room you’re fermenting in, how active the culture is, etc. I would say that over a week of fermentation would be begin to produce some alcohol. But I think the best method is to taste it, and keep the fermentation period short. I recently did a blackberry soda that we couldn’t drink right away, so I bottled it and put it in the fridge. We had our last bottle yesterday, probably a month later, and there was no hint of alcohol since we had slowed down the fermentation so much through temperature.
Clare says
This might seem like a silly question but can I just use the juice from a jar of sauerkraut that I bought from the supermarket?
ariana says
Hi Clare! It really depends on the type of sauerkraut you are buying. Bubbies has live probiotic cultures in it, but most do not. If you don’t have a culture on hand, the simplest whey to get it is to strain a bit of plain yogurt (I use a coffee filter in a strainer) to get just a tablespoon or two of whey. After that, you can use a little leftover soda to culture the next batch!
Denise Heydon says
Can I use kabucha as a culture?
Brian Wood says
How much does this make? is this a 1 gallon recipe?
deneen says
Hi, I’m wondering what the yield is – considering making this for my next food swap. Want to make sure I make enough!
ariana says
The yield will vary a bit, but about a gallon is what this one makes. It’s so easy to adapt, though– just use as much rhubarb as you have, and dilute and sweeten so that it tastes like a sweeter-than-you-want lemonade. (It will get drier as it ferments.) And you can always dilute during the fermentation process if it’s too strong– very flexible! I hope your food swappers love it!
Fatemeh says
Do you think I could use a bit of kombucha to start this? I do have some lacto fermented pickles I could use, but the brine is ridiculously salty. Also, if I don’t have an airlock (just ordered one, actually!), could I burp the bottle I pour it into?
ariana says
Fatemah, I think it will be OK to just use a little of your pickle brine. Sometimes I add a pinch of salt to my sour drinks anyway, as it rounds them out a bit. Maybe use 1 tsp., then just give it a little longer for the culture to develop. Unfortunately, kombucha will not work in this way. And yes– you can just burp your bottles a couple of times a day. I get nervous about forgetting and risking an explosion, but I know people do it this way sometimes.
Pam Bachman says
Really wish (for the blackberry as well), that you included the yield in your recipe. For those of us new to this, how much water (a 3 gallon, a five gallon demijohn?), would be really helpful. If I’m going to go to the trouble of making a terrific soda, I’d like to make more than just one or two bottles. Surely you could provide a little more guidance in this regard?
Eric says
Rhubarb soda sounds great, I’ll have to try it.
You might find that you get more consistent results if you use a bit of yeast instead of the whey or sauerkraut juice. When I make root beer I use about 1/8 tsp of bakers yeast.
I like to make soda in 2 liter bottles so that you can feel how much carbonation there is. It’s done fermenting when it feels as hard as the 2 liters in the store. Put it directly in the fridge for a day or two to let the CO2 stabilize in solution and it’s good to go.
Lindsay Wansitler says
I made a similar soda recipe with strawberries and rhubarb. It has been in there for almost a day and no bubbling from my bubbler…. help?
Anu Ann Randmaa says
It is good to hear from you and your doings in Spain. Missed it while you moved over there. Rhubarb season is in swing here in southern Ontario, Canada, and I have a friend whose yard has them coming up madly. I’ll call her and see if I can’t mooch some of those rhubarbs and make this soda drink. Sounds so like something I’d like to drink on a hot spring day (like today). Thanks for your energy, for your interesting outlook on food, drink and life.!!!
ariana says
Thanks for this sweet note, Anu!
Ryan Meashaw says
I was going to ask about a different form of fermenting other than the whey or kraut juice. But I seem someone mentioned baker’s yeast. Would brewer’s yeast work also or not so much? From what you said I couldn’t drop in a Kombucha SCOBY and have it work? What if I brewed in my continuous brew kombucha jar that’s just covered with a cloth on top, no airlock etc. Would that work out alright? Sorry for all the questions. I like to be prepared before I start a project! Thanks!
caranorris2014 says
Ryan, I am just about to try this with champagne yeast. I’ll check in with results! I have never done anything like this before but my husband brews beer so that is the route I am trying!
