The FermPal blog

Guides and recipes for fizzy, alcohol-free fermented drinks.

October 4, 2026

Plum water kefir with three herbs: Greek basil, violet basil, rosemary — and a lesson in foam

Three kilos of garden plums, three bottles, three herbs — and two that overflowed. The recipe as guidelines, plus how to avoid over-carbonating sweet fruit.

September 20, 2026

8 bottles, 8 garden flavours: running second ferments side by side without losing track

Water kefir second fermentation flavor ideas, tested for real: one base, eight bottles, eight garden flavours side by side — method, verdicts, surprises.

September 6, 2026

How long should the second fermentation of water kefir take?

24 to 72 hours at room temperature, depending on three variables: temperature, leftover sugar and culture vigour. How to tell your F2 is ready, safely.

How to track multiple ferments at once (without forgetting any)

Kefir in F1, kombucha due for tasting, an F2 warming in the cupboard: how to track several ferments at once — notebook, spreadsheet, app — with each method's honest limits.

Jun and plant sodas: homemade recipes

Jun is kombucha made with green tea and honey — lighter and more delicate. Full recipe, how it differs from kombucha, and fermented flower sodas (elderflower), with timings.

Fizzy fermented drinks without the alcohol: which one should you brew?

Water kefir, kombucha, ginger beer, hop water, kvass, jun: 6 fizzy drinks you can ferment at home, compared by taste, difficulty and equipment.

Homemade ginger beer: the complete recipe

Real fermented ginger beer — fizzy, lively, alcohol-free: the ginger bug starter, F1, F2, exact ratios and temperatures, and pressure safety made simple.

Kombucha too sour? Here's how to fix it

Kombucha tastes like vinegar? Here are the 5 real causes (F1 length, temperature, oversized SCOBY, tea/sugar ratio) and how to get the balance back — plus what to do with sour kombucha.

Why is my water kefir not fizzy?

Water kefir staying flat? Here are the 6 real causes (F2, sugar, temperature, time, bottle, grains) and how to get the fizz back every time.

Homemade kvass: the fermented bread drink

Make kvass at home: toasted bread or bran, 2-3 days of fermentation, bottling and F2. Eastern Europe's classic fermented drink, step by step with FermPal.

Hop water: the hoppy sparkler with 0% alcohol

Make hop water at home: choosing hops, cold dry hop, carbonation, timing. The rising low-ABV trend, explained step by step by FermPal.

Water kefir: the beginner's guide (grains, F1, F2)

How to nail homemade water kefir: caring for the grains, a 48h F1, flavoured F2 in the bottle, classic mistakes and timing. A practical guide by FermPal.

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