Homemade grape soda (no sugar!)
Homemade Grape Soda (no sugar!) ~ This gorgeous purple soda has nothing in common with bottled stuff, it’s pure fruit, with no added sugar, and bursting with grape flavor!
Most grapes come into season in late summer, so you should be seeing some good varieties in your local stores and farmer’s markets by now. You can use any type of grape to make a really good fresh drink: red, black, or even green, seedless or seedless, it doesn’t matter, you’ll still be straining the pulp in this recipe. But taste and taste your grapes before you buy… I find they can be hit or miss. If they taste great out of control, they will make a fantastic soda. I love the color and flavor of black grapes, and when I am lucky enough to find them, Concord grapes are the ultimate.
Black grapes for homemade grape sodas
Fizzy drinks, or pop, depending on where you live, is a beloved American tradition that has turned into a dietary disaster over the decades. Packed with sugar, artificial colors, and chemicals, sodas are a nutritional nightmare, especially for kids. But for a homemade fruit soda all you need is a fruit syrup and some sparkling water. Mine is sugar free, with a hint of lemon for a special touch. If you start your kids on the natural alternative early enough, they will never miss out on the bad stuff.
Homemade grape soda, unsweetened
I like to store the concentrated grape syrup in a jar or bottle in the fridge and then pour it over ice in a chilled glass and cover it with sparkling water as needed. Garnished with some fresh basil, but you can also use mint. Kids can whip up their own soda mix as an after school treat, and there’s nothing stopping you from using it as a base for a cocktail or two.
Healthy, sugar-free, and all-natural homemade grape soda ~ the taste will blow your mind!
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh Concord grapes (or another black grape you like, taste first!)
- 1/2 cup of water
- juice of 1/2 lemon
Instructions
Wash the grapes and place them in a heavy-bottomed pot, along with the water and lemon juice. Bring the pot to a simmer and continue to boil for about 2 minutes until the grapes have started to soften. Crush the grapes with the back of a large spoon while they cook.
Transfer the mixture to a food processor and process until completely mixed. Let the machine run long enough for all the grapes to completely puree.
Pass the puree through a mesh strainer, pushing slightly, to let the juice pass. Discard any pulp, skin, or seeds.
Refrigerate the grape syrup until cold.
To serve, fill a glass with ice and mix half the syrup and half the sparkling water. Garnish with a sprig of basil or mint.
