Grape Vanilla Water Kefir Soda (GAPS-legal, gluten-free)

Water kefir is a delicious beverage that you can make at home.  It is made using water, a sweetener, and kefir grains (which are small clumps of beneficial yeast and bacteria). The kefir grains consume the sweetener and infuse the water with probiotics. 

Water kefir grains are on sale 20% off at Cultures for Health.  Use code WKG before June 20th. (If you use the link, not only will you get 20% off, but I will also earn 10% as an affiliate!) 

While some people like to use white sugar for kefir, I prefer to use rapadura.  This gives the finished brew a nice flavor with a hint of molasses.  To make flavored water kefir soda, you just add some flavoring after the initial fermentation is complete and allow the soda to ferment for one additional day on the counter.  I find that both plain and flavored water kefir are much tastier if you add a generous amount of fresh lemon or lime juice to each glass. 

Grape Vanilla Water Kefir Soda

LEFT: finished water kefir; RIGHT: rapadura water before fermentation

For the initial fermentation:

• Water kefir grains
• 1/4 cup rapadura
• 3 cups filtered water

Combine rapadura and water in a quart mason jar.  Stir until rapadura is dissolved.  Then add kefir grains.  Put a lid on the jar and let it sit on the counter for 1-2 days (depending on how warm your house is and how active your grains are).  The water kefir will be finished when the liquid changes color from a dark brown to a light orangey-brown, as shown in the picture.  Finished water kefir will taste mildly sweet. Remove the grains before proceeding to the second fermentation.  Do not use metal utensils as kefir grains should never come into contact with metal.

For the second fermentation:

• Small handful raisins, chopped
• 1/3 of a vanilla bean pod, sliced lengthwise and scraped to release the vanilla beans
• Fresh lemon or lime juice (optional, but highly recommended!)

Add the raisins and vanilla to the water kefir.  Put a tight-fitting lid on it, and allow to sit on the counter for about 24 hours.  Then transfer to the fridge to cool.  The resulting soda beverage will be slightly fizzy and delicious!

If desired, you can strain the soda to remove the raisins and vanilla.  I like to leave them in, as they continue to add flavor while the soda is in the fridge. You can also add a large squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice to each glass as you drink it.  I love to use juice from half of a lemon or lime in each glass of water kefir; simply delicious!   

For more information on water kefir, visit see the Water Kefir FAQs at Cultures for Health.

What is your favorite way to flavor water kefir?

This post is part of Fight Back Friday at Food Renegade, Real Food Wednesday at Kelly the Kitchen Kop and Monday Mania at The Healthy Home Economist!