As we are moving towards summer, proper hydration becomes more important than ever. For many of us freshly drawn, purified water is enough, but many people prefer to add some flavor to it, if only a few drops of lemon juice to make the water taste better. Water is versatile. With the help of water kefir cultures it can be turned into something quite amazing.
Since elderflowers are abundant right now I foraged some and will use them to flavor to make a delicious fizzy drink.
Elderflowers are quite versatile. For centuries they have been used as medicine. They can be used to make herbal teas and infusions, to make cordial, to flavor vinegar, to make syrup, to flavor kombucha and water kefir, or to make delicious Vienna-style fritters. And of course, once you've made vinegar or syrup, the possibilities are endless.
In late spring elders produce abundance umbels (flower clusters) that are covered with dozens of tiny creamy-white fragrant flowers. To harvest, pick the umbels that have most flower buds open with soft yellow pollen. Avoid the ones that are drying out and turning brown and those that already started forming tiny green berries. Use sharp scissors or pruners to cut off at the main stem that is holding the cluster. Elderflowers attract insects so give a gentle shake to each cluster before putting it in a basket. Do not use plastic bags or any closed containers or the flowers will fade quickly and turn brown. Best time to harvest is in the late morning when the morning dew has dried out.
There are two ways to make this Fizzy Elderflower Drink. You can make the water kefir first and then add elderflowers to the second fermentation, or infuse the flowers in water and use that flavored water to make the water kefir. If you have never made water kefir before and just purchased the cultures, simply follow the instructions on the packet.
Ingredients:
for the first fermentation
- 4 cups filtered water
- 1/4 cup raw cane sugar
- 1/8 cup water kefir grains (about two table spoons)
- 2-3 unsulfured wild dried apricots, dried figs or dates
- 1 small wedge of organic, untreated lemon
for the second fermentation
- 5-6 elderfower umbels
Utensils:
- large jar
- light tea towel or cheesecloth
- rubber band or twine
- small sieve
- flip top bottles
Method:
- Pour the water in to a large enough jar, add sugar and dissolve it completely. You may need to warm the water to speed up the process but this is not necessary. Once the sugar is completely dissolved, allow the water to cool off to room temperature if you warmed it up before.
- Add the water kefir grains and the dried fruit of your choice to the jar. Finally, add the wedge of lemon. The acid is necessary to keep bad microorganisms away.
- Cover the jar with clean tea towel or cheesecloth and secure it with a rubber band or a twine. Place the jar on the kitchen counter away from direct sun and allow the liquid to ferment for 2-3 days. The warmer the kitchen the faster your water kefir will ferment.
- Once the kefir is ready, remove the spent dried fruits and the lemon wedge. Using a stainless sieve (or a plastic one) strain the liquid and save the water kefir grains for you next project. Your water kefir is ready to drink but you can take it to the next level and flavor it with elderberry flowers.
- For the second fermentation you can use the flip top bottles or a jar that closes tightly. Fill the bottles, or a jar, with water kefir, add the elderflowers and close the bottles. Remember to leave about an inch space to the top. Place the bottles on the counter and allow the liquid to ferment for a day or two, then place the bottles in the fridge for another two to three days.
- To serve, carefully open the bottles and pour the fizzy, flavored probiotic drink into glasses. Enjoy it in good company, nicely chilled!
As I mentioned in the beginning of this post, you can make this fizzy drink with elderflower infused water. To do this, take five to six elderflower umbels and place them in the jar with purified cold water. Close the jar and put it into your fridge for two to three days. When ready, sieve off the flowers, dissolve the sugar, add water kefir grains and a wedge of lemon. Cover the jar with a cloth and allow to ferment for two days. When ready, remove the spent lemon and strain the water kefir to remove the water kefir grains. Bottle the ready drink and place the bottles in the fridge for two to three days.
Tip: Your water kefir grains are ready for your next project but you can also save them in the fridge for up to two months. Simply use a clean glass container, add enough water kefir to completely cover the grains. Add one teaspoon sugar, and close the container. You may have to add a little water and "feed" the grains with sugar once a week to keep them going. You may have to change the water every three weeks or so. To make next batch of water kefir, discard the liquid and use only the grains. Also, since elderflowers have such a short season you can use camomile flowers, lavender flowers, fresh mint or raspberries to flavor your water kefir.
In radiant health, passionately raw - Dominique
Dominique Allmon©2025
