[Home Medicinal Cooking] How to Make Homemade Craft Cola | Just toss everything into a pot. A cup of my favorite spice-scented drink

Last time, I wrote about homemade craft cola using spices.

This is the continuation of that.

When you hear "craft cola," it sounds a bit difficult because it uses so many spices, doesn't it?

But when you actually make it...

It's simpler than you'd think.

This time, I will introduce how I made my homemade craft cola.

Ingredients for the craft cola I made this time

[Ingredients]

- Water... 200ml
- Sugar... 200g
(I used Hanamito and Sudakito sugar this time)

- Lemon (I recommend wax-free since you use the peel)... 1 piece

- Ginger slices... 3 slices
- Cinnamon sticks... 2 sticks
- Star anise... 2 pieces
- Cardamom... 8 seeds
- Cloves... 8 pieces
- Black pepper (whole)... 20 grains

You can adjust the types and amounts of spices to your liking.

You can add more ginger for a spicy kick.

You can make the cinnamon scent stronger.

Finding your own preference is also part of the fun of making it by hand.

Let's make it

First, let's start with simple preparation.

For the cardamom, crack the pods so the seeds inside are visible.

Snap one cinnamon stick in half.

Wash the lemon well and slice it into rounds.

Slice the ginger.

That's all the preparation needed.

After that, into the pot,

water,

sugar,

spices,

ginger,

and lemon.

Add everything in.

Heat over medium heat, and once it starts to boil, simmer gently on low heat for about 10 minutes.

Stir occasionally so the sugar dissolves.

The refreshing scent of lemon and the deep aroma of spices will spread.

The time spent making it is also enjoyable.

I enjoy the lemon until the very end.

Once you turn off the heat, let it cool as is.

However, since leaving the lemon in for too long can easily cause bitterness from the peel, I take it out once it has cooled.

But...

this lemon.

I don't throw them away (lol).

Since the lemons have absorbed the scent of the spices, I've taken the liberty of naming them

"Spice Lemons"

.

You can eat them as they are.

You can add them when you drink the craft cola.

I enjoy them until the very end.

After taking out the lemons, leave only the spices, store in the refrigerator for half a day to a full day, and finally strain to finish.

The color of the cola is also part of the fun.

When I made it with san-on sugar before, it turned into a nearly transparent craft cola.

It's cola, yet it's transparent.

It looks mysterious, but when you drink it...

"Oh, it's cola."

I was so moved when I made and drank it for the first time (lol).

You feel the cola through the scent of spices and citrus, not the color.

That's the joy unique to homemade drinks.

This time, I didn't have enough Hanami sugar, so I also used Sudaki sugar.

Thanks to that, it turned a slightly deeper color.

If you want a darker color more like cola, there is also a method of adding caramel sauce.

Take 50g out of the 200g of sugar, add 1 tablespoon of water, and heat over low heat.

Once it turns a caramel color, combine it with the remaining ingredients.

If you are adding caramel, please mix it in while the spice liquid is still warm.

My favorite way to drink it

At first, I tried it with a ratio of

1 part craft cola concentrate to 3 parts sparkling water

.

It was nice and rich, but personally, I found it too sweet.

Now, I prefer a ratio of about

1 part concentrate to 4-5 parts sparkling water

.

With this amount, I usually finish it in about 4 to 5 servings (lol).

It was easier to make than I imagined.

When you see a lot of spices lined up, you might think,

"This looks difficult..."

but the actual work involved is surprisingly minimal.

Slice the lemon.

Snap the cinnamon stick.

Crack the cardamom pods slightly.

And that's it...

Just toss it all into a pot.

Just let it simmer away.

Although it looks authentic, craft cola is surprisingly easy to enjoy.

Even a lazy person like me, sanayo, could make it (lol).

Refreshing craft cola made with lemons is delicious, but why not try it with your favorite citrus fruits, like yuzu or oranges?

Finding your own unique flavor is the best part of making it by hand.

"Maybe I can do that too?"

If you thought that, please try making your own craft cola just the way you like it.

Thank you for reading until the end.