Sima (Finnish Lemon Mead)
In short: A lightly sparkling homemade Finnish drink of lemon, brown sugar and a pinch of yeast, bottled with raisins. Sweet, tangy and only mildly alcoholic. It takes about 25 min in total and makes 16 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Resting
- 72 h
- Total
- 25 min
- Servings
- 16
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 120 kcal
Sima is the fizzy, lemony homemade drink Finns make for Vappu, the May Day celebration, though it appears all spring and summer. Lemons, brown sugar and a pinch of yeast ferment briefly in a bucket, then the drink is bottled with raisins, which rise to the surface when it is ready. The result is lightly sweet, tangy and gently sparkling, with only a trace of alcohol, about 1 to 2 percent.
Instructions
- Put the lemon slices and both sugars in a large clean pot or bucket. Pour over 1 liter (4 cups) of boiling water and stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the remaining 3 liters (12 cups) cold water. The mixture should be lukewarm, about 30°C (86°F). Sprinkle in the yeast and stir gently.
- Cover loosely with a clean cloth and leave at room temperature for 20 to 24 hours.
- Strain the liquid through a fine sieve, pressing the lemons lightly and discarding them.
- Put 1 tsp sugar and 2 raisins in each clean bottle. Fill the bottles with sima, leaving 3 to 4 cm (1 1/2 in) of space at the top, and close tightly.
- Leave the bottles at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, until the raisins float to the top. Refrigerate at once and chill for a day before drinking.
- Open the bottles slowly, over the sink, since the drink is fizzy. Serve cold.
Tips
- Use only a tiny pinch of yeast. More makes the sima taste yeasty and builds too much pressure in the bottles.
- Plastic bottles are the safest choice. If a bottle feels hard and tight, loosen the lid briefly to release pressure and move it to the fridge.
Questions and answers
Is sima alcoholic?
A little. Homemade sima is usually about 1 to 2 percent alcohol, though the amount varies. Keep it away from young children.
Why are there raisins in sima?
The raisins feed the yeast during bottling, and they rise to the top when the drink is fizzy and ready. Their rise is the signal to refrigerate.
How long does sima keep?
In the fridge it keeps for about 2 weeks. It slowly gets drier and fizzier, so drink it within the first week for the best flavor.
How long does it take to make Sima (Finnish Lemon Mead)?
About 25 min in total: 20 min of preparation and 5 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Sima (Finnish Lemon Mead)?
About 120 kcal per serving, with 0 g of protein, 29 g of carbohydrates and 0 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 120 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 29 g |
| Fat | 0 g |
| Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 28 g |
| Sodium | 5 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
