Gingerberry Kombucha

This recipe can be easily scaled up or down to suit your needs. We typically double the batch and make 2 gallons at a time. You can find this recipe and other amazing fermentation recipes in Jill Ciciarelli's book, Fermented - Available on Amazon and in most book stores.

3 hours

2 weeks

Difficulty

Show nutritional information

This is our estimate based on online research.
Calories:	100
Fat:	0 g
Carbohydrates:	25 g
Protein:	0 g
Calculated per serving.

by Jillness

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Serves: 12

Ingredients

1 gallon 1 gallon 1 gallon Water
8 8 8 Green Tea, bags
1 cup 1 cup 1 cup Sugar, Raw, scant cup, plus additional sugar for the second ferment.
1 1 1 SCOBY, (Active Culture)
1 cup 1 cup 1 cup Kombucha, (Starter Tea)
1/2 cup 1/2 cup 1/2 cup Raspberries, Organic, 3-4 per bottle, for second ferment
1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp Ginger Root, 1 small chunk per bottle, for second ferment
1/2 cup 1/2 cup 1/2 cup Blueberries, A few per bottle, for second ferment

Process

Note, these instructions are written assuming the standard serving size, since you have modified the number of servings, these steps may need to be modified for best results

Pour the water into the pot and bring to just shy of a boil (about 200 degrees.)
Place the tea bags into the near-boiling water.
Brew tea for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat, and remove tea bags, squeezing out the excess water.
Add the sugar while the tea is still very hot and stir until completely dissolved.
Allow the tea to cool completely (this is very important).
Pour the tea into the glass vessel. Hot tea will kill the SCOBY, so make sure the tea is room temperature.
Add the SCOBY and starter kombucha.
Cover the vessel with the cloth and secure it with a large rubber band or twine.
Place the vessel in a well-ventilated, warm, dry place that is not too dark (near a window, on top of your refrigerator, etc.) Light and warmth encourage fermentation. Your kombucha will produce a new SCOBY in the process.
Next, you wait. Kombucha can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to ferment. Check its progress after a week.
To judge doneness, you can either go with taste or science. Tasting the kombucha is an easy way to decide whether it has fermented to the point of your liking. The other way is to test the kombucha's pH. If it is between 4.0 and 5.0, then it is finished.
Transfer the kombucha to small, sealable glass jars (used kombucha containers work perfectly!) These need to be air-tight. Leave a little bit of kombucha and your SCOBYs in the vessel for future kombucha making.
Add 1 tsp of raw sugar, the fruit, and the ginger to the jars and seal them tightly.
Allow the kombucha to go througha second fermentation, which typically takes 3-5 days.
Taste the kombucha to see if you like the taste. Open it carefully, as it will be fizzy. Transfer the remaining bottles to a refrigerator, which will halt the fermentation process. Enjoy within a few weeks.

Notes

You'll need a large pot, a wooden spoon, a 1-gallon glass vessel, a large cloth (part of an old, clean t-shirt works great), a big rubber band or butchers twine, and small glass jars or bottles. During the first and second fermentation process, you'll get additional SCOBYs forming on your kombucha. This is natural and a good sign! Do not worry if you ingest any part of these. It will not harm you in any way!