Tangy, fizzy drinks brewed from tea, fruit, and herbs for a healthy, refreshing alcohol-free sip.
# What you'll need:
→ Basic Kombucha-Style Base
01 - 8 cups (2 liters) filtered water
02 - 8 black or green tea bags, or 2 tablespoons loose-leaf tea
03 - 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
04 - 1 kombucha SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast) or 3/4 cup (200 ml) unflavored store-bought kombucha, as starter liquid
→ Flavoring Options (choose 1–2 per batch)
05 - 3.5 oz (100 g) 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 3–4 whole cloves
# Method:
01 - Bring 8 cups filtered water to a boil. Add tea bags or loose-leaf tea and steep for 10 minutes. Remove tea bags or strain leaves.
02 - While hot, stir in granulated sugar until dissolved. Allow sweetened tea to cool completely to room temperature to protect fermentation culture.
03 - Pour cooled sweet tea into a sanitized glass jar. Gently add the SCOBY and starter kombucha or store-bought kombucha.
04 - Cover the jar with a clean cloth or paper towel secured with a rubber band. Store at room temperature, away from direct sunlight, for 5 to 7 days.
05 - After 5 days, begin tasting daily. Once the beverage develops a tangy, slightly fizzy profile without excessive sourness, proceed to flavoring.
06 - Remove the SCOBY and reserve 3/4 cup (200 ml) fresh kombucha as starter for future batches. Add selected fruits, herbs, or spices to the ferment.
07 - Transfer kombucha into clean bottles using a funnel, leaving 1 inch (2–3 cm) of headspace. Seal tightly and ferment at room temperature for 1 to 3 days to develop carbonation.
08 - Once desired fizz is present, refrigerate bottles. Strain out solid flavorings before pouring and serve chilled.
