Lemon Verbena Soda with Ginger Bug - Natural Fizzy Drink

Transform your active ginger bug into a refreshing, naturally fizzy drink! This lemon verbena soda with cucumber is light, herbaceous, and perfectly fizzy - a delicious non-alcoholic alternative that's naturally probiotic.

Recipe Details:

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Fermentation Time: 2 days
• Total Time: 2 days 10 minutes
• Makes: 1 litre (serves 4-6)
• Difficulty: Easy
• Special Equipment: Blender, fine-mesh sieve, pressure-safe plastic bottle (1-1.5 litre capacity)

IMPORTANT: You'll need an active ginger bug for this recipe! Don't have one yet? Learn how to make a ginger bug here - it takes 5-7 days to establish but lasts for years.

This naturally fizzy soda is a revelation - light, refreshing, and full of bright flavours from cucumber, lemon verbena (or mint), and fresh lemon juice. Your active ginger bug provides the natural carbonation, creating gentle bubbles without any artificial ingredients. The cucumber adds a spa-like freshness, while lemon verbena brings a beautiful citrusy, herbal note. If you don't have lemon verbena, mint works brilliantly too. The magic happens over 2 days as the yeasts in your ginger bug consume the sugar and create natural CO2, carbonating your drink. The result is a sophisticated, probiotic fizzy drink that's far more interesting than shop-bought sodas. It's perfect for special occasions, summer gatherings, or whenever you want something refreshing and a bit special. The hardest part? Waiting two days before you can drink it! Just pray it doesn't explode - using a plastic bottle lets you monitor the pressure and release gas if needed.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Naturally fizzy: Real carbonation created by fermentation, not forced gas
• Probiotic benefits: Contains beneficial yeasts and bacteria from the ginger bug
• Refreshing and sophisticated: Cucumber and lemon verbena create a spa-like, elegant flavour
• Non-alcoholic: A delicious grown-up drink with no alcohol content
• Customisable: Easy to adapt with different herbs, fruits, and flavours

Ingredients

For the Lemon Verbena Soda:

• 900ml filtered water
• 1 small cucumber
• Large handful fresh lemon verbena leaves (or fresh mint)
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 1-1½ tablespoons caster sugar (start with 1, add ½ more if you prefer sweeter)
• 3-5 tablespoons active ginger bug

Instructions

1. Prepare the cucumber and herbs: Roughly chop the cucumber - no need to peel it. Pick the lemon verbena leaves from their stems. If using mint, pick the leaves.

2. Blend with water: Add the chopped cucumber and lemon verbena (or mint) leaves to a blender with about 300ml of the filtered water. Blend until completely smooth.

3. Strain thoroughly: Pour the blended mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large jug or bowl, pressing down with a spoon to extract all the liquid. You want to remove all the pulp and bits - only the flavoured water should go through. This is important for a clear, smooth soda.

4. Combine with remaining water: Add the cucumber-herb water to the remaining 600ml of filtered water in your jug. Stir to combine.

5. Prepare your bottle: Choose a pressure-safe plastic bottle with a capacity of 1-1.5 litres. Plastic is important - you can feel the pressure building and safely release gas if needed. Glass bottles can explode under pressure!

6. Add sugar to bottle: Add 1 tablespoon of caster sugar to the empty bottle. If you like sweeter drinks, add 1½ tablespoons.

7. Add lemon juice: Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon.

8. Add active ginger bug: Add 3-5 tablespoons of your active, bubbly ginger bug to the bottle. More ginger bug = faster and fizzier fermentation. Start with 3 tablespoons for a gentle fizz, 5 tablespoons for more carbonation.

9. Pour in cucumber water: Using a funnel if needed, pour the strained cucumber-lemon verbena water into the bottle. Don't fill it completely to the top - leave about 3-5cm of headspace. This space is essential for the gas to build up safely.

10. Seal and shake: Screw the lid on tightly and shake the bottle vigorously to dissolve the sugar and distribute everything evenly.

11. Ferment at room temperature: Leave the bottle on your kitchen counter away from direct sunlight for 2 days. The yeasts from the ginger bug will consume the sugar and create carbonation.

12. Check daily: Once or twice a day, carefully open the lid slightly to check if there's pressure building (you'll hear a hiss of gas). If the bottle feels very firm when you squeeze it, release some pressure. This prevents over-carbonation or explosions!

13. Watch for fizz: After about 1 day, you should start seeing small bubbles forming. By day 2, it should be nicely fizzy. The warmer your room, the faster it will ferment.

14. Chill: After 2 days (or when it reaches your desired fizziness), transfer the bottle to the refrigerator. The cold temperature slows down fermentation dramatically, stopping it from becoming too fizzy or alcoholic.

