KOMBUCHAAAAAA!!
Bless you.
No seriously, kombucha! Have you heard of it? Have you tried it? Do you love it? Would you make it at home? Puuuuuhlease! Doesn't that require beakers, test tubes and Bunsen burners? Sounds complicated! But it's not, I promise!
Kombucha is a probiotic-rich drink, naturally fermented with sugar, black tea, and a Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast (SCOBY). It can be flavored using an array of fresh fruit, herbs, spices, and juices, and it becomes effervescent during fermentation, making it a bubbly tasty treat (and a very healthy alternative to soda!).
What’s the buzz about probiotics? They help maintain healthy microflora in your gut, which ensures efficient digestion and aids in nutrient absorption. Essentially, they help you get the most out of the food you eat. Probiotics prevent bad bacteria from attaching to the gut, which starves them of the nutrients they need to survive. This strengthens your immune system, fights disease, and boosts your metabolism and energy level. Folks who suffer from digestive ailments such as Crohn’s Disease, Celiac Disease, ulcers, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Candida, etc. may find their symptoms improve with regular consumption of probiotic-rich food and drink.
I began brewing my own kombucha three years ago when I realized how much cold hard cash I was spending on the store-bought stuff. It required a bit of research and planning, but the initial investment was very small and it took very little time to learn how to do it! I currently brew 2-gallon batches at a time, and each batch takes about 7 days to brew. After the initial brew, I flavor the kombucha using seasonal fresh fruit (and herbs!), then bottle it and allow it to go through a secondary fermentation.
I recently published a cookbook called Delicious Probiotic Drinks, which includes detailed instructions on brewing kombucha along with other probiotic-rich beverages, such as ginger beer, kefir (and yogurt!), lacto-fermented lemonade, cultured vegetable juice, and more. These drinks may be probiotic-rich, but they’re also chock full of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes, making them superstar elixirs for health and longevity. The book holds 75 recipes for flavoring these drinks in order to make them fun, tasty, and nutritious.
My goal for the book was to facilitate the brewing process for folks who are interested in DIY probiotic drinks. The drinks may seem intimidating, but I assure you, they’re easy and fun! The book is great for people who are newbies to fermentation, as well as seasoned brewers.
Through experimenting with flavors for my book, I came to realize combining fresh fruit and herbs results in the tastiest drinks! Because citrus fruits are in season, I made a batch of Grapefruit Rosemary kombucha and loved the way it turned out! You can also use navel or blood oranges in place of grapefruit and still achieve delicious results.
Note that the recipe calls for 1 gallon of homemade kombucha.
And nowwww...Go get your Grapefruit Rosemary Kombucha brewing!
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Gallon Homemade Kombucha
- 4 cups spring or well water*
- 3 green tea bags**
- ½ cup white sugar (organic for vegan-friendly)
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
- 2 grapefruit juiced
Instructions
- In a small pot, heat the water to a boil. Add the teabags and sugar, stirring to dissolve. Remove pot from heat.
- Allow the tea to steep until very strong, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the tea bags and discard.
- Add the grapefruit juice, plus grapefruit pulp if desired (adding the pulp will result in a fizzier kombucha). Let the tea mixture cool to room temperature.
- Pour the tea mixture (including the grapefruit pulp and rosemary) and the kombucha into a large pitcher (depending on the size of your pitcher, you may have to do this in two batches, using half of the tea and half of the kombucha). Stir well and pour into sealable glass bottles (flip-cap bottles recommended).
- Keep bottles in a warm dark room, closet, or pantry for 3 days to allow the kombucha to go through secondary fermentation.
- After 3 days, place bottles in the refrigerator. This will slow the fermentation down, but the kombucha will continue to ferment and become fizzier.
- When ready to drink, open the bottles carefully because they will have built pressure from the gasses produced during fermentation (look away from the bottles and point them away from your face).
- Using a fine strainer, strain the kombucha into a glass–this will catch the grapefruit pulp, rosemary, and the small SCOBY that will have formed during secondary fermentation.
- Keep kombucha for up to a month in the refrigerator.
Kate @ Coffee with Kate says
How cool! Congrats on the book. I've been hearing and seeing a lot of Kombucha around lately. I really want to try it. Is it usually a sweet drink? I've heard it smells ... odd.
