How to Make Wild Fermented Cherry Soda with a Ginger Bug
Once you have an active ginger bug bubbling away (Ginger Bug Guide here), you can start using it to make simple naturally fizzy drinks. This cherry soda is one of the first fruit sodas I experimented with, and it is a lovely way to turn a tub of cherries into something sparkling.
It is not complicated. You mix the fruit, sugar, filtered water, lemon juice and ginger bug together, let it ferment, strain it, bottle it, and then let the fizz build.
Why filtered water matters
Filtered water is generally preferred when making fermented drinks because chlorine in tap water can sometimes slow fermentation.
You do not need anything fancy, but if you are trying to keep a ginger bug active and make a naturally fermented soda, filtered water gives the wild yeasts and bacteria a better chance to do their work.
What you need
- A generous tub of cherries
- 4 litres filtered water
- 1½ cups sugar
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 1½ cups active ginger bug
You will also need a large food-safe container, a clean cloth or cover, a strainer, and clean bottles suitable for fermentation.
The process, step by step
- Add the cherries, filtered water, sugar, lemon juice and ginger bug to a large food-safe container.
- Stir well to dissolve the sugar.
- Cover with a clean cloth to keep out dust and insects while still allowing airflow.
- Leave at room temperature and stir once a day.
- After about 3 days, you should start to see signs of fermentation. Look for bubbles, a slight fizz, or fruit floating to the surface.
- Strain out the cherries.
- Pour the cherry soda into clean bottles suitable for fermentation.
- Leave the bottles at room temperature for another 2–3 days to build carbonation.
- Check the bottles daily and release pressure if needed.
- Once the soda tastes how you like it and has a suitable fizz, move it to the fridge to slow fermentation.
Serve chilled.
Don't waste the cherries
After straining the soda, I kept the fermented cherries and dehydrated them to use later.
They can be eaten as a snack or added to baking, muesli or trail mix. It is a simple way to get one more use from the fruit instead of throwing it away.
Caring for your ginger bug
One thing I did not understand when I first started making ginger bug was how to refill it after using some.
After you have used some of your ginger bug, replace the liquid you removed with the same amount of filtered water.
For example, if you use 1½ cups of ginger bug in this recipe, add 1½ cups of filtered water back into the jar.
Then feed it with:
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Give it a stir and leave it at room temperature if you plan to brew again soon. The ginger bug should become active and bubbly again within a day or two.
If you are not using it regularly, store it in the fridge and feed it about once a week. When you are ready to make another batch, bring it back to room temperature and feed it for a few days until it is active and bubbly again.
Bottling and refrigeration
Fermentation speed will vary depending on temperature. In warm weather, the soda may become fizzy quickly. In cooler weather, it may take longer.
Once bottled, check the bottles daily and release pressure if needed. When the soda reaches the flavour and fizz you like, put it in the fridge.
The fridge slows the fermentation down, but it does not stop it completely, so open bottles carefully.
Wild fermented soda isn't complicated
Wild fermented soda can sound intimidating at first, but it is really just fruit, sugar, filtered water and a living culture.
Once you understand the basic process, you can experiment with different fruits through the seasons. Cherries are a beautiful place to start.
What's next — and if this is your kind of thing, come along.
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