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My favorite fruit flavored kombucha recipes using fresh fruit, frozen fruit or dried fruit – plus tips for how to get fizzy kombucha!
That first taste was so strange. Mildly vinegary, slightly fruity and refreshingly fizzy.
We were grabbing a meal at an outdoor cafe and my sister ordered kombucha and invited me to try a sip. At first, I didn’t think I liked it, but after a few sips it started growing on me.
Little did I know, I would grow so enamored with kombucha that I would start to brew it at home on a regular basis!
Years later, we have quite the system down for brewing and bottling kombucha in our kitchen!
I’m the one who brews the tea, adds the sugar and gets everything set up for the initial fermentation with the scoby in a 2 gallon glass jar. (You’ll find my tried and true kombucha brewing process in this post – plus some rookie brewing mistakes you don’t want to make.)
When it’s time to bottle, I usually recruit my husband to help. We get out our reusable bottles and caps, a funnel and whatever fruit and sweeteners we happen to be using to flavor our kombucha.
We make a bit of a mess because we always spill a little, but it’s worth it in the end!
Read on to get recipes for all our favorite fruit flavored kombucha recipes!
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Kombucha Recipes – How To Make Fizzy Kombucha with Secondary Fermentation
First things first – the question everyone always asks – “How do you make fizzykombucha instead of flat?”
The initial fermentation of your kombucha may create a bit of carbonation on its own. That’s because the scoby makes an airtight seal in the brewing vessel, allowing CO2 to build up underneath.
The best way to get fizz in your kombucha is through secondary fermentation. Secondary fermentation occurs when you bottle your kombucha.
Here are some tips for increasing carbonation in the bottle to get fizzy kombucha:
- Add sugar – Yeast gobbles up sugar and the result is bubbles! Sugar can be added in the form of fruit (fresh, pureed or dried) or with a squirt of honey. (See flavoring recipes below.)
- Fill bottles completely – Less oxygen means more room for carbon dioxide to build up.
- Cap tightly – Don’t let those bubbles escape. If you are reusing bottles, make sure the lids are tight. Flip-top bottles are a great choice because they seal completely.
- Leave out on counter – Warm air leads to more fizz. (Note: Exploding kombucha bottles are rare but you should check bottles after 2 to 3 days at room temperature and consider moving to the refrigerator if the carbonation level is high. This is especially true in summertime temps!)
That said, once you start brewing kombucha, you’ll find that the amount of carbonation can be hit or miss. Some bottles bring on a huge amount of fizz (best to open bottles over the sink, just in case!) and some just fizzle out.
When you do get a flat bottle of kombucha, just mix it with a little carbonated water to get your desired fizz!
RELATED: Kombucha vs. Kefir – Learn about the similarities and differences of these two fermented drinks.
5 Fruit Flavored Kombucha Recipes
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Over many years of brewing kombucha, we’ve tried many different recipes and flavor combinations. Home brewed kombucha is tasty on its own – but we tend to prefer it after a secondary fermentation with fruit.
Secondary fermentation can be done with fresh fruit, frozen fruit, dried fruit or fruit juice – there are so many options!
One thing I’ve realized is that flavored kombucha is not an exact science. The ingredient amounts I suggest here are just that – suggestions! Feel free to customize these recipes as you see fit and don’t worry too much about precise measurements.
There is no set rule for how long to let your kombucha sit in secondary fermentation. Typically I start tasting it after a couple days but it can last for about a month. In warm weather, I often move the bottles into the refrigerator after 2 or 3 days to make sure they don’t build up so much carbonation that they explode.
Also, most of these flavors involve leaving fruit in the bottle during secondary fermentation. You will need to use a small mesh strainer to strain out the fruit before serving.
Here are our top 5 fruit-based kombucha recipes:
1. Blueberry Gingerale
1. Blueberry GingeraleThis recipe involves a tiny bit of cooking – but it’s worth it! We use frozen blueberries and fresh ginger to make a blueberry ginger syrup to add to bottles during secondary fermentation.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup frozen organic blueberries
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 cup water
Method: Place all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook until blueberries are soft and mushy and a light syrup is created. Let cool completely before using. Strain out the pulp so you have the liquid only. Makes 1/2 cup of syrup which is perfect for a 1 liter bottle of kombucha.
2. Strawberry Lemonade
2. Strawberry LemonadeI’m amazed at how the delicate flavor of strawberries comes through the acidic kombucha – but it does! Lemonade is a perfect complement to the strawberries to make a nice light flavor for summer!
Ingredients:
- Fresh organic strawberries
- Lemonade (I like Simply Lemonade)
Method: Cut up 2 to 3 strawberries into chunks. Add strawberries and 1/2 cup lemonade to a 16 oz bottle.
3. Cherry Candied Ginger
3. Cherry Candied GingerCherry is another classic kombucha flavor and it’s especially great combined with spicy candied ginger.
Ingredients:
- Dried cherries (sweetened or unsweetened)
- Crystalized candied ginger
Method: Add a layer of cherries to bottle (1/2 to 1 inch), plus a few chunks of candied ginger.
4. Mango Puree
4. Mango PureeIf you are a mango fan, you will love this simple mango kombucha made with pureed mango.
Ingredients:
- Frozen organic mangos
- Honey (optional)
Method: Defrost mangos and puree in a blender until smooth. Add 1/4 cup mango puree to a 16 oz bottle. Add a squirt of honey if desired.
5. Cranberry Fizz
5. Cranberry FizzLast but not least, this is our favorite kombucha flavor, hand’s down! And it’s the easiest one of all! We tend to use sweetened cranberries because the sugar helps to make the kombucha fizzier. You can add honey if you want but it’s not necessary. We just love the mellow but rich flavor that comes from the craisins!
Ingredients:
- Dried cranberries (craisins), sweetened and preferably organic
- Honey (optional)
Method: Use enough dried cranberries to cover the bottom of the bottle – 1/2 inch to 1 inch. Add a squirt of honey directly to the bottle.
If you’ve made it this far, I’m guessing you’ve gotten beyond that initial – What is this strange drink? phase of kombucha. If you are ready to try brewing your own homemade kombucha, I hope you’ll try one of these recipes!
What are your favorite homemade kombucha recipes?
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