Julia Mueller says
Hey Kate! Yup, kombucha has been exploding, especially here out west. We even have little kombucha microbreweries setting up shop all over the place - it's gloooorious!! Great question on kombucha flavor/smell. YUP, it smells odd: it smells kind of like vinegar when you're brewing it, and when it's not flavored, it even has a natural vinegar/lemony taste. BUT, you can flavor it any way you'd like and make it as sweet as you'd like. I prefer my kombucha on the dry (less sweet) end, but the beauty of brewing it at home is you can ferment it for less time if you want to maintain sweetness to it (the longer you brew, the more sugar gets consumed by the probiotics, resulting in a less sweet drink). Large kombucha companies tend to keep their product on the sweet end of the spectrum. I'd suggest picking up a bottle from the store and giving it a try. It takes some time to acquire a taste for it, but once you do, I guarantee you'll love it!
Meg van der Kruik says
Love, love, love this!!!
Julia Mueller says
Thanks, Meg!! I think we need to round up some troops and do a full blown kombucha/ginger beer tasting. We could get buzzed off probiotics and have the healthiest guts ever! 😉
dishing up the dirt says
okay girl, I need to get my brewing on! I love Kombucha but definitely spend to much on the darn stuff at the store. You have just inspired me to get my brew on. I'll report back!
Julia Mueller says
YES! If you don't have a SCOBY by May/June, I can bring you one when I come visit!! Wahoooo! I think you and Taylor would be the best kombucha brewers ever! 🙂
Alissa @ Connoisseurus Veg says
I've been brewing kombucha since last summer and I'm completely obsessed. I haven't done much with creative kombucha flavoring, but this recipe totally just sold me - it sounds absolutely delicious. I can't wait to give it a try. Thank you and congrats on the book - I just ordered myself a copy 🙂
Julia Mueller says
Thanks so much, Alissa! It took me a while to start experimenting with kombucha flavors, too. For the longest time, I would just add fruit juice. But then when I discovered you could get a SUPER fizzy kombucha by adding real fruit (including the pulp) prior to secondary fermentation, I flipped my lid and this is all I do now. Thanks so much for your support! Can't wait to hear what you think of the book!!! xoxo
Courtney says
awesome! Put your book on my Amazon Wishlist. I have a few good Kombucha recipes but I need more and want to try the water kefir next. 🙂
Julia Mueller says
Thanks, Courtney! I'm glad you're into brewing probiotic drinks, and water kefir is definitely a fun one! Let me know if you ever have any questions about brewing! 🙂
monique says
Finally, kombucha gets the sexiness it deserves! Thanks for this.
Julia Mueller says
Wahoooo! Thanks, Monique! Kombucha lovers unite! 😉
Holly says
Congratulations on your book! It looks like a beauty! I listened to a cooking podcast on npr sometime in the last year and the topic on The Splendid Table that day was kombucha. I've been curious ever since. I'll have to learn more through your book.
Julia Mueller says
Thanks so much, Holly! I've noticed recently kombucha has been all over the news. I've heard podcasts on NPR and many articles are coming out that probiotics help keep your mind as well as your gut healthy. Really fascinating stuff! Let me know if you ever have any brewing q's!! 🙂
Homer King says
I love me some kombu! I live in south texas...I mean SOUTH! Edinburg, tx. (Graduate school) to be exact and unfortunately the nearest wholefoods is 4 hours away...meh. This book sounds legit! Thank God I came across it today.
I can't wait to purchase! Will be going to San Antonio in two weeks and I can't wait to get some Kombucha!
God Bless you Julia & may your book bless many!
--
Homer King.
Julia Mueller says
I've grown so accustomed to grocery stores that carry kombucha, I'm always shocked when I can't find it while I'm traveling. So glad you'll have the opportunity to stock up! Thanks so much for your kind words, Homer, and have a wonderful weekend!
Kelly says
Have you ever tried using Rosemary Essential Oil instead of fresh? I have so much of it, I'm wondering if I could use 2 drops of that instead of 2 TB of fresh rosemary...thoughts?
Julia Mueller says
Hi Kelly, I honestly have no idea if you can use essential oil. Is it just an extract? Is it edible and have you used essential oils in cooking before? I'd be very curious to know if it would work, but am unsure if it's food-safe... 🙂
Kelly says
Oh it's absolutely safe to eat, at least the one I have. It has to be a very high grade, which I have from doTERRA. 🙂 I've cooked with it before and its fabulous. It's just very strong in flavor which is why I wonder if it'd be appropriate to use with this recipe...