15. Serve cold: Chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Pour into glasses over ice if desired. The soda should be refreshingly fizzy with a beautiful balance of cucumber, herb, and lemon flavours.

16. Drink within a week: Consume within 5-7 days while it's at peak freshness and fizziness. The longer it sits, even in the fridge, the more it will continue to ferment (slowly).

Chef's Tips

For the best fizz: Use an active, bubbly ginger bug. If your bug hasn't been used in a while, feed it and leave it at room temperature for a day to wake it up before making soda.

Temperature affects fermentation: In warm weather (24°C+), your soda might be ready in 24 hours. In cooler weather (18°C), it might need 3 days. Taste and feel the pressure to gauge readiness.

Plastic bottles are essential: Never use glass bottles for fermentation! The pressure can cause them to explode. Plastic bottles are safe - you can feel the pressure and they won't shatter.

Don't overfill: Always leave 3-5cm of headspace in the bottle. The gas needs somewhere to go as it builds up.

Strain well: Remove all pulp and bits from your cucumber water. They can create sediment and make the soda cloudy.

Release pressure regularly: Check your bottle daily and carefully release excess pressure. This prevents explosions and also lets you taste-test to see if it's fizzy enough.

Adjust sweetness: Start with less sugar - you can always make it sweeter next time. The sugar is food for the yeasts, so more sugar = more fermentation = more fizz (and potentially more alcohol, though it stays non-alcoholic).

Substitutions & Variations

Mint version: Replace lemon verbena with fresh mint leaves for a cucumber mint soda - equally refreshing!

Citrus ginger soda: Skip the cucumber and herbs. Use 800ml water, juice of 2 lemons or limes, and 2 tablespoons sugar for a classic ginger ale style soda.

Tropical version: Blend pineapple or mango with water for a tropical fizzy drink.

Apple and mint: Use 700ml apple juice (not from concentrate) and 200ml water with fresh mint - no extra sugar needed.

Herbal variations: Try basil, Thai basil, or even lavender instead of lemon verbena for different herb flavours.

Spiced soda: Add a cinnamon stick, star anise, or cardamom pods to the bottle for warm spiced notes.

Floral soda: Add elderflower cordial or rose water for sophisticated floral flavours.

But you have been warned each fruit will make different things happen, as they also contain sugars. Natural fermentation can be crazy sometimes. Always open bottles outside (just incase haha)

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerator storage: Once fermented, store in the fridge for up to 1 week. The cold slows fermentation but doesn't stop it completely, so drink within a week.

Pressure management: Even in the fridge, pressure can build up. If your bottle feels very firm after a few days, carefully release some gas.

Separation is normal: The cucumber water may settle at the bottom. Give the bottle a gentle shake before pouring.

Second fermentation: If you want more fizz after refrigeration, leave it at room temperature for a few more hours, checking pressure frequently.

Not suitable for freezing: Don't freeze your soda - the carbonation will be lost and the bottle might burst.

Leftover ginger bug: Remember to feed your ginger bug after using some to make soda!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: My soda isn't fizzy after 2 days. What's wrong? A: Your ginger bug might not be active enough. Feed it and leave at room temperature for a day to reactivate, then try again. Also, if your room is very cold (below 18°C), give it another day.

Q: How do I know if it's ready? A: Squeeze the bottle - if it's firm and hard to squeeze, there's good pressure built up. When you carefully crack the lid, you should hear a hiss of gas escaping. You can also taste it - it should be pleasantly fizzy.

Q: Is there alcohol in this? A: There will be trace amounts of alcohol from fermentation (probably less than 0.5%), similar to kombucha, but not enough to be considered alcoholic. It's safe for children.

Q: My bottle exploded! What happened? A: Too much pressure built up. This is why plastic bottles are recommended - they bulge before exploding, giving you warning. Always leave headspace, check pressure daily, and refrigerate once fizzy enough.

Q: Can I use tap water? A: Filtered water is better as chlorine in tap water can inhibit fermentation and harm your ginger bug. If using tap water, leave it out overnight to let the chlorine evaporate.

Q: The soda tastes too sweet/not sweet enough: A: Adjust the sugar for next time. More sugar = more food for yeast = more fermentation = more fizz (and less residual sweetness as the yeast eats it).

You Might Also Like

How to Make a Ginger Bug - Learn to create and maintain your own ginger bug starter culture that lasts for years.

Beetroot Kvass - Another naturally fermented, probiotic drink made with beetroot and salt.

Homemade Fruit Shrubs - Create your own fruit syrups from all the kitchen bits and bobs!

Enjoy!

Del x

This naturally fizzy lemon verbena soda is refreshing, probiotic, and completely non-alcoholic. Just pray it doesn't explode! Using your ginger bug to create naturally carbonated drinks is endlessly fun - once you've mastered this recipe, try different herb and fruit combinations to create your own signature sodas.