Every year when we tap the birch trees in the spring we always end up with more sap than we can drink fresh, so one of the ways I preserve it is by making sodas. The sap already contains a lot of wild yeast and a tendency to ferment quickly, so I take advantage of that by adding some sugars to feed the yeast and some flavors this batch is all spruce boughs and ginger. After a few days the carbonation starts going and I have to burp the containers a few times a day until it slows down after that you have a lovely bubbly beverage. I tend to make mine knowing I’ll mostly be using them for cocktail mixers and shy away from higher sugar content.
Birch Sap Soda
Ingredients
- 1 quart fresh birch sap
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup dried or fresh berries (optional)
- 2 tbsp spruce pitch (optional)
- 2 to 4 spruce twigs (optional)
- 1/4 cup chopped ginger, dry or fresh (optional)
Instructions
- Combine birch sap and sugar in a jar with a lid.
- Stir or shake to combine.
- Add flavor ingredients of your choice. I love spruce boughs/ginger and lowbush cranberries/spruce pitch. But the possibilities are endless.Try to leave a little bit of headroom (about 1 inch)
- Let sit at room temperature for one to two weeks, burp (open to let the excess gas out) periodically. Usually I start out needing to do it 2 times a day for 5 to 7 days, and tapering off to every other day as the fermentation slows.
- After fermentation has slowed leave closed until ready to use, storing in the refrigerator or cool room.