Michelle says
I just flavored my last batch with Young Living's Citrus Fresh Oil and it's SO YUMMY!
CHERYL says
how much oil did you use?
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking says
What a fabulous, refreshing and pretty drink! Congratulations on your book, Julia!
Julia Mueller says
Thanks so much, Georgia! I'm thrilled it's finally on the shelves, woop woop!
lori @ thehealthminded.com says
Great idea for a book as many, like myself, would love to learn more on this topic. Absolutely love grapefruit and rosemary together. Sounds so refreshing and seasonal!
Julia Mueller says
Yippy, I'm glad to hear you like the idea of the book! Probiotic drinks seem to be growing in popularity, so hopefully it will help inspire people to make it at home. Seasonal probiotic drinks are my jam! Can't get enough. Have a great weekend, Lori!
Suzanne @ hello, veggy! says
I've been on the search for interesting Kombucha flavours; this is now on my list!
Julia Mueller says
Heck yes! If you're into unique flavors, just try a little herbage! I find it adds so much character to the drinks. Basil, sage, and rosemary are all fabulous in kombucha.
Andrea says
What great timing- I am on my second batch of homemade kombucha and wasn't sure what to flavors to use for the secondary fermentation. Grapefruit and rosemary sound like a delicious combination!
Julia Mueller says
Wahoooo! Let me know if you try it!
Joanne says
I plan on diving into the book this weekend! I had another recipe chosen to start out with but maybe I'll have to make this one since I'm pretty grapefruit obsessed!
Julia Mueller says
So glad to hear you're going to have a probiotical weekend 🙂 Let me know if you have any questions along the way. Tweet me, sister!
Monica says
Congrats on the book. I will need to get a copy for my 17 year old! She loves kombucha but at $3-$4 a bottle it's is way too expensive so she has been wanting to make her own. You make it sound easier than I thought it would be!
Julia Mueller says
Thank you, thank you! Yup, brewing kombucha is pretty dern easy, especially after the first couple of batches. It's a great project and it's always fun to understand the whole process from start to finish. Send your daughter my way if she has any questions on brewing. I'd be happy to help out.
Grace @ FoodFitnessFreshAir says
This just made my day! I am a kombucha-junkie. Unfortunately, I've let my scoby die for the 2nd time, and am currently on the search for a new one. I would throughly enjoy reading your book, too. Love experimenting with home brew!!
Julia Mueller says
Oh Grace, if you were my next door neighbor, I would give you as many SCOBY layers as your heart desires! I'm always looking for people to take hold of my SCOBYs because I don't like throwing them away, but I can't keep up with their growth, ha! Good luck with your next brew and feel free to reach out any time!
Jennie @themessybakerblog says
Grapefruit and rosemary sound like a delicious combo. Tart, citrusy, and earthy--yum! I could use some gut rehab.
Mary says
That looks so good! Congratulations on your book too! It looks fantastic!
rebekah says
Kombucha all the way! We make our own and have enjoyed it so much more than the brands we can purchase here in South Carolina! I look forward to checking out your book.
Julia Mueller says
You said it! It's hard to be impressed by store-bought brands once you start brewing it yourself. So happy to meet a fellow kombucha brewer! Hope you enjoy the book! 🙂
Emily says
I love this! I usually put frozen berries with mine but I can't wait to try this, thanks! 🙂
Julia Mueller says
Wahoo! So thrilled to hear you're a fellow kombucha brewer! It's been a long while since I've bottled a batch using frozen berries. I always feel like frozen berries turn out so well in kombucha. I'll definitley have to do this for my next batch. Hope you like the grapefruit-rosemary!
Ginger says
Great recipe! Mine turned out amazing.
Thanks!
Abigail says
Question - At what point do you add the rosemary? Step 4? Instructions aren't clear. Step 4 almost makes it sound like the rosemary is already in the tea but I don't see any earlier instructions about it.
Louise says
I don't have access to well water --- can I use distilled water
Nolan says
I've never made kombucha myself, but I'll try according to this recipe :). I always bought ready-made from this website - and highly recommend it, lots of flavors and good quality.