A Guide to Flavoring Kombucha & Water Kefir
Originally posted on 10 May 2017
When you brew your own kombucha or water kefir adding flavors is where it really gets good. This is where you can get wild and crazy and let your creative (and fruit) juices flow. The possibilities are endless! And I'm not even going to touch first fermentation here. That's a whole other can of worms. When you flavor in the second ferment there are (almost) no rules. You mother culture is no longer mixed in, so there's no need to worry about contaminating her or upsetting her discriminating palate. So have fun! Make a party in a bottle, 'cuz mom's not home.
Today I'm talking about flavor you can add during bottling. So you're going to brew your kombucha just like it's laid out here. Or your water kefir just like it's laid out here. Then, right before you fill those bottles, you'll pop a little something-something in there for an infinitely more delicious brew. (Something-something recipes below).
Let's get down to the nitty gritty. I’m going to discuss the two most user-friendly, versatile, delicious options: juice & syrup.
Juice
Want to avoid cane sugar? Fermenting with juice is a simple, wholesome and delicious way to flavor your ferments. Any juice you like will do! Keep in mind the sugar in fruit juice is a simpler form than cane sugar. This means it will ferment a little faster than cane sugar, and is more also likely to become slightly alcoholic (which might be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your perspective). The amount you use is more a matter of preference than anything. I usually use 1 part juice to 3 parts kombucha, but you can experiment with different ratios and different juices and figure out how it’s tastiest to you.
Some of my favorite store-bought flavors: Nectars (I love nectars the most! Mango, guava, apricot, peach…), apple cider, grapefruit juice, veggie-fruit mixes, ginger juice (pure ginger juice is much stronger than fruit juice, I recommend 1-2 Tbsp per pint, can be used on its own or in combination with another juice).
I also love to throw whatever fruit I have on hand in the old Vitamix. You can get so many more interesting flavors this way than you can find at the store, plus if you blend instead of juice you don’t lose all the good-for-you fiber. Banana + cantaloupe anyone? Kiwi + mint? Persimmon + papaya? Apple + kale + parsley? Have fun with it! The world is your oyster.
Syrups
You can transform just about anything flavorful into a syrup for flavoring kombucha or water kefir. Here is a list of ideas and a few sample recipes to get your mojo flowing.
Cucumber Mint | Jalapeño Lime | Coconut & Pineapple | Anise with Clove, Vanilla & Molasses | Chamomile | Elderflower Rose | Celery Thyme | Orange with Vanilla | Pear Berry | Mango with Lime & Cayenne
I recommend using 1 Tbsp syrup per cup of kombucha, but just like every flavoring method, there is no right or wrong. Some people like it sweet and some like it sour. Try it out at my ratio, and adjust to your taste as needed. Store in refrigerator up to 2 months.
Lavender Syrup
1 c. raw cane sugar
1 c. filtered water
1/3 c. lavender blossoms
Combine sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add lavender. Stir occasionally until syrup cools to room temperature. Strain out blossoms.
Strawberry Syrup
1 c. raw cane sugar
1 pint strawberries, hulled & chopped
Coat strawberries with sugar and let rest for 10 minutes. Mash or puree macerated strawberries. Pour puree into a mesh strainer set over a bowl and stir and squeeze gently until liquids have passed through. Add water, if necessary, to make 1 cup of syrup.
Ginger Syrup
1 c. raw cane sugar
2 c. filtered water
1.5 oz (~1/4 c) grated ginger
juice of half a lemon
Combine sugar, water & ginger in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 min. Strain. If necessary, boil until reduced to 1 cup. Cool and add lemon juice.