Sima: Recipe for Finnish Fermented Lemonade

Ingredients:

• 14 cups water
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup plus 4 teaspoons sugar, divided
• 2 lemons (organic, if possible), washed and very thinly sliced
• ⅛ teaspoon yeast
• 20 raisins

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, bring the water to a boil.

2. Add the brown sugar and 1 cup of the white sugar. Stir until completely dissolved.

3. Add the thinly sliced lemons to the pot. Stir and let the mixture cool until it reaches lukewarm temperature.

4. Transfer the liquid into a nonreactive (non-metallic) container.

5. Sprinkle the yeast over the liquid and stir gently to combine.

6. Partially cover the container and let it sit at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight. During this time, tiny bubbles should form around the perimeter of the liquid, indicating fermentation.

7. After fermentation, strain the liquid into sterilized bottles to remove the lemon slices and any sediment.

8. To each bottle, add 1 teaspoon of sugar per quart of liquid and 4-5 raisins.

9. Cork the bottles tightly.

10. Place the bottles in a cool, dark place at room temperature. Open the bottles at least once a day to release excess pressure and prevent them from bursting. This step is crucial for safety during fermentation.

11. Allow the bottles to ferment for several days until the raisins have risen to the top and the liquid is fizzy. This usually takes about 2-3 days, but you can adjust based on the desired level of carbonation.

12. Once fermented to your liking, refrigerate the bottles to halt fermentation and chill the lemonade.

13. Before serving, you can optionally release some pressure from the bottles if necessary, although refrigeration usually stops further fermentation.

Enjoy your homemade Finnish fermented lemonade, Sima!