Fermented Pine Needle Soda: A Wild Forest Brew
Easy recipe for a lacto-fermented fizzy soda that will cost you nearly nothing
Fermented pine needle soda is a lightly sparkling, naturally tangy drink that captures the fresh, resinous aroma of pine needles in a probiotic-rich ferment. This beverage relies on wild fermentation—specifically lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and wild yeasts that naturally inhabit the surface of pine needles. Like many wild ferments, it benefits from a little help: a small addition of ginger bug liquid, rich in LAB and wild yeast, serves to jumpstart the process while still allowing the pine’s native microbiota to express themselves.
The fermentation is primarily driven by Lactobacillus species, which produce lactic acid, lowering the pH and creating a sour yet refreshing profile. Yeasts are present but suppressed due to low sugar levels, acidic environment, and cooler conditions, minimizing alcohol production and emphasizing acidity and light effervescence. To give LAB an advantage, the environment should be slightly acidic (initial pH ~4.5–5), with a moderate sugar level (initial Brix around 9.5–10°), and maintained at room temperature (20–24°C).
Recipe: Fermented Pine Needle Soda (Yields ~2 L)
Ingredients:
200 g raw sugar
2 L drinking water
200 g fresh pine needles (rinsed)
50 ml strained ginger bug liquid (living culture booster)
Instructions:
Prepare the sweet base:
Dissolve the sugar in 500 ml hot water. Let cool, then add 1.5 L cold water to bring the total volume to 2 L. Ensure the mixture is at room temperature (~20°C) before proceeding.Add pine and culture:
Add the rinsed pine needles and 50 ml of strained ginger bug liquid. Stir well in a clean jar or fermenter. Cover loosely with cloth or use an airlock.Initial Brix: ~9.5°
Initial pH: ~4.5-5
Fermentation (4 days at 20–24°C):
Let ferment at room temperature, stirring once a day to keep the pine submerged and aerate the brew. Expect mild bubbling by Day 3.Final Brix: ~4°
Final pH: ~3.5
Light tang and gentle fizz.
Cold Infusion (4–6°C, 4 days):
Transfer to the fridge, keeping the pine needles in the liquid to extract more aroma and bitterness without accelerating fermentation. Stir daily if possible.Strain & Store:
Remove solids, bottle, and refrigerate. Consume within one week. It will remain lightly fizzy and refreshing, with foresty notes and soft acidity.
This soda is a celebration of wild cultures—pine, LAB, and just a touch of ginger bug—to create a drink alive with the flavor of the woods.
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Denis Pashkov
cosmos society
