I’m a big fan of Water Kefir and Kombucha for their probiotics and beneficial enzymes. They do require specific cultures though (I use these water kefir grains and this kombucha scoby) so if you don’t happen to have a SCOBY sitting around your kitchen, you are pretty much out of luck.
Luckily, as there is an easy lacto-fermented drink that you can make with basic ingredients from your grocery store, and your kids will probably even drink it!
I made probiotic lemonade recently and it was wonderful! It is very easy to make and is ready in just a couple of days. If you don’t have the water kefir grains or kombucha starter to try those drinks… make a batch of this to try today!
Probiotic Lemonade
Prep
Total
Yield 8 +
A fizzy and tangy fermented lemonade that has a boost of probiotics.
Ingredients
- Juice of 10 lemons or limes
- 3/4 cup sugar or sucanat
- 1 cup of whey (here's how to make it)
- 2.5 to 3 quarts of filtered water
- gallon size jar
Instructions
- Pour the sugar into the gallon size glass jar and add just enough hot water to dissolve the sugar.
- Add lemon juice and fill the jar about 3/4 full with filtered water.
- Make sure the liquid is at room temp and add the whey.
- Cover tightly and let sit on the counter for 2-3 days. The longer it sits, the less sugar in the final product.
- After 2-3 days, keep in fridge and drink 4-6 ounces per day. The flavor will continue to develop in the fridge.
- Since the sugar ferments out, it is rather tart. Add a couple drops of stevia if it is too tart for you!
Courses Drink
Like this recipe? Check out my new cookbook, or get all my recipes (over 500!) in a personalized weekly meal planner here!
Some notes:
- Lemons or limes can be used, or a mixture
- You can add about 1 tsp of molasses to the sugar before dissolving to add extra minerals and make a slightly sweeter taste
- Blending this with ice cubes make a delicious smoothie (or margarita if using limes!)
Feeling adventurous? Will you try this healthy drink? Tell me below!
This sounds delicious, and my kids love lemonade – I’m guessing with a little stevia they’ll drink it up.
Do you (or anyone?) have any thoughts on coconut palm sugar – is it just like any other? Is the taste different?
I love coconut palm sugar. It has fewer carbs and more fiber than white or brown sugar. In my opinion, the taste is pleasantly sweet, with notes of butterscotch and caramel. I get mine from Whole Foods – the brand is “Thai Taste”, and you can find a little white tub of it in the asian food aisle. This product is called “jaggery”, and the texture is a paste.
I’ve heard that you should avoid the hard nuggets of “palm sugar” that you find in some asian markets, because it is usually not from the coconut palm and is often adulterated with regular white cane sugar.
I am lactose intolerant. Was wondering if the whey would bother me. If so; do you have any suggestions of any thing else that I can add to help the fermentation process along?
Use a ginger bug instead of whey. It works well too.
What is a ‘bug’? do you mean ‘scoby’?
do you use the usual proportion of ginger bug? 1/4C of bug to 1 Qt H2O?
Komucha or Water Kefir will work great too. These are cultured bugs so if you don’t make your own or know where to get it (live Komucha can be found in bottles at health food stores and some grocers, use the whole bottle as the bug is likely weak.) If you do any fermenting at all you can use the starter or brine from those (or from Bubbies pickles at the grocers.) Use it in your first batch to get started, after that transfer a couple of cups of your fermented lemonade to the next batch to keep it going all summer and adjust your portions based on how fast you drink it.
If I use kombucha, (I have a continuous brew going, also a scoby hotel) how much should I use, and which should I use would like to make some of this ASAP, and it will be awhile before I can make the whey, I want to try both.
Hi Lori, Did you ever find out about how to use the kombucha scoby for this drink instead of whey? I also wonder if you can use the whey from store bought probiotic yogurts. Haven’t had time to make my own for a while and wondered if that would work too?
I’m going to try this today!!
Done! On the counter fermenting now…
Can you give a rough estimate for how much the juice of 10 lemons comes to? I juice lemons when they’re ripe here in the winter and keep it in the freezer, so I have juice, I just don’t know how much to use!
Just do it to taste, but a cup to a cup and a half should be about right
Just do it to taste, but a cup to a cup and a half should be about right
i am so excited to try this! and thanks for the link on whey!
