Meanwhile, wash lemons and remove zest with a peeler or zester.
With a knife, remove the white peel (albedo) and slice the lemon. Remove the seeds roughly.
Discard the white peel and seeds in the compost, as these would make the beverage bitter.
When the water is boiling, remove it from the heat source and add the sugar, brown sugar, zest, and lemon slices. Stir well to dissolve the sugar and allow it to cool.
Once the mixture is warm, transfer all of it into the jar.
Pour cold water into the jar until you have 12 cups of beverage.
In a small bowl, rehydrate the yeast in about ¼ cup (60 ml) of warm water. Let it stand for 5 minutes, then add to the jar.
Cover the jar with a cotton cloth and secure it with the rubber band.
Primary Fermentation
Let the sima ferment for 24 hours at room temperature.
Fermentation in Bottles
Using a sieve, or a filter bag, strain the sima to remove the zest and flesh of the lemons.
Add 2 raisins to each bottle (optional).
Fill the bottles with sima up to 2 inches from the rim. Close the bottles tightly.
Let the bottles ferment at room temperature for 12 hours.
After 12 hours, test the pressure of the beverage by quickly opening and closing the bottles. If it is not fizzy enough, let it ferment longer.
When the raisins have risen to the surface and there are enough bubbles to your liking, put the bottles in the fridge.
Notes
Pressure testing the bottles is essential to prevent too much pressure from building up. If bottles are left unattended, there is a risk that the beverage will spill out of the bottle when opened, or even explode if the bottle is not solid.Fermentation time in the bottle can range from 12 hours to 3 days, depending on the temperature and the vitality of the yeast.No pressure resistant bottles on hand? Reuse plastic carbonated beverage bottles. These bottles can be squeezed by hand to determine the level of fermentation and pressure in the bottle.Sima can be stored for a few weeks in the fridge, but it is best consumed within 7 days.
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