Watermelon Soda Recipe | The Fermentation Podcast (2024)

Jul 29 2014

  • Filed under Blogs, Recipes

Summer in Florida for me means it’s time for watermelons, and recently that’s started to turn into making watermelon soda! I had never tasted homemade watermelon soda before but the pictures of it always enticed me. That beautiful slightly red glow to it with that little bit of carbonation just seemed too much for me to resist so I finally broke down and made some.

Not only is this drink refreshing, it’s amazingly good for you! Here are just a few benefits of watermelon juice:

  • Watermelons are high in lycopene right up there with tomatoes
  • The bright color of the fruit means that it’s high in those good compounds like beta-carotene
  • Watermelon is rich in antioxidants
  • Watermelon has a high amount ofcitrulline which relaxes muscles and improves circulation
  • High in vitamin C
  • Very refreshing with it’s high water content that’s mineral rich

The most obvious reason to drink some watermelon soda is the amazing flavor and taste that only gets magnified when you ferment it into a nutrient rich drink full of life!

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Watermelon Soda Recipe

(Check out our updated recipe for Fermented Watermelon Soda at The Fermentation Adventure)

Makes 1 quart (for 1 gallon, multiply ingredients by approx. 4)

This beautifully tasting soda is slightly fizzy, slightly sweet, and slightly sour. It’s amazing in the summertime and great cold.

Equipment:

1 quart mason jar

Ingredients:

4 cups watermelon, chopped

4 T sugar

Pinch sea salt

1/4 cup ginger bug (starter culture that’s made in less than a week and stores for quite a while, in Episode 4)

Non-chlorinated water, enough to fill jar (~ 3/4 cup)

Optional:

Juice of 1 lemon or lime (~ 2 T.)

Mint leaves

You can do this one of two ways: ferment with pulp or strain and ferment with only the watermelon juice. I think from now on I’ll try the second way without the pulp. You can either blend up the watermelon somewhat coarsely and then put it unstrained into the mason jar to be fermented or you can strain it through a sieve first to get the pulp out and only have the juice left. If you’re straining, let the watermelon juice drain naturally and not force it through or more particles will be in the soda, otherwise you’ll be doing the same step later after it’s done fermenting.

Transfer to jar and add remaining ingredients (through sieve if necessary), topping off with water to fill to about an inch or so from the top.
Ferment for 2 days or so stirring a couple or few times a day to oxygenate the yeast in the ginger bug.

Don’t forget to cover the top so bugs and dust doesn’t get into your beautiful brewing liquid. I just used a towel and a rubber band but even a paper towel or layers of cheesecloth would work.

Between stirring a few times a day, if you haven’t filtered out the watermelon pulp, it will begin to separate into a fairly clear liquid and the bright red pulp which is normal.

Taste every day once you start to see bubbles to brew it to your desired sweetness and sourness. The fewer amount of days you brew it for the more this ends up being more like a watermelon drink recipe. The longer you ferment it, the more it ends up being more of a tangy drink that’s great with ice on the beach!

Once you get the taste that you’re looking for, strain through a sieve if you haven’t already. Otherwise you already have a clear liquid that you can bottle in flip top bottles for a day or so to carbonate if you like it fizzy. If you don’t want any carbonation, just refrigerate. Don’t forget to have one plastic bottle to check the pressure!

Notes for Next Time:

  • Maybe 3 T sugar instead or ferment out longer to use up more of the sugar
  • Mint would be really amazing in this recipe
  • I’ll try straining the pulp out first
  • You could add a drop of ice cream to make a a watermelon cream soda or a watermelon ice cream float
  • Also to make a watermelon cream soda, I might try adding some cream of tartar
  • Adding fruits like kiwi could make a nice watermelon kiwi soda

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know what you think in the comments below or if you have any great ideas, let me know! I’ll try anything that sounds good.

  • ginger bug, lacto-fermented soda, soda, watermelon
Watermelon Soda Recipe | The Fermentation Podcast (2024)

FAQs

Is fermented watermelon good for you? ›

The beverage is advantageous in that: after watermelon juice is fermented by using the lactic acid bacteria, the contents of vitamin C, B1, and B2 are significantly increased, the contents of amino acids, lysine, lactic acid, and other nutrients are high, frequent drinking of the beverage is beneficial to human health, ...

