Berry Basil Kombucha Recipe

Yield: 14 cups

Author: Julie Kim, RD

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Berry Basil Kombucha

Kombucha has beneficial probiotics and antioxidants to help maintain a healthy gut and body. Making your own kombucha at home is fun and easy!

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 5 Mininactive time: 216 HourTotal time: 216 H & 25 M

Ingredients:

First Fermentation

14 cups filtered water, divided
6 bags black tea or teaspoons of loose-leaf tea
1 cup sugar
1 starter SCOBY with starter tea
EQUIPMENT :
1 gallon glass jar
1 coffee filter/cloth
1 rubber band
Piece of tape
Sharpie/pen

Second Fermentation

1 cup blueberries
1 cup strawberries, sliced
4 tablespoons basil leaves, divided
EQUIPMENT :
4 swing-top bottles
1 funnel

Instructions:

First Fermentation

In a medium sized pot boil 2 cups of water. Once boiling, turn off heat and add black tea. Brew for 10 minutes and then remove tea. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve completely. Set aside to cool down.
Add the remaining 12 cups of water into your gallon glass jar. Pour in your tea and sugar mixture and stir. Make sure the temperature of your tea is not hot before moving onto the next step; around 80 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal.
Add your starter tea that came with your SCOBY in the jar of tea and gently stir. Gently place your SCOBY in the jar.
Cover the top of your jar with the coffee filter/cloth and wrap the rubber band around to keep it in place. This will prevent any dust or bugs getting in but allow the SCOBY to breath.
Keep your kombucha in a dark, warm area and let it sit to ferment about seven to ten days. Taste the kombucha at day seven to see if you like the flavor. If it is too sweet then leave to ferment for a few more days. If it is too sour you can add a teaspoon of sugar during the second fermentation process. Be sure to write the date on a piece of tape and put it on your jar, so you can keep track of how many days passed during the fermentation.

Second Fermentation

After seven to ten days, if you are satisfied with the taste of your kombucha, you are ready to bottle it up and add flavors!
With clean hands, grab the SCOBY and place it in a bowl to set aside (you should have two SCOBY now). Each time you start a new batch of kombucha your SCOBY will grow a new “baby” SCOBY layer. Now pour/scoop out two cups of your kombucha and set it aside (this will be your starter tea for your next kombucha batch). Remember to always save at least two cups of your kombucha for your next batch before bottling it all up!
Make sure you slice the strawberries so that it will fit through the opening of your bottles. In a medium bowl press down on the blueberries with a fork to gently smush them so the flavor can infuse better while fermenting. Add one tablespoon of basil leaves and half a cup of berries into each bottle. Stir the kombucha to mix the yeast that has settled at the bottom. Then pour an even amount of kombucha into each bottle using the funnel. Be sure to leave an inch or two of space at the top, do not fill it to the brim.
Cap the lids on properly and set them aside at room temperature avoiding direct sunlight for 2-3 days. During the second fermentation process the flavors will be infused and carbonation will be produced. If you are afraid they are building up too much pressure you can burp the bottles by opening them for a second once a day. However, doing so too often can also result in less carbonation.
After two or three days, you can put them in the refrigerator and drink after chilled.

Notes:

• Continuously make kombucha using your SCOBY and two cups of starter tea each time. Be sure to thoroughly clean your glass jar before starting a new batch. • Your SCOBY will last you many more batches of kombucha. Always check your SCOBY to make sure there is no mold. Discard oldest layers of your SCOBY as it gets older.

Calories

40

Fat (grams)

0

Sat. Fat (grams)

0

Carbs (grams)

8

Fiber (grams)

0

Net carbs

8

Sugar (grams)

4

Protein (grams)

0

Sodium (milligrams)

0

Cholesterol (grams)

0

Nutrition Facts for 1 cup.

Created using The Recipes Generator