Ryan Meashaw says
I picked some rhubarb today to try it with. Also wondering if maybe the ginger bug could be used for the fermenting part?
ariana says
Cara, I think champagne yeast could be pretty interesting! In the past when I’ve made wines, I’ve taken the barely-fermented, sweet liquid an bottled it for my daughter as a soda. Just be careful if you’re using glass bottles, that too much carbonation doesn’t build up. If you’re at all worried, use a plastic soda bottle.
ariana says
Ryan, I have never done a soda with brewer’s yeast. For the first time doing it, I would recommend a probiotic starter instead. Kombucha needs tea in order to work, so I really don’t think using kombucha would be a success.
Linda says
Hi Ryan, I make Kombucha myself. I don’t use the continuous brew system though. I do a first ferment, then pour into my swing top bottles. I make the rhubarb syrup as above don’t use as much water as this recipe calls for. I add an ounce or two to my taste of this syrup to each bottle, then I let the bottles sit on my counter up to 3 days, checking fizz and flavour starting the second day. My house is always room temp year around and I find 3 days gives me all the fizz you need. I then refrigerate the bottled Booch. So smooth and good cold!
As I rule, I never add fruit to my main batch with Scoby as I don’t want to risk molds.
Kaia says
I would love to make this! I don’t know what a demijohn is, is there a good substitute? And what are some more options for a probiotic starter?
ariana says
Kaia, a demijohn is a glass jug that you can put a rubber stopper with an airlock in. Here’s an example: https://amzn.to/1dhLmyr
If you can’t get whey from yogurt, kefir or fermented veggies, you could try a powdered probiotic capsule– just empty it out into your juice.
Helena says
Please clarify. The juice is the liquid strained???? And what is the quantity of soda made???
ariana says
The juice is the strained liquid, correct. The quantity here is a little loose, as you will add water to taste if it’s too sour or concentrated– but it will be about a liter, giver or take.
Rebecca says
Does the fermentation make it alcoholic?
ariana says
Hi Rebecca,
If you leave it for a long time, it will eventually become alcoholic (like any juice will) but fermenting for just a week or so will not make it alcoholic.
Jennifer mackenzie says
Could I use some kombucha for this instead of sUerkraut juice or yogurt whey?
Flo says
Thanks a lot for your recipe ! I love that drink, so delicious :p https://unflodebonneschoses.fr/petillant-de-rhubarbe/
marilyn says
Is it necessary to simmer the rhubarb, or could it be put through a juicer and used raw? Could you do similar using other fruits and berries and would these need to be simmered or could they as well be juiced and raw with the addition of water, sugar and a little whey? Thank you.
ariana says
Hi Marilyn,
I haven’t done it that way with Rhubarb before, and I think cooking it will extract the most flavor. But yes, you can make all kinds of sodas with raw fruit and I have done it that way with other fruits. One reason to consider cooking them down is to kill any wild bacteria that is already on the fruit for a cleaner flavor, but adding whey or another probiotic should make sure that good bacteria will overpower the bad. If you decide to go for a raw rhubarb soda, please let us all know how to comes out!
Leslie says
How big of a pot do you use? Like a big pasta pot? How many liters of water do you use too?
Justin Henderson says
How do I know when fermentation starts?
Billy says
Hi Ariana! Thank you for this recipe. I love all the soda recipes you post, they are making it to hard not to drive out and buy the ingredients right now! I really want to try this one and your blackberry one you posted as well. Thank you for sharing!
Tanya says
I just made this… mine isn’t really that pink looking. Also, my demijohn is only about 1/5 full. And there are some bits of rhubarb in the jar. Will those dissolve?
What did I do wrong?!!
Tanya says
Was i supposed to keep the liquid I strained? I put the rhubarb “compote” in the demijohn ?
ariana says
Oh, dear!! Yes, you should have kept the strained liquid, and discarded the rhubarb. Try again?
