SIMA: FINNISH FERMENTED LEMONADE

Do not let the name of this drink scare you away from trying it. It is lemony, fizzy, and delicious.

We decided a while ago to give up soft drinks. It was more difficult than I expected because there are days, especially in the hot summers, that I just really crave something cold and carbonated. One day as I was searching through Pinterest, I came across this recipe. I decided to try it and I’m so glad I did! The fermentation process gives it a fizz similar to that of a soda.

INGREDIENTS
14 cups water
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar (plus additional to add to your bottles later)
2 lemons, thinly sliced (preferably organic)
1/8 teaspoon yeast
raisins

In a large pot, bring the water to a boil. Add the sugars and stir until they dissolve. Add the lemon slices, stir and remove from the heat. Let it sit until it becomes lukewarm.

Once it has cooled, add the yeast and transfer to a non-reactive container. I used a one-gallon jar. Cover loosely and let it sit overnight. You should see tiny bubbles around the top, but I have had a couple of batches that didn’t produce the bubbles. It is still good.

Strain the lemonade and pour into your sterilized bottles. I used 32 oz growlers that I have collected over the years. They are perfect for this type fermentation. Add 4-5 raisins to each quart bottle and cap tightly. See the raisins on the bottom?

At least once each day, carefully loosen the top of your container to let the pressure escape. Remember… fermentation causes a build-up of gasses that can cause your container to explode if it’s not released. It is not a pretty sight, take it from me.

Let the bottles sit at room temperature until all the raisins rise to the top. I like mine super fizzy so I allow them to sit at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Transfer to the refrigerator to stop the fermentation process.

Enjoy!