Kombucha Flavors | Kombucha Second Fermentation Recipes - Cultures For Health (2024)

FAQs

How do you Flavour kombucha in second fermentation? ›

-Increase sugar in your secondary fermentation. You can do this by adding fruit, fruit juice or sugar. I'll add ¼-1 tsp sugar per 16 oz bottle if my flavoring doesn't have any natural sugars in it. -Fill your secondary fermentation bottles closer to the top leaving an inch of space between the kombucha and the top.

A pure, fresh brew that grows a new, healthy SCOBY each time it ferments should have ZERO added flavors (including from the tea with which it's brewed). Even commercial brews that are flavored with fruit and truly natural flavors can introduce bad bacteria and the potential for mold formation.

Herbs and Spices – Cinnamon, cloves, ginger, thyme, mint, lavender, rosemary, etc. Works well in a combination with fruit, however if using alone, add 1 tsp honey per 1L during second ferment to reactivate beneficial bacteria.

If you want carbonated kombucha, you need to add a form of SUGAR to your second fermentation kombucha bottles. Otherwise, there is nothing that you need to add—it is just a matter of picking the flavors you want.

This is fine if they're getting too large or if you'd like to split them up to move some to a SCOBY hotel/share with a friend. You can't hurt your SCOBY by ripping it or cutting it. Its shape doesn't matter since new ones will always take the shape of the surface of whatever container you place it in.

Too much and the yeasts will either a) “flush” and overrun the bacteria, or b) fall completely asleep and do nothing. It may be possible to use as little as ¾ cup or as much as 1.5 cups per gallon and have successful brews.

If you're not getting good fizz, it may just be because you're cleaning too much yeast out of your brew.

Yes! During each ferment, the mother scoby (the one you added) will produce a baby scoby. Every scoby can be used four times before it gets too old and needs to be discarded. With each batch of kombucha a baby scoby is produced and the process starts again, you will have a fridge full of scobys before you know it.

First Half: During the first half of the fermentation process, you can store your Kombucha in a glass mason jar. While our Pearl jars have excellent sealing closures, for this part, you will need to leave the lid open and instead cover the top of your glass mason jar with some cheesecloth or a breathable kitchen towel.

Can kombucha mold during second fermentation? ›

If you've been able to produce a successful batch of first fermented kombucha and you've gone over a week without any mold in your brew vessel, it's very unlikely that you'll develop mold during second fermentation in the bottle.

If you want an "original" or plain flavored kombucha but still want the fizz, you can do a second ferment by adding 1/2-1 teaspoon of sugar, maple syrup, honey, or molasses to a 16 ounce bottle and fill with plain kombucha. For kombucha: second ferment for 5-10 days.

I used fresh strawberries and peaches from the farmer's market, pureed them in my Vitamix and added the fruit to my black tea kombucha. Your kids will absolutely love to make kombucha too- note: you can also use frozen berries or any frozen or fresh fruit. Just thaw and puree thoroughly to add to your kombucha mixture.

This might be controversial for some home brewers who like to use flavored teas or herbal infusions during first fermentation. But most flavorings (even if they're “natural”) can degrade and weaken your SCOBY over time.

There are two main fermentation phases when making your own kombucha: First Fermentation: Transforms sweet tea into tart and tasty kombucha (see our guide to homemade kombucha here). Second Fermentation: Carbonates the kombucha by adding flavor and sugars (like orange juice) and bottling it.

Fruit juice is the easiest method of flavoring kombucha and water kefir. Bottled juice has natural fruit sugars that are excellent food for the yeasts and bacteria in your brew. The shelves in our local stores are stocked with every imaginable flavor, so it's easy to experiment.

The good news is that adding fruit juice to kombucha is not only possible but also a delicious way to take your kombucha to the next level. Fruity kombucha is a great option for parties or brunch. Or you could enjoy it at a backyard barbecue or to keep you cool at the beach.