Kombucha Holiday Flavors

How to Flavor Kombucha - Holiday Flavors

by Common Sense Homesteading

Cranberry Collins Kombucha

Since I brew my own kombucha, I am always trying to come up with new flavors for my liquid pleasure.  A blog that I follow, Common Sense Homesteading, just posted a bunch of new recipes and ideas for flavoring kombucha this holiday season, and let me say I am impressed, and cannot wait to try out a few of these flavors!

Most of these flavors start with green or black tea kombucha, I use green tea and my blog friend uses black tea.   She notes that "flavorings were added to a 16 ounce bail top jar, or a pint or quart mason jar." Flavorings are added when you bottle your Kombucha.  The longer you let it sit in the bottle, the more carbonation that forms.  I use bail top bottles as well as upcycled glass bottles and bottle my Kombucha and let it sit for 2-3 days. I will add flavoring at this time or right before I refrigerate. 

Recipes with lots of spices should be consumed within a few days to avoid losing your kombucha potency.  Many spices are antibacterial and kombucha, as most of us know, has tons of good bacteria for you, so we really do not want to kill off the bacteria.

Below are some recipes and images courtesy of Common Sense Homesteading

Cranberry Collins Kombucha (shown above)

To a quart jar add:
1/2 cup cranberry juice, plain unsweetened
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon maple syrup

To a 12 ounce jar add:
1/4 cup cranberry juice, plain unsweetened
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoon  maple syrup

Pumpkin Spice Kombucha

Pumpkin Spice Kombucha

To a pint jar add:

2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
A "shake" each of powdered nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon and ginger
3 drops liquid vanilla stevia (optional)

When ready to serve, strain or pour off the top of the jar to have a chunk free beverage, or stir to get all the pumpkin goodness.

Ginger Spice Kombucha

To a quart jar or a 12 ounce jar, add freshly slivered ginger to taste, generally from 1 1/2 teaspoons to 1/4 cup. (I like a little less, I have friends who like much more.)

Toffee Apple Kombucha

Toffee Apple Kombucha

To a 12 ounce bottle add:

1/4 cup apple cider
6 drops English Toffee liquid stevia

this flavor option also goes very well with almond blossom oolong tea from Frontier.

Toffee Almond Kombucha

To a 12 ounce bottle add:
6 drops English Toffee flavored liquid stevia
1/8 teaspoon almond extract

Apple Cinnamon Kombucha

To a quart jar add:

1 cinnamon stick
1/2 cup apple cider

To a 12 ounce bottle add:

1 thin cinnamon stick (it will swell as it absorbs moisture and large ones will be hard to get out of the bottle)
1/4 cup apple cider

Cinnamon Spice Kombucha

To a quart jar add:

1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
A small slice of fresh ginger

Cherry Bounce Kombucha

Cherry Bounce Kombucha

To a quart jar add:
1/4 cup dark cherry juice
Enough tart cherries to cover the bottom of the jar

Pomegranate juice and  African redbush tea also pair well with cherries.

Citrus Punch Kombucha

Citrus Punch Kombucha
To a 12 ounce jar add:
1 tablespoon each lime, orange and lemon juice

Peppermint Patty Kombucha

Peppermint Patty Kombucha

1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/8 teaspoon chocolate extract *

Fill jar with plain kombucha.  Serve immediately, or store for a few days (sealed) at increase carbonation.

*Note - chocolate extract may have questionable ingredients, so read the label. Alternately, you could use plain cocoa.