Fermented whey soda is a blend of old-fashioned kitchen wisdom and simple, nourishing fun. It is endlessly customizable and we never get tired of trying new flavors!
Made from leftover whey and naturally fermented, this bubbly drink is a gentle way to enjoy something sweet & fizzy while supporting digestion, gut health, and using every part of what your from scratch kitchen gives you.
In this blog, you will find easy, approachable recipes for fermented whey soda, along with flavor ideas and simple tips to help you confidently make your own naturally fermented, probiotic-rich drinks at home.
Why we love fermented whey soda
Naturally bubbly and refreshing without artificial carbonation
A delicious way to use leftover whey from yogurt or cheese-making (no waste!)
Supports gut health thanks to beneficial bacteria from lacto-fermentation
Lower in sugar than conventional sodas, since the fermentation consumes some of it
Easy to customize with herbs, fruit, or spices for endless flavor combinations
Cost effective if you regularly enjoy a fizzy drink
Enough water to fill remainder of jar, about 2 ½ quarts
You truly never run out of flavor combos with this recipe! The general idea is you need enough juice for flavor, and enough sugar to feed the fermentation process, and that’s it! Play around with it.
Ingredients for Lemon Ginger Soda
1 inch piece of ginger, grated
¼ cup lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
½ cup sugar or (honey)
¼ cup whey
½ teaspoon salt
1 quart water
Instructions,
In a gallon sized jar, add 1 cup of whey, 1 quart of juice (any flavor), and ¾ cup sugar (or honey) *See notes.
Fill the rest of the jar with cool filtered water (about 2 ½ quarts) Mix gently with a wooden spoon until fully combined.
Once combined, use your funnel to add the mixture to your swing top bottles, (can also use mason jars here, if they seal well).
Leave jars on the counter to ferment for 2-7 days, or until they carbonate.
During the fermentation period, burp and mix the jars once per day. To do this, simply open the top to release pressure. You’ll notice it getting more and more carbonated every day. Once you close the lid gently, tip the jar over 3-4 times to keep mixture combined. I find most of my batches carbonate in the 2-4 day range, but if it’s cold it may take longer.
Check them daily because the fermentation time can vary a lot and they will explode if left too long. Once carbonated, store them in the fridge and enjoy!
Instructions for Ginger Soda
In a gallon size glass jar, add 1 inch piece of ginger, grated, ¼ cup lemon juice (fresh or bottled) ½ cup sugar (or honey) ¼ cup whey, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 quart of water.
Stir to combine.
Once combined, add the mixture to swing top bottle with a tight seal (can also use mason jars here if they seal well).
Leave jars on the counter to ferment for 2-7 days, or until they carbonate.
During the fermentation period, burp and mix the jars once per day. To do this, simply open the top to release pressure. You’ll notice it getting more and more carbonated every day. Once you close the lid gently, tip the jar over 3-4 times to keep mixture combined. I find most of my batches carbonate in the 2-4 day range, but if it’s cold it may take longer.
Check them daily because the fermentation time can vary a lot and they will explode if left too long. Once carbonated, store them in the fridge and enjoy!
Strain out the ginger pieces and serve over ice!
Fermented whey soda is a simple reminder that some of the best things in our kitchens are both nourishing and joyful. With just a few ingredients and a little patience, you can turn something that might otherwise be discarded into a naturally bubbly, probiotic-rich drink your whole family can enjoy. Fermented whey soda is a simple and fun way to bring more intention and nourishment into everyday life.
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A fun and bubbly way to use up your extra whey from cheese or yogurt making. This recipe is simple, cost effective, and great for your gut thanks to the lacto-fermentation.
1quartjuice (any flavor of choice)fresh squeezed or bottled
¾cupsugar (or honey) *see notes
2-3quartsfiltered water
Instructions
In a gallon sized jar, add 1 cup of whey, 1 quart of juice (any flavor), and ¾ cup sugar (or honey) *See notes.
Fill the rest of the jar with cool filtered water (about 2 ½ quarts) Mix gently with a wooden spoon until fully combined.If you don't have a gallon size jar, you could use a very large bowl to combine everything.
Once combined, use your funnel to add the mixture to your swing top bottles, (can also use mason jars here, if they seal well).
Leave the jars on the counter to ferment for 2-7 days, until they carbonate.
During the fermentation period, burp and mix the jars once per day. To do this simply open the top to release pressure. You’ll notice it getting more and more carbonated every day. Once you close the lid gently, tip the jar over 3-4 times to keep mixture combined.
Check them daily because the fermentation time can vary a lot, they will explode if left alone for too long. Once carbonated, store them in the fridge and enjoy!
*If you see a white film on top of your drinks at any point, don't worry. It's kahm yeast from the fermentation process, gently tip your jars over to re-incorporate is (use caution as they start to carbonate.)
Notes
* The amount of honey or sugar can be adjusted to taste, as some juices are naturally sweeter than others, while some are completely unsweetened. You may need slightly more or less depending on what you use. I don’t recommend going much below ½ cup of sweetener, as a certain amount of sugar is necessary to fuel fermentation and create carbonationFlavor Recommendations:
Apple cinnamon – Use apple juice for the flavor, then place a cinnamon stick in the bottles during fermentation time.
Cherry Vanilla – Use Tart Cherry juice for the flavor, add 1 tbsp of vanilla extract to the mixture. You may need a tad bit more sugar for this flavor as tart cherry juice isn’t sweetened. I recommend stepping up to 1 cup of cane sugar.
Blueberry Lavender – Use the recipe below to make your own blueberry juice, and add a sprig of lavender to each jar.
Strawberry Lemonade – Use the recipe below to make your own strawberry juice, and add the juice of 3 lemons to the mixture as well.
To Make your own juice with fruit:
Add 3 cups of the fruit you choose (ie strawberries, blueberries, mango, etc) to a stock pot with 4 quarts of water, and ¾ cup sugar. Simmer mixture for 20-30 minutes. Strain out the fruit and pour the juice into your gallon size glass jar. Add 1 cup of whey and then bottle the mixture.
Our family absolutely loves these sodas! Apple is our favorite flavor