Homemade Flavored Kombucha
While I don’t use white sugar in my cooking or baking, the experts over at Cultures For Health say it is required for kombucha and it should not be replaced or substituted. During fermentation, the white sugar reacts with the tea and kombucha culture to produce acetic, lactic and glucuronic acid.
Adapted from Nourishing Traditions
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 7-10 days
- Category: Drink
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 3 quarts filtered water
- 1 cup organic white sugar (evaporated cane crystals)
- 4 organic green tea bags
- 1/4 cup dried hibiscus (or your favorite loose-leaf tea)
- 1/2 cup kombucha from a previous culture (go to your natural foods store for this, or if you purchase the the scoby I’ve linked to below, the kit will come with 1/2 cup of kombucha to get you started)
- 1 kombucha scoby or starter culture
Instructions
- Boil water in a large pot. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and add the green tea bags and loose-leaf tea. Steep tea until the water has completely cooled. Remove tea bags and pour cooled liquid through a sieve (to remove the loose-leaf tea) into a 4 quart or larger glass bowl (not plastic). Stir in 1/2 cup kombucha and place the scoby on top. Cover loosely with a clean cloth or towel and transfer to a warm, dark place. Let mixture sit for 7-10 days (I’ve found that in the warmer months, 7 days is perfect. In the colder months, I let it ferment for at least 8-9 days). When the mixture is ready, the scoby will have grown a spongy pancake and the tea should be slightly sour and fizzy. Remove the scoby and store it in a glass container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it again. (After your first time making kombucha, the scoby will have grown a second spongy pancake. This can be used to make other batches or you can give one away to a friend.) Pour kombucha into glass jars or a pitcher with a tight-fitting lid. Store in your refrigerator.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Makes about 3 quarts
Find it online: https://deliciouslyorganic.net/flavored-kombucha-recipe/