Enjoy tangy, fizzy mocktails brewed with tea, vibrant fruits, and natural fermentation for lively flavors.
# What You'll Need:
→ Basic Kombucha-Style Base
01 - 2 quarts filtered water
02 - 8 black or green tea bags or 2 tablespoons loose-leaf tea
03 - 1 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 kombucha SCOBY or 7 fluid ounces unflavored store-bought kombucha as starter
→ Flavoring Options (choose 1–2 per batch)
05 - 3.5 ounces 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 to 4 whole cloves
# How to make it:
01 - Bring 2 quarts filtered water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add tea bags or loose-leaf tea and steep for 10 minutes. Remove tea bags or strain tea leaves.
02 - Stir in granulated sugar while tea is still hot until completely dissolved. Allow sweetened tea to cool to room temperature to protect the SCOBY.
03 - Pour cooled tea into a sanitized, large glass jar. Add SCOBY and starter liquid or unflavored kombucha.
04 - Place a clean cloth or paper towel over the mouth of the jar and secure with a rubber band. Set jar in a shaded area at room temperature for 5 to 7 days.
05 - Taste daily after 5 days. When brew is tangy and lightly effervescent, proceed to next step.
06 - Remove SCOBY and 7 fluid ounces kombucha for your next batch. Add selected fruits, herbs, or spices to the fermented kombucha.
07 - Transfer flavored kombucha into clean glass bottles, leaving 1 inch headspace. Seal tightly. Leave bottles at room temperature for 1 to 3 days to develop carbonation.
08 - Once desired carbonation is achieved, refrigerate bottles. Strain out fruit or herbs prior to serving.
