Blue Lotus Flower Kombucha
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Tag
kombucha Recipes
5 recipes
Curated by
Evelina Melnikova
Kombucha was the first fermented beverage I made and it hooked me immediately. Not because the process was exciting, it is actually quite boring to watch tea sit in a jar for two weeks, but because the end result was this fizzy, tangy, slightly sweet drink that tasted nothing like anything I could buy for four dollars a bottle at Whole Foods. Homemade kombucha is fresher, more fizzy, and you control the sugar level completely.
The process requires a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast), which looks like a rubbery pancake and sounds more intimidating than it is. You can get one from a friend who brews, buy one online, or grow your own from a bottle of raw unflavored kombucha. Once you have a SCOBY, it reproduces with every batch, so you will eventually have more than you know what to do with.
First fermentation takes 7 to 14 days. You brew sweetened black or green tea, cool it, add the SCOBY and some starter liquid from a previous batch, cover with a cloth, and wait. The bacteria and yeast consume the sugar, producing beneficial acids, B vitamins, and a small amount of alcohol (typically under 0.5 percent). You taste it every few days until it reaches the balance of sweet and sour you prefer.
Second fermentation is where the fun happens. You bottle the kombucha with a bit of fruit, juice, or ginger, seal the bottles tightly, and leave them at room temperature for 2 to 4 days. The residual yeast ferments the added sugar and produces carbon dioxide, which carbonates the drink. The result is a fizzy, naturally flavored probiotic beverage.
These 6 recipes cover the foundational brew process plus flavoring variations that we have tested and love.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Homemade kombucha brewed from tea and sugar is naturally gluten free. Some commercial brands add flavorings that could theoretically contain gluten, but this is rare. If you brew at home, you have complete control over all ingredients. Always check labels on store bought kombucha.
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The sugar you add at the start is food for the SCOBY, not sugar you consume. A typical 7 to 14 day fermentation consumes 60 to 80 percent of the original sugar. The longer you ferment, the less sugar remains and the more tart the kombucha becomes. Homemade kombucha typically has less sugar than store bought.
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A small amount, typically under 0.5 percent, which is comparable to ripe fruit or bread. Second fermentation can increase the alcohol slightly. If alcohol content is a concern, keep fermentation temperatures moderate and do not let second fermentation go longer than 3 days.
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Add a small amount of sugar or fruit juice at bottling to feed the yeast during second fermentation. Use bottles designed for carbonation (swing top or thick glass). Ferment at room temperature for 2 to 4 days. Warmer temperatures produce more carbonation. Burp bottles daily to prevent excessive pressure.
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A healthy SCOBY is white to light tan, smooth or slightly bumpy on top, and rubbery in texture. It may have brown stringy bits hanging underneath, which are yeast strands and completely normal. Mold (fuzzy, dry, blue, green, or black spots on top) means the SCOBY is contaminated and should be discarded.