I’ve always wanted to make lemonade but I do not have a juicer. Is there an easy way to juice at home, or should I aks my friend who has had a juicer for 5 years and never uses it if I can use hers??
juicers do make it faster, but you can juice by hand too. Just make sure the lemons are at room temp and roll them firmly on the counter with your hand before cutting open. I also use a spoon to help
squeeze out all the juice.
juicers do make it faster, but you can juice by hand too. Just make sure the lemons are at room temp and roll them firmly on the counter with your hand before cutting open. I also use a spoon to help
squeeze out all the juice.
I know this question is old already, but to help others, if you don’t want to buy a big juicer, they have small, plastic, by hand citrus squeezers that work really well. That is what I use. 10 lemons equal about 1 cup of juice. I have also frozen the juice and the whey for when I go on vacation and want to have probiotic lemonade. Takes only 2 days to ferment…and very tasty!
This is super good when you add some fresh grated ginger to it, too! 🙂
can you use honey instead of sugar?
I am sure you can. I usually use 1/2 honey because it is sweeter.
When the recipe calls for whey, are you referring to whey protein powder? I’m not very educated about it.
If you click on “whey” in the recipe above, it will link to a post that explains how to extract it from plain yogurt 🙂
typically you do not want to use honey with fermented drinks, as the sugar is the food for the fermentation.
also, melissa, the whey is different from whey protein powder. WM linked to an easy way to do whey, with just some plain organic yogurt and the liquid drippings from it becomes the whey. check out her link in the recipe.
Actually honey is perfectly fine for fermenting. The first fermented lemonade recipe I ever made called for honey, and was delicious. Honey is, after all, just another kind of sugar. The little bugs who do the fermenting will eat it just the same.
I made this a few days ago and am drinking my yummy lemonade as we speak. It really is delicious and my kids love it.
I have just made half quantities of this but forgot to measure the whey and tipped it in, will it be ok?
It will be fine. It may ferment a little faster, so just keep an eye on it, but it should still taste great.
I am now drinking this each morning and it is lovely, will have to make some more. Its coming up to flu season here, so the vitamin C should ward off the bugs!
I have a jar on my counter and I’m excited to give it a try tomorrow. Question, though… should I strain it before drinking? My juice had a lot of pulp and there’s a film on the top. Don’t want to remove anything I should be keeping in… Thanks!
How do you know when it is ready? I made some and it ended up with a bunch of black stuff in it. So I figured that I left it out too long.
Usually about two days, but it depends on the temperature in your kitchen…
I made this a couple of days ago, it actually tastes nice, the kids drunk it under duress!
Made this-it was wonderful!!! And you’re right..kids love it.
So good! I am enjoying this lemonade thanks so much!! Even been using it to mix with my daily dose of apple cider vineger for added punch of tartness! Thanks again for your inspired and well informed outlook!
Made my second batch this week (the first batch was a hit when mixed with stevia sweetened iced tea for “Arnold Palmers”). Question…I did not get it in the fridge last night (day 3), and when I came out this morning, there were three little pieces of mold floating on top. I scooped them out, and stuck it in the fridge, but not sure if its safe. Do you know? Certainly don’t want to put any of us in danger, but hate to waste a gallon of it if it’s OK to drink. Your thoughts? Thanks!
I’ve done the same thing before and drank them with no problem…
Thanks for your reply. After I left my question, I searched around on other blogs a bit, and others said the same thing, so we drank it…no problem! Thanks again. Another question…I’m all out of lemons, but have some whey left that I would like to use up. I do have oranges, is there any reason that I can’t make probiotic orange juice?
I don’t see why it wouldn’t work… let me know if you try it!
I tried it with oranges. No, don’t do it. It doesn’t taste good.
I had this problem with my first batch as well… And I believe it was because I used bottled lemon juice… Aftrer looking at the ingredients, found out it actually had a preservative in it! So it didn’t actually let it ferment the way it should have and molded instead. :/ So be sure to use fresh juiced or a bottled without any preservatives, if there’s such a thing!
I LOVE that I’m giving my children healthy, good for them lemonade, instead of yucky stuff! I have shared this recipe with several people since finding it!
I tried this one and after 2 days of fermenting it developed a skim of mould on top. Thoughts?