Pernille says
Dear ariana. I made the rhubarb three days ago and nothing has changed in the liquid sinde then. I plan to just let it sit for ekstra days, but when Will it in your opinion have stayed to long? And throw it out and try again….
ariana says
Hi Pernille,
I would just add a little more of the culture you used, and give it a few more days. If it starts getting icky on top, then start over. But time for fermentation can vary a lot, depending the temperature of your house, the type of culture, etc.
Pernille says
Perfect. Thank you so much for the quick reply. And for your webpage. So inspiring!!
Margie says
Hi, was excited to try your recipe! I’m always looking for yummy ways to use rhubarb. I never made soda before and never used an airlock so I didn’t realize I was supposed to put water in it. The one I ordered online with the glass jug didn’t have any instructions. So, I made the soda mixture Thursday afternoon, put the airlock on – with no water. However, yesterday my husband said “shouldn’t you put water in that?” I didn’t know! So Friday evening, put sterilized water in it. This morning(Sat), looks like mold – white spots on the surface of mixture. Is it done for? Anything I can do to save it? Thanks for any help you can give.
ariana says
Hi Margie,
I would just wait and see if those white spots spread– they might just be some bubbly signs of fermentation. If they do seem to spread, see if you can scoop them off. But what I really expect is that (if they are not the bacterial culture you want) they will be overpowered by the culture you added. Just wait and see. You will know it’s not good if it smells bad or like dirt.
Margie says
Ok, thanks for your advice. I will smell it. Update this morning though – remember I got the water in the airlock Friday night – yesterday it slowly started to get foamy and by this morning(Sun), the jar is half full of foam! I will smell and maybe taste it if I’m not sure. I’ll let you know how it goes!
Elizabeth says
Mine never fermented 😣 we waited and waited and then it started growing something fuzzy in the bottom (day 5?) But still no fizz…wondering what could gave happened or if you gave any advice to inspire me to tr again lol used pur garden’s rhubarb, organic sauerkraut juice from store bought sauerkraut, our water from the hpuse (well hasn’t impacted my sourdough though) and store bought honey, which truthfully was not unpasteurized….but you can normally ferment with most simple sugars…. anyhoot just thought I’d ask just in case. It was a gorgeous color and my son was super keen to try it lol
ariana says
Hi Elizabeth! That must have been so disappointing for you and your son! The good news is that I think I know what happened– most store-bought sauerkraut does not have live fermentation culture in it. It’s usually heated pretty high to kill off all bacteria before bottling. So next time, use homemade kraut culture, whey from yogurt or kefir, OR try pouring the powder from a probiotic supplement capsule into your brew.
Jonathan says
We made several different soda recipes using fruit, honey, and a 1/4 tsp of package yeast (instead of the sauerkraut culture). Instead of using an airlock, we simply used a plastic 2 litre bottle and, when I could not squeeze the sides in anymore, I knew it was carbonated enough to drink or store. It usually took about 2-3 days. As we didn’t have rhubarb growing, we had not yet tried it. Perhaps this year. Thanks for your recipes and all your feedback
Doug says
the recipe doesn’t tell you how how much water
tracy says
Wondering if there would be a way to “put this up” for winter. Thinking it would be a nice treat in the winter. Assuming this would mean some kind of corked wine bottle or???. Alternatively….how important is the freshness of the fruit? Could I use last year’s plums that are in the freezer, or the raspberry/ blueberry that I have in my larder?…..thinking it could be a good way to free up some mason jars for this falls harvest. What do you think? How can I stop the carbonation enough to preserve it? Thanks in advance. Great recipe!!! A friend of mine made something like this and brought it over last week. I just harvested all my rhubarb!!! Hoping for another harvest or two.
Brenda says
Tried it, lived it. In UK.
Was a little aprehensive as never tried anything off this type.
I had some local honey to hand and rhubarb fisted by a friend.
I used the whey from a commercial probiotic cherry yoghurt just strained it and added 2 tbl spoons to the brew.
Followed your instruction and I’ve just enjoyed a lovely glass of soda, I’m hooked!!!!!
★★★★★