A lightly fermented Finnish May Day lemon drink with a hint of natural sparkle from raisins, traditionally brewed at home in the days before Vappu.
Equipment needed
large container, bottles, stovetop, pot
Peel the lemons, removing only the yellow zest and avoiding the bitter white pith.
Slice the peeled lemons into rounds and place in a large food-safe container with the zest.
Boil 2 liters of water and pour over the lemons, sugar, and brown sugar. Stir to dissolve.
Add the remaining 2 liters of cold water to bring the temperature down to lukewarm (about 38C).
Sprinkle the yeast over the surface and stir gently. Cover loosely and let sit at room temperature overnight.
The next day, strain the sima into clean bottles, adding a few raisins and half a teaspoon of sugar to each bottle.
Seal the bottles and refrigerate. The sima is ready when the raisins float to the surface, usually in 1-2 days.
Serve cold on Vappu alongside tippaleipa (funnel cakes) and munkki (doughnuts).
Storage Instructions
Refrigerate once bottled. Best consumed within 1 week as fermentation continues. Do not seal bottles too tightly as pressure builds. Not suitable for freezing.
Cultural Context
The essential drink of Vappu (May Day), Finland's biggest outdoor celebration. Brewing sima at home a few days before May 1st is a nationwide ritual. The raisins floating to the top signal it is ready — a natural fermentation indicator.