Homemade Kombucha - Second Fermentation
When you make kombucha, fermented tea, you have the option of making kombucha tea up to the first fermentation and then enjoying it immediately with all the probiotic health benefits or you can go on to do a second fermentation, which is optional but very much recommended. The second fermentation is an opportunity to add both flavor and fizz to your kombucha tea.
- Prep time
- 5 min
- Cook time
- 4 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- EASY
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 cup freshly pureed fruit
- 1 tbsp sugar (optional, use only if your fruit is not sweet enough)
- 4 1/2 cups kombucha tea first fermentation, 1065g
Instructions
- 1
Wash, peel and destone (if necessary) fruit. Roughly chop fruit. Puree fruit with food blender or push through a sieve. Use a funnel to pour the fruit puree into a clean one liter plastic bottle. Add sugar if fruit not sweet enough.
- 2
Follow the steps in our posts on homemade scoby and kombucha, first fermentation, to make the first fermentation tea.
- 3
To make kombucha, second fermentation, start by pouring all the first fermentation tea, into a completely dry bowl, while keeping the scoby in the fermentation jar. Stir tea thoroughly to evenly distribute the yeast.
- 4
Note: At this point you can start another batch of first fermentation kombucha. Scoop 1 1/2 cup of fermented tea back into the fermentation jar (the one with the scoby in it) to use as 'starter tea' for the next batch of kombucha, first fermentation. Then follow the steps in our post on kombucha, first fermentation to make the next batch.
- 5
Use a funnel to pour the stirred kombucha tea, first fermentation, into the plastic jar with the fruit puree and sugar (optional). Screw cap on tightly and shake to distribute the fruit. Let sit in a dark area for 3 days or more, checking daily the hardness of the plastic bottle. When the bottle is rock hard, the carbonation is done.
- 6
Store immediately in the fridge. Let chill overnight before tasting. Open the kombucha second fermentation bottle slowly, letting the gas out a bit at a time. Note that if you've over carbonated, there might be some overflow when the jar is opened. Therefore it's probably best to open over a large clean mixing bowl to catch any overflow. Sometimes the overflow can be quite a bit, but catching it in a bowl makes it easy to clean up and pour back into the bottle.
- 7
Overflow, if it happens, will only happen the first time you open that bottle. The fizz will remain in the kombucha but should be under control from this time on. The kombucha can be stored in the fridge for up to a month. Enjoy the yummilicious boost to taste buds and health! Here's to the FIZZ!