Fir Soda

Like I said I would, I made some fir soda. I'm still not sure if I like it or not. Youngest does not, Oldest has pretty much snarfed it up already. :) To me it was very reminiscent of Sprite or Mountain Dew, although it definitely
had much more of a piney taste to it. It did look pretty in the jar and brewed up nicely! It was a fun experiment, to be sure!

First I took a half gallon jar and stuffed it with a few pine needles and twigs and the rest fir needles and twigs. I also quartered one lemon to stick in there. I then added roughly 1/2 cup of sugar. You're supposed to add yeast, but I don't have any of the right sort so I used kefir grains. Worked beautifully!

Here's the jar with needles, twigs and lemon.

 Kefir grains fresh from their milk and then well washed

 Kefir grains in the jar

 Water and sugar added, ready to start fermenting. As you may have noticed, I am the world's worst photographer. In reality, this was a pretty sight, the dark green needles, bright white kefir grains, vibrant yellow lemon and crystal clear water.

 Here I'm trying to capture the bubbles rising to the top, good signs of fermentation.

 And, the final product!