It could be a temperature thing or from some other bacteria in the air. Mine did that once, but I just carefully removed the top layer and it was fine.
If it’s a thin white film it is most likely Kahm yeast. Completely harmless, but do skim or it will change the flavor of your ferment.
Think I can use 1 cup of ginger bug instead of the whey?
It should work… let us know how it turns out!
I tried it — I don’t have a basis of comparison since as a vegan I can’t do the whey recipe, but, it seemed to turn out much as I’d expect fermented lemonade to turn out. Probably not to everyone’s taste (as the notes in the recipe say, it is indeed quite tart) but, I like it 🙂
What is gingerbug? Sounds like it would be simplar than making whey.
I have never made a ginger bug, but have looked up the information on how to make one. It takes 5 days and seems more onerous than a 24 hour drip of yogurt to make whey. In that 5 days you could be sipping on your flavored probiotic lemonade. You can put ginger or whatever flavors you want in the lemonade during the 2nd fermentation. Of course, if you want to make a ginger bug, it would certainly be something to try. Maybe you’d like that better. At present, I really like Kombucha and Water Kefir flavor with Ginger, Lemon, and Lime. Tart, but oh so good.
Can you use whey powder or will that not work? I happen to have some and no yogurt. It has no additives or added sugar, and it say it is “non-denatured, microfiltered pure whey.” What do you think?
It would probably taste good, but wouldn’t ferment the same since it isn’t a living strain
This sounds absolutely delicious am lactose intolerant. Was wondering if the whey would bother me. If
so; do you have any suggestions of any thing else that I can add to help
the fermentation process along?
We made it for the first time this weekend. It doesn’t seem to taste tart at all and makes me wonder if it worked. You said to make sure the liquid is room temp before adding the whey. My home is usually at about 64 to 68 degrees during this time of year so my room tempature water is kind of cold. Can that affect the process?
Didn’t read through all of the comments section, but wondered if you’ve had anyone talk about using plain water kefir in place of the whey? Would that work to culture/ferment veggies and/or make this lemonade? Thanks for your time!
I tried this………but I don’t know if it worked or not. My house is pretty cool- about 66 degrees, with this cold winter. I let this lemonade sit out for the 2 days, then tasted it and it is pretty sweet- doesn’t taste “fermented” in anyway. So then I started questioning if it needed more time out on the counter……I let it sit for about 5 days. No black stuff has grown on it. I took a sip and it is still tasting on the sweet side. Is that normal? Did the whey not work? Is it safe to consume after being out 5 days?
Could I use the liquid off of coconut milk….the “whey” type stuff for this. I can’t do dairy at all. Thanks.
No… it has to be the actual living whey with the bacteria for it to ferment…
Actually – I’ve seen at Whole Foods a liquid coconut whey that is living and that would work.
Another thing that works, & would also make it a bit fizzy, is bakers yeast as well as brewers yeast.
I’ve been making homemade ginger ale and lemonade with the “live active baker’s yeast” for years!
This is the link for making the ginger ale. To make the lemonade version, simply omit the ginger and use 1cup of lemon juice for the 2liters. 🙂
LOL there’s no link for the ginger ale. sounds good though.
My lemonade is carbonated! I don’t know how that happened. Is it still ok?
Yep… a natural byproduct of the fermentation…
Can this be made without the dairy? Thanks.
Is this safe to drink during pregnancy? I saw another blog with a similar recipe that said it turns to alcohol so not safe for pregnancy but I was skeptical because its just lemons and whey essentially.
I consumed this for the probiotics during pregnancy…
As good as this sounds please be careful as there is alcohol in it. The longer it sits the more alcohol. I personally would not drink this pregnant or give to my kids. I agree with everything on this site except this and other fermented drinks.
Alcohol begins *after* the 2nd day of fermentation. If consumed from a 2 day ferment, it is safe and beneficial for everyone (pregnant and children included). After day 2 has passed, there will be alcohol present.
I made the lemonade two days ago and tried it today. While it tastes great I’m not certain it’s fermented. I’m inexperienced with fermented foods especially drinks and even more so with making my own. It’s tart but also sweet. I added the molasses for the extra nutrients. How do I know I made it right? And that it has the probiotics?
Where do you find a gallon sized glass jar?
