March 25, 2023 by maggielane

Coffee Kombucha

Never heard of it? Me either. But it’s a thing.

I just learned about it from Farmhouse Teas Kombucha Mastery Class, and since I am more of a coffee girl, I had to give it a try and mix up a batch.

Don’t get me wrong. I like a good cup of tea, and I love making my own tea blends with black tea and herbs. And my husband and I are faithful kombucha drinkers, but this peaked my interest. I didn’t even know coffee kombucha was a thing.

But it’s so easy to try. Just mix up some sweet coffee and add some starter tea and let it sit for about 5 days checking it often. It will brew faster than coffee becomes coffee is more acidic. So keep an eye on it and taste it to determine when it is ready. I’m grateful to have the Kombucha Mastery course to guide me along with this advanced brewing technique.

I can’t wait to try it. I’ll come back in five days and keep you posted as to how I like it. 😊

Note: This post contains affiliate links.

September 18, 2022 by maggielane

Nectarine Jalapeño Kombucha

Who doesn’t like a little spice in life? I know I do.

I was bottling up some kombucha for a second ferment tonight planning to add some strawberries. But alas, the strawberries had gotten pushed to the back of thr fridge and when I finally found them they were moldy. 🫤

But there’s always some fruit around here that is on the edge needing to be used up, so nectarines to the rescue. I sliced up some white nectaries that were over ripe which makes them perfect for this use as there will be lots of good sugars to feed the bacteria, and while I was slicing them I noticed half of a Jalepeno on the counter from dinner.

🤔 My wheels started turning and I got to wondering how that would go with the nectarines. I think it might be pretty good. I’ve never made a spicy kombucha before, so I decided to add a couple slices to one bottle and see how it turns out. At the very least, this will ensure that I’ll get a bottle to myself before the kids drink up the other two. 😂

Playing with flavors can be fun, and I’ll be sure to edit this post and let you all know how it turns out. To see my other favorite kombucha flavors visit this post on Flavored Kombucha.

And if you like spice, stay tuned for a post later in the week on my new favorite spicy fermented relish. 😁

Happy brewing!

May 8, 2022 by maggielane

Flavored Kombucha

Who makes kombucha? 🙋🏻‍♀️

Did you know that you can set your kombucha up for a second ferment to add flavor and fizz?

I just poured up a new batch tonight into these flip top bottles and added blood oranges. I let it sit for 2-3 more days until the orange is infused and it becomes this beautiful pink color. It will also become fuzzy and carbonate which can be quite refreshing.

If you decide to try a second ferment, use glass bottles with flip top lids or plastic bottles. Don’t use a glass container with tight fitting lids as it will continue to ferment and build up pressure and jars have been know to break from the pressure build up. It’s a good idea to burp your container once or twice a day.

What flavor will you try? Some of my favorites are….

Blackberry Lime – add fresh or frozen berries and lime slices or zest.

Blueberry Lemon – add fresh or frozen blueberries and lemon slices or zest.

Raspberry – add fresh or frozen raspberries.

Strawberry Basil – add fresh or frozen strawberries and fresh basil.

Mango – add fresh or frozen mango. (Watch out! The sugars in this one cause it to ferment fast.)

Orange – add fresh orange slices with the rind. I like blood oranges, as you can see.

Cranberry Ginger – add fresh or dried cranberries and grated ginger root.

Or come up with your own combo. Use what you have or whatever yummy flavors strike your fancy.

Happy brewing!

March 23, 2017 by maggielane

Reviving my Kombucha

So I decided to revive my kombucha. I hadn’t made any since before our last move. Somehow between packing and morning sickness at the time, I couldn’t keep up. So, I put it in a jar with some of the kombucha liquid, stuck it in the fridge and it has sat there ever since. Two years later I’m finally ready to try again.

I took my jar out and let it sit on the counter overnight so that it could warm up to room temperature. The next day I made up my sugar and tea mixture. For more specific directions on how to brew kombucha see my other posts – (Cranberry Ginger Kombucha).

I brewed three batches before I started drinking it again to be sure that it would revive. I’m pouring up a new batch today.

Ferments amaze me. The fact that all those little bacteria do what they do fascinates me. I think I need to start another ferment. Maybe I’ll go back to one of my favorites – Garlic, Onion, Jalepeno Relish. Or maybe I’ll try beets. Fermented beets are delicious. Until I get around to that, I think I’ll go enjoy my kombucha.

November 7, 2013 by maggielane

Cranberry Ginger Kombucha

We’ve been brewing kombucha lately. A friend gave us a scoby and this is our fourth or fifth batch. If you’ve never brewed kombucha you can read more about what it is and it’s health benefits at Wellness Mama.

So, once you brewed your kombucha and decanted or siphoned it off from your brewing container, add the liquid to a glass swing top jar. Then toss in about 1/2 cup of ginger root (peeled and chopped), and 1/2 cup cranberries. Let it sit again on your counter for about 3 more days. It will continue to ferment feeding off the ginger and the sugar in the cranberries. This second fermentation will also add carbonation. Be sure you release the carbonation about twice a day, otherwise the pressure will build, and as the swing top jar is designed to do, it will fly open on it’s own. If you want more carbonation, leave it on your counter for a day or two longer until the fermentation is slowed and there is very little pressure when you open the lid.

Once you are satisfied with the amount of carbonation, remove/strain the ginger and cranberries, and refrigerate your new delicious, homemade drink.

Our kombucha fermenting. You can see the scoby floating on the top.

For more information on starting your own kombucha you can refer to the resources below. They are my favorite books. Some of them are even on the Kindle. Wild Fermentation is especially facinating as it discusses how to begin cultures and ferments using just the natural yeasts and bacteria in your environment without using purchased starters – after all that’s how Maggie would have done it – passing each starter along from friend to friend and neighbor to neighbor. So, if you don’t want to buy a starter go about it the old-fashioned way using a little modern technology to boost your efforts. Post on Facebook and ask your friends. You never know who secretly has kombucha brewing on their counter. And if you find someone they will certainly have a scoby to share and you’ll be off on your brewing adventure.