Ingredients

3 1/2 cups fermented water kefir
1 tablespoon organic lemon zest (see note)
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, thinly sliced

Instructions

Pour the fermented water kefir into a clean jar or swing-top bottle, leaving about 1-2 inches of headspace so pressure doesn’t build up.
Add the lemon and ginger.
Secure the cap or plastic lid and leave at room temperature for one to three days. Briefly crack the lid once a day to check the pressure and monitor the carbonation. Once it has reached your preferred level of fizz, refrigerate it to slow further fermentation. Keep in mind that releasing pressure may reduce the final carbonation.
Strain out the lemon and ginger, and serve cold.

Note: Lemon zest adds bright lemon flavor without as much acid and sugar as juice, keeping it pleasantly tangy rather than sharply sour.

Easy Flavor Ideas for the 2nd Ferment

Lemon-ginger is just one of many flavor options. Consider adding these to a batch:

Hibiscus (Jamaica): 1 to 2 teaspoons dried hibiscus flowers and 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar, for a bright, tart, pink kefir. Optional: Add four to six thin slices of fresh ginger for extra zip.
Vanilla-Date ‘Cream Soda’: 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract and two pitted Medjool dates—softened in a little hot water, then cooled—for a sweet, almost cream‑soda flavor.
Orange-Vanilla ‘Creamsicle’: For a creamsicle‑style kefir without using juice, add several strips of organic orange zest, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and two pitted Medjool dates—softened in a little hot water, then cooled.
Tea Infusion: One herbal tea bag, such as peppermint, berry, peach, or another favorite.
Herbal Infusion: A handful of fresh herbs, such as mint, nettle, or red raspberry leaf.
Citrus: Peels (no white pith) from an orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit, or a combination.

Tip: Water kefir usually contains enough residual sugar after the first ferment to carbonate during the second ferment. Flavorings that contain natural sugars, such as dates, usually don’t need additional sugar. If your kefir tastes very dry or you want extra fizz, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of sugar when using unsweetened flavorings such as herbs, tea, hibiscus, or citrus peel.

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