Hi, I have candida (yeast overgrowth) and am looking for some probiotic recipes. but i should keep sugar out of my diet completely, do you think it would be alright to make this? you say the longer it ferments the less sugar it contains, what is the sugar transformed into? thanks 🙂
I know I’m a little late with the comment but when I ckick on whey nothing happens.
Hi Katie,
I would like to give this a try but am uncertain about the whey and there is no link provided in the recipe like you had stated in a previous response.
Could you provide that information? Thank you!
Just strain organic whole fat yogurt through a cheesecloth and the liquid that results is whey
Fantastic; I will give it a try…thank you!
I’m making a 1/2-batch (it’s on my countertop now). Can’t wait to try it! Have one question… It’s been 36 hours and I see there is a cloudy layer on top and some sediment in the bottom. Is that normal? And do I stir it all up before serving or strain it in some way? I’ve just never made anything like this before…
Just skim that off and it should be ok
Thank you for answering! I’m hoping it turns out. I left it out yet today and will skim it and put it in the fridge when I get home which will almost be 3 days. I’m excited to see if it’s fizzy and how it tastes after it chills. I’m loving the fact that I can get some use out of my yogurt whey and make myself healthier to boot. I’ll let everyone know what I think after I’ve drank my first glass…. 🙂
Thanks for the recipe! I haven’t made the jump into keeping kombucha brewing, so it’s nice to have another option.
I’m on day 3 and my mixture is very cloudy on the bottom 1/2 inch of the jar. I’m thinking this might be from the whey (my whey usually has some cloudiness no matter how I try). Should I be careful to just drink the lemony clear top or is the cloudiness just the fermented goodness to be shaken in and enjoyed?
As long as you don’t see mold, any of it should be good.
Great, thanks! I just tried some and it’s pretty tasty too.
Can I use my ginger bug in place of the whey? My hubby has a dairy allergy
yes 🙂
I make this but add the half teaspoon of nutmeg for hindu lemonade. I second ferment in Grolsch bottles with a quarter teaspoon of sucanat for 2 to 3 days then transfer to the fridge. It will get explosively carbonated! I’m talking the equivalent of opening champagne. It makes it both fun, yummy and a bit dangerous!
After a day and a half on the counter, there are cloudy substances at the bottom of the jar. Since it’s not at the top, I can’t skim it. Have you had this happen? Should I try to strain it tomorrow?
hi, i started this 2 days ago. not really thinking i guess, because i put it to sit in my pantry. my pantry is super cold, and it didn’t ferment. now that it has been sitting chilled for 2 days, is it too late to now sit at room temp? will it still ferment properly? or should i just drink it as regular lemondae with whey in it so i don’t waste it all? thanks! excited to try it!
Hi, I’m curious what happens to the sugar after fermentation please? Does the final version give a spike to you blood sugar level?
Is this ok to drink while pregnant?
Could I do this with my homemade milk kefir? I see that sometimes it separates if I leave it too long. I usually just stir it back together, but it would be great if I could just strain it and get cream cheese and whey from it!
Wait you list whey as an ingredient yet in the directions I dont see any whey. Also got would you do it with Kombucha and water kefir drinks without whey? Thank you!
Hi Katie thanks for an amazing recipe!! My kids and I loved it. I am new to fermenting. This is the first fermented beverage I made. I come from a Russian background and my family always made a fermented beverage called Kvass. It was mostly for adults. Or so I thought. Is this safe for kids? Also you recommend 4-6 ounces twice a day. Would it be of any harm to drink more? Is there a limit on how many fermented beverages or foods you can consume? Thank you for your time.
I’ve got a recipe for Beet Kvass here: https://wellnessmama.com/9087/how-to-make-beet-kvass/
I don’t have a juicer, can you use Lemon/Lime juice concentrate from the grocery store? I noticed it has added ingredients , sulfates, lemon/lime oil so fermentation may not take place.
Hi! I made this recipe and about a few hours after I noticed a thick layer (about 2 inches) of milky residue at the bottom. Did I make it incorrectly or is this how it is suppose to look?
