Blueberry Basil Kombucha

Raise your hand if you’re obsessed with Kombucha like me?

I’m so excited because I’ve been brewing big batches at home for last few months. I was able to snag a very active scoby from a contact at the bakery here in Pittsburgh and I’ve been brewing away ever since.

Having a scoby is just like a sourdough starter in the sense that it becomes a household pet you have to take care of somewhat regularly. My starter’s name is Kip as you may remember from my sourdough posts.

Well Nev and I had a hard time deciding between two names for our scoby so I’ve decided that it has both. Scoberyn Martell (aka Prince Scoberyn) and Daenerys Scobyborn. Any other GOT fans out there? The last season not included.

Fermentation is something that I totally nerd out about. I have so much fun not only coming up with different flavors of ‘booch, but really just the act of brewing and keeping the scoby happy and healthy.

This blueberry basil ‘booch is a great flavor combo and look at that pretty color!

From Mostly Sourdough at https://mostlysourdough.com/2019/05/blueberry-basil-kombucha/

https://mostlysourdough.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/IMG_8796.jpg

Yield: Four 32 ounce jars

Homemade kombucha flavored with blueberries and basil.

You'll Need...

1 gallon unflavored kombucha, fermented for at least a week (I do mine about two weeks)
16 ounces frozen or fresh blueberries (if frozen, thaw)
1/2 cup basil, roughly chopped
4 teaspoons granulated sugar, divided
Four 32 ounce jars with pop tops or tight sealing lids

Directions

Mash your blueberries in a bowl slightly to break them up a bit. In each jar add 1 teaspoon sugar, 4 ounces blueberries, and about two tablespoons basil.
Pour about four cups of your kombucha into each jar (be sure to save at least one cup of starter tea for your next gallon batch). Cover with lid, and shake gently to disperse the add-ins.
Allow the flavored kombucha to undergo its second fermentation for at least 24 hours at room temperature away from direct sunlight, up to a week or so.
You may want to burp the jars every day to avoid it gushing when you open it. Taste it, and when you're happy with the flavor strain out the fruit and store in the fridge.

Additional Notes

You can scale this recipe up or down depending on how big of batches you brew.

Buying Kombucha from the grocery store is so expensive and brewing it at home is super fun and easy!

If you’re local and want a scoby, send me a message. I’d be happy to share!