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glass of lemonade topped with a slice of lemon and mint leaves on a white plate with lemons, mint, and a tall jar of fermented lemonade in the background
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4.71 from 17 votes

Fermented Lemonade

Fizzy and refreshing, this simple fermented lemonade is full of fresh-squeezed lemon juice, a small amount of sugar, and plenty of natural probiotics for gut health.
Prep Time10 minutes
Fermentation Time3 days
Total Time3 days 10 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Keyword: fermented, ferments
Servings: 8
Author: Lisa Bass

Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup cane sugar
  • ¾ cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • ½ cup whey strained from full-fat plain yogurt
  • 8 cups filtered water

Instructions

  • Combine the sugar, lemon juice, whey, and filtered water into a glass jar or jug. I used a gallon-sized jar.
  • Stir thoroughly until the sugar is mostly dissolved.
  • Seal the jar with a tight lid and keep it at room temperature for 72 hours. You can keep it on your counter or a pantry shelf - whatever works!
  • You may want to release the pressure on your jar each day by loosening the lid briefly.
  • After 72 hours, the lemonade should be bubbly. The longer it ferments, the more carbonated it will be.
  • Store your lemonade in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Serve cold from the fridge or over ice and enjoy!

Notes

  • Fresh lemon juice is key! Bottled lemon juice is not as bright or sweet, and it's been sitting for a long time with additives to make it shelf-stable which can affect fermentation.
  • Filtered water is best in any case. The chlorine and other chemicals present in tap water can impact fermentation and flavor.
  • Open the lid of your lemonade jar once daily to release the pressure, then pop it back on.
  • The longer it ferments, even in the fridge, the stronger the developed flavor will be and the more carbonated it will become.
  • If your kitchen is naturally warm, your lemonade will ferment more quickly and may be ready in just a couple of days. Lemonade ferments more slowly in a cooler environment.
  • Swing-top jars or flip-top bottles make the fizziest finished product. Plus, they're so pretty!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 64kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 44mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 19IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 0.5mg