It can look like that at first from the whey
It takes sugar to create this probiotics and beneficial enzymes for drinks. Is there any way to create this without the carbs that sugar adds? I heard someone say, the carb count is gone after it has done it’s thing. Is that true. I know nothing about cultures, soby, creating your own probiotics, fermenting …. I know nothing. But, I really am interested and would like to do it. I I am on a low carb lifestyle and am not sure how this fits in. thanks for your help. 🙂
Where does the Scoby come in? I didn’t see it in the recipe.
I am excited to try this recipe, just have one question… Cover tightly, does that mean airtight or just with a cloth like water kefir?
I just had my first glass of the lemonade and it tastes great! After 2 1/2 days at about 77 degrees it is still sweet. I did add the molasses however. I was wondering if there was a way to know if it actually fermented. I am unfamiliar with what it should look or taste like as this is my first attempt at fermenting.
Same question here – it tastes really good but I’m not sure how to know if it’s fermented. It’s still slightly sweet and not bubbly or anything. Should it be? It certainly tastes good at least! (I used limes.)
I hope I am not duplicating a question, I did skim! Can you use bottled concentrated organic lemon juice instead of fresh lemons? I’d like to make it but am definitely on a budget! We have a milk cow so I can certainly get fresh whey! 🙂
I have not tried that, but it could work… Let me know if you do try it, and how it works!
How alcoholic is this?
Not very… I give it to my kids!
What kind of sugar do you use? What do you recommend? I’m really trying to stay away from all white sugar.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but from my understanding, it’s the same as with Kombucha. The white sugar is just a food for the bacteria. If you make it right, and it truly ferments, the white sugar is used up. That’s why it loses its sweetness. After that, you add the sweetener of your choice to actually sweeten it to taste.
It tastes great. How long do you think it will last in the fridge? I have a jar that is going on three weeks old…
I made it and loved it to the core 🙂
Hey, my kefir grows and I dont know what to do with them.
Can I eat the little grains? Are there any probiotics in them?
Other readers have used them in HE without a problem though I don’t have one so I can’t say from personal experience
What is HE?
Do you know if there is any probiotics in the grains?
I dont know what HE is 🙂
Is there probiotic in the grains?
I’d love to know too, my daughter loves to eat them when we have extra. I just assumed they were good for her. I wonder what HE is as well.
This is a great recipe! My husband, almost three year old son, and I all LOVE it! We used limes to make a limeade. It almost tastes like a lime cream saver because of the whey. Delicious! Thanks Katie!
I am so glad you like it! Thank you for reading!
can I use scoby instead of the whey? I really want to try this and right now I have no whey or anything to make it out of all my yogurt is flavored, and not all natural, I just can’t afford that. I want to try to get more probiotics into my grandkids and they don’t like kombucha.
I have tried this recipe in the past with success, however this last time it developed green fuzzy mold on day 3. I tasted it on day 2 & it tasted fine, but still a bit sweet so I thought I’d give it one more day to ferment. Maybe it is the temperature (summer in Florida 77 deg. inside)? Do you have any recommendations?
I am brewing my first batch now with whey. Can I use a little of the brewed batch as a starter for my next batch, as you would for kombucha? Or do I need to make fresh whey?
To make the second batch, do you need to start with new whey? Or can you start with a cup of the previous batch?
I’d use new.
Can you add pureed strawberries to this during the fermentation to make a fermented strawberry lemonade?
I have made this recipe once already and it worked fine, but this time it doesn’t seem to be fermenting, even though I am sure I have done the same thing. What could be stopping it fermenting? Too much water? Too much sugar? It’s frothy on top but that’s it. Or am I just being impatient?
How should this look after it ferments? Mine looks kind of chunky, like maybe I didn’t get the whey mixed in enough.
I’ve been making lots of kombucha and have started looking at herbal sodas. But most of the recipes call for 1-2 cups of sugar per gallon!!! Yipe! That’s 20g – 40g per 12 oz serving. Hire’s and Coke have 30g – 35g, respectively. Can I use Stevia for sweetener and then a little sugar for bottling with the yeast? I remember a brewer friend that used to put a teaspoon of white sugar in every bottle before he capped them. Would that work for a lacto-fermented soda?
How long does it last in the fridge? I made some about a month ago and was wondering if it’s still good.
