Kombucha is very customizable. It can be altered to accommodate a variety of fruits and herbs. From ginger, honey, or mint to strawberry, mango, and cherry, all the possible kombucha combinations are only as limited as your imagination. Use one of our Kombucha Brewing Starter Kits and start making your first kombucha. The kombucha brewing process is as low key or high maintenance as you want it to be. You can drink your kombucha after it undergoes primary fermentation or carbonate the kombucha with sugar when you decide bottle it. To add flavor though, your kombucha will have to undergo a secondary fermentation.
How To Add Flavor To Kombucha
Let’s kick some flavor into your kombucha! Make sure to keep notes about your recipe during this process. You’ll want to document your procedures during secondary fermentation so you can successfully reproduce the results you liked the best.
1. Always remove the SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) first. Some flavor additions can damage or even kill your bacteria/ yeast culture. SCOBYs can be placed on a sterilized plate or in a SCOBY hotel.
2. After you’ve removed the SCOBY begin filling your kombucha bottles. If your kombucha jar has a spigot pour from there. Keep in mind that fruits can expand, so allow extra headroom in your bottle.
3. Add a small amount of flavoring to your Kombucha and then sample. If you’re using solid fruits (fresh, frozen or dried), start out with 2 parts fruit to 8 parts Kombucha. For juices, go with 1 part juice to 9 parts Kombucha. Herbs can vary in potency, so start conservatively, then build up.
4. Taste your flavored Kombucha after a day or two of bottle conditioning to gauge the flavor and carbonation. To accurately measure the carbonation level of your kombucha, fill one plastic bottle with the same amount. Give that bottle a little squeeze every day and when it starts to feel firm that’s when you’ll know it’s carbonated.
5. Once you like the taste and the kombucha is carbonated, refrigerate the bottle and enjoy.
Carbonation Tips:
Some of your flavor additives may contain sugar. This will activate your yeast and cause your Kombucha to carbonate faster. There is the possibility for your kombucha to create excess pressure on the bottle. Be sure to release this pressure by opening the bottle every few days, aka "burping" your kombucha. Refrigerating your Kombucha will slow down carbonation, but not stop it.Read More Kombucha Articles:
- What is a SCOBY? (Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast)
- Carbonating Kombucha
- Flavoring your Kombucha