#fermentedbeverage

Perfect for the Holiday season, my Cranberry & Sage Holiday Spritzer is a great alcohol-free* alternative to alcoholic bevies and is so amazing for your tummy. Made with water kefir - a probiotic-rich beverage which creates a balance of healthy gut flora and strengthens your digestion, this spritzer is light, bubbly and delicious.

Basic water kefir is made by dropping water kefir grains (which are not really grains at all but a symbiotic culture of bacteria) into sugar water and allowing it to ferment at room temperature for 24-48hrs. The grains (which look like small, clear jellies) can be used over and over indefinitely, and usually multiply, allowing them to be passed on to others.

I used this basic water kefir recipe by Marni Wasserman after attending her Fermenting 101 Workshop this past year.

Water Kefir

1 lite water

1/4 cup cane sugar, unrefined, raw sugar or Sucanat

2 teaspoons water kefir grains (I got mine from Marni but you can purchase your own or ask around and see if a friend has some on-the-go)

What to do:

Pour room temperature water into a 1.5 litre mason jar, leaving approximately 1 inch of space from the top. You need to leave some head space because pressure will build natural carbonation.

Add the sugar and stir until combined.

Once sugar has completely dissolved, add 2 teaspoons of grains.

Lightly place lid on jar and let sit at room temperature for 24-48hrs.

Strain grains and set aside.

Flavour water kefir with fruit and herbs - see my recipe below.

You can store your used grains in a glass jar in the fridge and continue to reuse them over and over again. Just be sure to add double the amount of water than grains.

*The alcohol content in water kefir is very low – well below 1% which is less than overripe fruit.

Cranberry & Sage Holiday Spritzer

1 ½ cups prepared water kefir

1½ cups coconut water

1 cup fresh cranberries

1 lemon, peeled, seeded and halved

1-2 sprigs of fresh sage

ice cubes

What to do:

Add water kefir, coconut water, lemon and 1/2 cup of cranberries in blender.

Blend on high until smooth.

Strain mixture through a nut milk bag into a 1 litre glass pitcher or mason jar, add spring or two of sage, the rest of the cranberries and allow to chill for 1hr.

After mixture is chilled. Fill four glasses ¼ full with ice. Pour mixture over ice and add pears slices for garnish.

MWH Tip: If you’re not planning to drink the Cranberry & Sage Holiday Spritzer immediately you can seal the mixture in a mason jar and leave at room temperature for another day or refrigerate for a up to a week. After a week it usually looses it’s fizz.