It depends on the ferment and what strains of bacteria cultured but check for mold and throw it out if you see any
I was finally able to make some, (I needed something to make it in), I got 3 gallon sun tea jars on sale for half price this weekend when I went shopping, there were a little less that 4 bucks a piece, I’m thinking will test tomorrow, I added turbinado sugar as it has minerals left in it, it seems like less refined succulent, as I have both now as I finally found the succulent, they both look and taste alike except the turbinado sugar is like crystals and the succulent has much finer grains, does anyone know about the differences besides these.
I’m new to all of this…. Is a fermented drink like this safe while pregnant? It sounds really good…..
I drink them while pregnant
Thanks for the recipe, it tastes absolutely delicious! However, it did not get fizzy at all. I left it out for 2 days in 80f plus heat. What affects the level of fizziness in the end product? If it is not fizzy does that mean it did not ferment?
Did you put an airtight cap on it after the initial fermentation?
Yes. I put an airtight cap on while it was fermenting on the counter for 2 days and left it in that container with the airtight cap on when I put it in the refrigerator.
Wondering if you ever got an answer. Mine is not fizzy at all either. I am following the recipe – so I have a cap on while its fermenting, but no fizz. Not sure if that means it didn’t ferment. I’m also making the Wellness Mama beet kvass with the same whey and no fizz in that either.
While it is fermenting, use a coffee filter with a rubber band over the top of the jar. Do Not Cap It. Once the 2 days of fermentation is over, then you can cap it and put in the fridge. Well worth the 2-days wait.
Hi i’ve read all the comments and it looks like a lot of people would like to know how to do this with kombucha as you suggested, I would like to know too, please let us know, thanks!
I’m currently on the Candida diet, so no dairy or sugar (at least trying no dairy or sugar), so my questions are whether the probiotic nature of this drink out”wheys” the dairy and sugar content?
I can’t say about the dairy factor, but usually most of the sugar is “eaten” as food for the bacteria’s, although there are many other drinks out there such a Water kefir, or kvass which doesn’t need whey to start.
What kind of sugar should I use?
Any kind I will work, but most natural sugars have minerals left in them, but are more expensive, I use half and half most of the time, since it’s food for the bacterias.
I made cheese with rennet. Would the whey from that be okay to use in this lemonade?
I think it should be ok if it was strained from yogurt or cheese, just giving my thoughts as I saw your question unanswered, I hate that myself.
Which is more beneficial or are they about the same between kombucha, water Kiefer and lacto fermented sodas?
From what i’m learning they all have different beneficial yeasts, but i’ve heard that only WK, and lacto-ferments have beneficial bacterias, but Kombucha doesn’t, that’s what I’ve read of late, I’d suggest doing your own research.
katie sorry i answered the last couple of questions, though you were probably busy. Just didn’t know about the dairy part in the whey. I was going to comment as well, I had mine stored in the refrigerator for awhile, and am used to ferments that last once you put them in, it was fine but had a mess as it was very fizzy when i took off the lid.
I just tried my first batch today…after sitting on the counter for 2 days. Yum!
I used Coconut Palm Sugar… I am going to pass this along…and it is so easy to make. I made a double recipe and used extra glass jars from Tazo tea and glass bottles from fruit juice. It has just the right tartness and sweetness! Perfect! Thank you for the recipe.
I’m new to the probiotic world and have just started making some of your fermented recipes, including this one! Is it OK to mix this with home-brewed Kombucha? To make a probiotic Arnold Palmer? 🙂 Or is it best to keep all these things separated? Thank you so much for all you do!
Haha! I have never tried that! Anyone else?
What can I use the yogurt for after I have taken the whey out if it? I don’t want to throw it out. But it’s just a kinda dry clump.
That is the curd. It is similar to cream cheese. You can use it as such, either plain, or put onion and garlic powder, different spices also works. I’m sure there are a million different things you could put in it and make it tasty. Enjoy! Hint: I put it in chili, on spaghetti sauce, etc.
If all of the “good stuff” is taken out in the whey, is there anything beneficial left in the “cream cheese”?I tried this last night, added whey to a smoothie this morning and am loving the “cream cheese”, but didn’t know what is beneficial that’s left…
Thanks!!
Calcium!
Can you also use water kefir grains for this recipe instead of whey? Would you add lemons before or after first ferment?
