Mango Lemonade Kombucha Recipe
- royahloie
- Jun 25, 2019
- 4 min read
Want to try a tasty and refreshing drink, one that's healthy and costs very little to make? You should seriously consider making kombucha.
By now you've probably heard about kombucha and its many health benefits.* It's said to improve gut health and liver function, because when it is prepared correctly it becomes a probiotic drink with a substantial amount of beneficial bacteria.**
However, you've also probably noticed it's pretty pricey, at several dollars a bottle.
Well, did you know it is super easy to make? You can literally make a large batch to last you several days, one that would cost merely cents a glass. Below is a recipe for a simple version you can make at home.
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Mango Lemonade Kombucha
While it might seem like there are a lot of steps, kombucha is really easy to prepare and once you've made it several times you'll be able to make it without looking at the recipe. And if you love to drink it, you'll save yourself a ton since instead of purchasing a small bottle for several dollars you can make a jar full for only a few cents.
For this recipe you will need a 1 gallon mason jar, 5 smaller mason jars (~ 5 oz) with lids, some cheesecloth, a large rubber band or string and a large pot and a spoon for stirring.
14 cups water
1 cup white sugar
2 Tbsps black tea (Or 8 black tea bags)
2 cups starter tea
1 unit scoby (per fermentation jar)
2-3 cups mango lemonade juice (you can substitute with most juices)
Preparing the first batch
Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Stir in the sugar and remove the pot from heat. Add the tea and allow it to steep until the water has cooled down. You can cool it down faster if you'd like using an ice bath in your sink or surrounding the put with cold water.
Strain out loose leaf tea or remove tea bags. Add the starter tea.
Pour entire mixture into a one gallon glass jar and place scoby on top with clean hands, to avoid contaminating the mixture. Place a paper towel, cheesecloth or coffee filter on top of the jar and secure with a large rubber band.
Let it ferment for 7 to 10 days, keeping the jar out of direct sunlight. You can begin tasting it at around 7 days to see if you like the balance of sweetness and bitterness or let it ferment a couple days more.
Once it's ready, lift the scoby off of the kombucha and set aside on a plate and have a look at it to make sure it is not black or mouldy.
Planning ahead for the next batch & bottling the current one
Prepare another batch and pot of tea as described above, before bottling, that way you can save 2 cups of starter tea from this batch, to add to the next one. However, if you'll be making the next batch later still save the 2 cups of starter tea from this batch and add it and the scoby to a mason jar and cover with cheesecloth, securing with a rubber band. This way you can leave it at room temperature, away from sunlight, for another few days until you are ready to make the next batch.
You can bottle it now, into the 5 oz mason jars (or any other beverage bottles with a secure lid you may have) but if you want to make another batch for when it's done and use the scoby you have, go to the next step.
Add roughly 2-3 inches of juice to the bottom of each of the mason jars, then add the kombucha leaving about an inch of space from the top of the jar for air. Close the jars with the lids.
Store the kombucha for about 1-3 days at room temperature and out of direct sunlight, until it's carbonated. Make sure it is not longer than that as too much carbonation can cause the jars to explode and the glass to break.
Put the jars in the fridge to stop further carbonation and to save for consumption
Get ready to make another batch after bottling the previous one. Add the reserved starter tea to a batch of recently made sugary tea and add to a large and clean 1 gallon fermentation jar. Place the scopy on top, cover and continue the cycle, so you have a daily supply of kombucha for whenever you want.
You can adjust the taste of the kombucha you make by experimenting with different juices. You can also alter the level of carbonation based on how long you bottle it at room temperature between 1-3 days. Make it enough times and you'll notice you'll get it to the taste and carbonation level you like. If you haven't tried it, it's like having a refreshing drink like soda. One that's healthy and tasty too.
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