Year in Review - Top 5 Homemade Soda Recipes of 2014

Another year has come to a close and it's been a decent enough one.  The biggest thing to happen this year is that my book hit store shelves and is now available to the masses.   I didn't dream up as many recipes as I have in past years, but I was somewhat focused on book marketing and other things, so I don't feel too disappointed, especially considering that they've been pretty good quality.  There's still time to whip up something tasty for New Year's Eve, so here's the top five in case you missed them:

#5 - Blueberry Pie Soda


This was a little something I made as a special treat for some friends as a fun way to announce the gender of our next child.  I figured boy=blue, so blue...berry pie would be perfect.  It seemed appropriate for the approaching summer and was quite a hit among friends, even though it wasn't all that blue.

#4 - Blue Bubble Gum Soda

This was my take on both Jones' Blue Bubble Gum and as a checkmark off my Recipe Challenge pinterest board.  The recipe is not mine, but comes from Cherry Tea Cakes.  It turned out fine, though not an exact match to Jones.  I think I prefer the fruitier version that I put into my book, even though it's not blue.

#3 - Psych Roasted Pineapple Soda

 Every bit worthy of a fist bump, this was a tribute to the final season of USA network's Psych.  The only show where there is a pineapple in every episode.  A smoky version of the tasty fruit, this recipe incorporates smoked malt for the grilled notes for a more in depth flavor.  I love that the pineapple juice adds a little bit of head at the top.

#2 - Grape Lime Rickey Soda

This was meant to be a match to the Arizona Beverage Co.'s Grape Lime Rickey and tastes very refreshing for a summer afternoon.  This was a very popular recipe this year and even got served at my sister-in-law's wedding.  

#1 - Mockter Pepper

 With the release of my book this year, I had the opportunity to do some radio interviews and participate in a few giveaways.  It was quite a blast to enjoy the 15 minutes of fame.  As part of the marketing and probably the best revealed recipe of the book has been the recipe for homemade Dr Pepper.  It's not meant to pull out every nuance of the 23 mysterious flavors or topple the beverage giants, but this is a pretty good representation of a classic Dr Pepper for your homebrew keg or sodastream.  There are even instructions for fermenting it to get the carbonation.  Plus, gorgeous photography.

So there you have the top recipes of 2014!  I hope you have a Happy New Year and enjoy some tasty homemade soda along the way!  There are many more recipes to come, so stay tuned.  I'm excited to see what 2015 will bring.