I believe you would add the lemon after the first fermentation. You’d probably have to add more sugar for the second fermentation along with the lemon. I am going to make some soon. We really love it with the whey, but the lemon will be really tasty, too. Both ways work well. Yum!
I’ve made this several times now. So yummy, so happy, so sharing it with my friends who are now making it. I went away last week and no one put it in the fridge (or drank it, which I expected) and it turned alcoholic. QUESTION: Does that mean the probiotics are gone?
Hi,
I can use citrus limetta or Indian food berry(amala) for this recipe instead of lemons?thnx
Sarah Mae, I would not use water kefir grains, I’d just make some lemon water kefir, it would be about the same. Egel, from what I understand you can use any fresh fruit juice.
I’ve tried this twice and failed each time 🙁 it doesn’t get fizzy and then by day 4 white stuff is floating on top. I made it with sucunat maybe I should have used white sugar.
It should be left out only 48 hours, then refrigerated. There should be no difference using sucanat, white sugar, brown sugar, coconut sugar. Just a slight change in taste. I don’t think it fizzes that much, it is more like a healthy lemonade. The stuff that really fizzes is Water Kefir with lemon and other fruit added after the first fermentation; which makes the fruit or fruit juice with the second fermentation making the Kefir fizzy. Both are yummy!
today is the second day that I’ve had this on my counter. I used a juicer for the lemons and there was a layer of thicker pulp-ish stuff from the juice that rose to the top of the ferment right away. I don’t detect any bubbles or signs of ferment, but I don’t see any signs of mold or Kahm yeast, either. I just stirred it, and when I tasted it I thought it tasted watered down which makes me wonder if I accidentally added too much water… I guess my question is whether this sounds normal, and if not I can adjust mid stream? If it’s watery, can I add more lemon, sugar and whey, or should I just give it extra time, or should I scratch it and start again?
I don’t think the Probiotic Lemonade bubbles. In my experience, if done right, it will taste just like “regular” lemonade without the extra sugar that most people put in their lemonade. I don’t know if you can add more of anything in mid process. How would you know which ingredient is lacking? It doesn’t sound like anything is wrong with it. Just enjoy it and next time you make it make sure you put in the correct recipe. Just my opinion.
Thanks!!
Mine is on the counter and I can’t wait to try it! I used the leftover lemon pulp to make muffins with your Apple Cinnamon Muffin recipe as a guide. Replaced Apple sauce with lemon pulp. Then, spread the cream cheese left from making whey on the muffins. Yum! Saving lemon rinds to put in and flavor a roast chicken.
Hi Katie, when you say cover tightly for this drink do you mean with a lid? I covered it w/unbleached coffee filter and rubber band like I do with my Bouch, didn’t fizz though. I’m in California and it’s hot here right now so what did I do wrong. Thank you (:
I cover lightly with a coffee filter for the first part and then tightly after to create the bubbles.
Great Thank you so much*(:
I am excited about this recipe. It was on the counter for 48 hours this afternoon, I tasted it and it was delicious. However there are no bubbles and it is sweet. Wanting to be reassured that it is possible to have the probiotic qualities if it’s not fizzy or bitter tasting.
Also I’ve read through all the comments, they lead me to believe that I was supposed to cover with a coffee filter while left out then cover tightly in the fridge. Looking over the recipe again it states to cover tightly after mixing. Is this correct or should it be covered with something like a coffee filter while being left out then covered with a tight lid when put in the refrigerator?
I followed the instructions but now have white mould growing on the top. Should I throw it away?
I would think having white mold is not a good thing. I would throw it out and try again.
I’ve made mine with a tight fitting cover, like a juice bottle cap…which are the bottles I use for the lemonade. It is very tasty…my favorite lemonade. I don’t think the bubbles are necessary. Shake the bottle a little, and see if it bubbles then. Mine is always a little sweet, too, but with tartness…like lemonade without the added sugar.
Do you know if I can use the whey I strain from homemade cottage cheese? (I like my yogurt more fluid, so I don’t like straining it.)
Is this safe to drink during pregnancy?
Hi Katy
I used coconut sugar and added molasses. My lemonade is brown. Do you know why? It’s in the fridge now this is the fourth day.
Thanks jo
Probably the molasses…
I made a batch and it wasn’t fizzy. Did I do something wrong or that’s how it is suppose to turn out.
