Naturally fermented mocktails with tangy flavors, gentle fizz and creative fruit, herb, and spice infusions.
# Ingredient List:
→ Base
01 - 8 cups filtered water
02 - 8 black or green tea bags or 2 tablespoons loose-leaf tea
03 - 1 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 kombucha SCOBY or 3/4 cup unflavored store-bought kombucha for starter
→ Flavoring Options
05 - 3.5 ounces fresh berries such as raspberries, blueberries, or strawberries
06 - 1 lemon or lime, thinly sliced
07 - 1 small knob fresh ginger, sliced
08 - 1 sprig fresh mint or basil
09 - 2 tablespoons fruit juice such as pomegranate, cherry, or apple
10 - 1 tablespoon dried hibiscus petals
11 - 1 cinnamon stick or 3 to 4 whole cloves
# Directions:
01 - Bring 8 cups of filtered water to a boil. Add tea bags or loose-leaf tea and steep for 10 minutes. Remove tea bags or strain loose tea.
02 - While tea is hot, stir in granulated sugar until fully dissolved. Allow sweet tea to cool to room temperature; hot liquid may harm fermentation culture.
03 - Transfer cooled sweetened tea into a large, clean glass jar. Add the SCOBY and starter liquid or store-bought kombucha.
04 - Cover jar with a clean cloth or paper towel secured by a rubber band. Place at room temperature, away from sunlight, for 5 to 7 days.
05 - After 5 days, taste daily until beverage is tangy and lightly fizzy, with balanced acidity.
06 - Remove SCOBY and reserve 3/4 cup kombucha for future batches. Add selected fruits, herbs, or spices to the remaining kombucha.
07 - Pour flavored kombucha into clean bottles, leaving 1 inch headspace. Seal tightly and ferment at room temperature 1 to 3 days for extra carbonation.
08 - Once desired carbonation is achieved, refrigerate bottles. Strain out solids before serving.