What happens when watermelon ferments? ›

Once the fermentation begins inside a watermelon, it creates the perfect environment for toxic pathogens to flourish, including botulism, E. coli and Salmonella, according to the Fermentation Association.

Does watermelon juice ferment? ›

I got about 2 cups of watermelon juice. 5. Let it ferment on your counter for at least 2 days and up to 10 days. The longer you let it ferment the less sugar there will be as the bacteria will consume and convert the sugar during fermentation.

What is the healthiest fermented drink? ›

Kombucha

Kombucha is a fermented tea that's fizzy, tart, and flavorful. It's made from either green or black tea and offers these drinks' potent health-promoting properties. Animal studies suggest that drinking kombucha may help protect the liver from damage caused by exposure to harmful chemicals ( 19 ).

What does watermelon do for gut health? ›

Watermelon contains a high water content and a small amount of fiber. “Both are key to keeping digestion moving smoothly,” Meyer-Jax says. Fiber adds bulk to your stool and keeps you regular, while water helps move waste through your digestive system.

How long does fermented soda last? ›

Yeasts found in the culture and on the food itself also digest the sugars, giving off carbonation. The drinks last for weeks in the fridge, although they will slowly continue to ferment and become more tangy and alcoholic (like vinegar).

Is fermented soda good for you? ›

An unhealthy gut can lead to serious medical issues. In addition to supplying your gut with a wide range of good bacteria and helping you digest better, fermented soda also helps alkalize your body. When you use fruit flavors in water kefir you get additional nutrients from fruit.

What is the difference between fermentation and carbonation? ›

Carbonation adds bubbles to what exists already, but there is no real change in the substance of the beverage. But fermentation, there is a chemical change to what was. The change is lasting because the substance changed.

Why does my watermelon taste like soda? ›

Taste: Even if the exterior looks okay, there's a chance that the fruit could have gone bad. If you bit into a piece of watermelon that looked and smelled fine but its tastes sour or has a fizzy sensation on your tongue, throw it out.

Why is there white stuff coming out of my watermelon? ›

Experts in this area considered that when a watermelon becomes over-matured and/or is fermenting, the pressure inside the watermelon increases and this may result in the "foaming" phenomenon.

What would happen if a watermelon grow in your stomach? ›

Oftentimes, the white seed coats where a seed did not fully mature are assumed to be seeds. But this isn't the case! They are perfectly safe to swallow while eating, and don't worry – no watermelons will grow in your stomach despite the old wives' tale.

How long does it take for watermelon to ferment? ›

The fermentation time for watermelon can vary depending on factors such as room temperature and desired flavor. Generally, watermelon can be fermented for 3-7 days, but some may prefer a longer fermentation period for a more pronounced flavor.

Why is foam coming out of my watermelon? ›

According to the Bangor Daily News, bacteria can be introduced into a watermelon while growing on the vine. The bacteria combine with the sugars and yeast inside the melon and start the fermentation process. The foam — which seeps out of the melon through cracks in the rind — is a sign that fermentation is happening.

Will watermelon soak up alcohol? ›

Since watermelon has a spongelike texture, the bottle's contents will be soaked up by the fruit. Let me say here and now: It was clearly not a STEM major who came up with the drunken watermelon. The process doesn't work well, for obvious reasons: The flesh of the watermelon is a sponge that's already full.

Is it okay to eat fizzy watermelon? ›

Taste: Even if the exterior looks okay, there's a chance that the fruit could have gone bad. If you bit into a piece of watermelon that looked and smelled fine but its tastes sour or has a fizzy sensation on your tongue, throw it out. Feel: A slimy or slippery feel is another indication that something is amiss.

Is eating fermented fruit good for you? ›

fruits and vegetables through fermentation results in more retention of naturally occuring vitamins in the final product compared to other processing methods, such as heat treatment. Moreover, fermentation can result in the generation of vitamins and other bioactive compounds not found in the fresh fruit or vegetable.

Does watermelon ferment into alcohol? ›

What Is Watermelon Wine? Watermelon wine is a fermented alcoholic fruit wine made with fresh watermelon juice, sugar, and wine yeast. Fruit wine is a fermented alcoholic drink (sometimes called “country wine”) made from any fruit juice other than grape juice.

What does watermelon rind do for the body? ›

Contains Fiber: Like the flesh, watermelon rind is high in dietary fiber, which promotes digestive health, regulates blood sugar levels, and helps maintain a healthy weight.

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