I’m not sure I’m doing it right. Is it supposed to ferment, as in build up gasses? I’ve made two batches, they taste great, but they don’t seem to ferment, or what I would expect from a ferment. Do you think I’m doing it correctly?
I’m wondering about the amount of sugar . I just got your cookbook and it says 1/4 cup in the recipe and here it’s 3/4 cup? That’s very different. Did it change or is this a mistake somewhere. I do love this recipe!
Either amount works for fermentation. I’ve reduced the sugar over time (including in the edits for the cookbook). You’ll need at least 1/4 cu and more to taste if desired.
This might be a dumb question but can I use lactose free yogurt( i think Silk makes some know)? My daughter is lactose intolerant but she loves lemonade. This would be great for her to try.
I’ve never tried so I’m not sure, but please let me know if you try it!
I just made half a recipe this week but used bottled juice which has preservatives. I’ve read this may cause the fermentation process not to develop correctly. I also added molasses for the extra nutrients. I drank my first glass last night and was surprised that it wasn’t tart although I’m hoping that’s due to the molasses. Will I still get any probiotic benefit from this batch or am I just drinking mild lemonade? I’ve also read in the comments about substituting orange juice for the lemon. If I substitute a juice, does it have to be citrus or will any fresh-squeezed juice work?
I’m from Ky and I substituted corn for the lemons. This made a very good fermented drink. We call it moonshine. What “proof” is your drink. Mine starts off at 120.
I think you may be missing the point. This is a healthy probiotic lemonade. Not an alcoholic drink.
I have a question.
How do you test the alcohol content of drinks like this? I’d prefer not to drink anything over .5% alcohol as it is a part of my religion not to drink alcohol so I’d really like to find out.
I’m aware that fermenting fruit juices produces a lot of alcohol, then this recipe calls for added sugar and is a closed fermentation process so those all increase the alcohol content right?
Also the more carbonation also means a higher alcohol content right? If the bubbles stay once the lid is off that is. If they rise once the lid is removed then it is fine or so I’ve read. Anyway you describe it as ‘fizzy’ so I’m just wondering about that too?
Anyway I’d appreciate any insight on that as I’d like healthy probiotic drinks and this is an inexpensive way to go about it as we have a lemon tree outside.
TIA
Ashleigh
What measurement of the water kefir grains do you use??? Love your stuuf!
It depends on how much you are making. I believe it is 1 TBSP per quart. I haven’t made it in a while, but that is what I remember using. I made mine in juice jars that I had washed out and saved. They work well.
Hi! Thanks so much for the recipe! Turned out delish! I made admit 2 litres about 2 weeks ago. Only 3/4 of the way through it but the liquid at bottom of the jar is looking a bit ‘furry’. The rest is crystal clear. Do you think it’s still ok to drink? I’m thinking it may be like the mother in my kombucha but not sure. Any ideas? Also how long should it last for?
I don’t know about the “furry” part, but if you are refrigerating the lemonade after the 2 days, you should not have “furry” in it. If you do refrigerate it, it will last quite awhile. You’d probably have drank it up by that time. Mine lasts only a day or two after I make it. Good luck.
oops on my part, I thought you were talking about the probiotic lemonade, but you were talking about water kefir grain drink. I’ve used kefir grains, but prefer the probiotic lemonade and Kombucha, instead.
Thanks for your reply. I think there was a small amount of the actual yogurt in with my whey when I strained it off and it settled to the bottom of the jar. It wasn’t too much to begin with, but I think it kind of ‘grew’ after a week or so. I ended up not drinking it after I posted, just to be safe, but think that if it was yogurt, it still should have been ok. Anyway, I’ll try again and this time make sure I strain my whey a couple of times to make sure it is free from the yogurt.
I don’t know what you used to strain the yogurt, but a flour sack towel or cotton dish towel works really well. Lining a sieve over a bowl, put the yogurt into the towel and tie up and hang it up. I’ve used a wooden spoon and rubber bands hooked to a cupboard handle.
As for the 2 days of fermentation, cover the jar with a coffee filter and rubber band…Do Not Cap It. After the 2 days, and the fermentation is done, then cap it and put in the fridge.
How do you start a new batch? Start over?