If you are planning for second fermentation or wrapping up the primary fermentation process and beginning to wonder what you can and can’t use to flavor your kombucha during second fermentation, you came to the right place! If you are not familiar with making your own kombucha at all, you might want to read this article on the overall process before you proceed. Today, we are going to talk about many of the diverse ingredients you can use to give your kombucha the wonderful and unique flavors you seek!
We also offer a second fermentation subscription box. We highly recommend this subscription to new brewers as it comes with a new recipe and premium ingredients each month; it is an excellent way to get familiar with the second fermentation process and learn about unique and delicious flavoring options!
The Basics of Flavoring Kombucha
During primary fermentation, the SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) must be in the brewing container. SCOBYs are delicate, and can be damaged by many things. Thus, you should not add any extra ingredients during the primary fermentation process. We also do not recommend using substitutes for cane sugar during the initial fermentation process (Bummer, we know). FORTUNATELY, the SCOBY is removed prior to second fermentation, allowing you to add just about any flavors and ingredients your heart desires! Just remember that flavoring should only take place during second fermentation!
During second fermentation, yeasts will feed on the sugars you add to your kombucha. Not only will they actually consume most of the sugars present, but they will also release carbon dioxide as a byproduct upon consuming the sugars. Since second fermentation takes place in an airtight bottle, the carbon dioxide is trapped inside of the bottle and creates the fizz and carbonation that many of us love in our kombucha! Moral of the story: if you like your kombucha carbonated, you will need to add sugars for the yeast to consume during the second fermentation process. This can be achieved in a number of ways, which takes us to our next point…
What Sugars Can I Add?
You are certainly not limited to adding more cane sugar; the sugars you add during second fermentation may come in a numbers of different forms. We recommend fresh options over juices and additional sugar, but you can experiment with just about anything you please! Just makes sure that you do not use “light” or zero-calorie juices; your Kombucha will not become carbonated unless your additions contain real sugars (no artificial sweeteners). Get started with some of the options below:
Fresh, Frozen, or Dried Fruit
We highly recommend experimenting with fresh, dried, and frozen fruits during your second fermentation! When using any of these variations of fruit, we recommend filling bottles with approx. 15-25% fruit and 75-85% kombucha. You can tweak this to your personal preferences as you wish. Sugary fruits work best for this option, but you can absolutely use unsweet fruits such as lemon. If you decide to go with an unsweet fruit, you will want to add sugar or another sweetener to ensure you end up with a carbonated beverage. We also recommend pureeing your chosen fruit in order to avoid the struggle of having to pry fruit chunks out of the bottle after drinking, but you can definitely add chunks of fruit to your bottles if you are okay with this! Check out some popular fruits used during second fermentation below:
Pineapple, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, apple, pear, strawberries, lemon or lime juice (plus sugar), cherries, mango, peach, nectarine, watermelon, orange, and grapefruit
Fruit Juice
Fruit juice makes for a delicious kombucha, and is generally a simpler option than using fresh fruit. When using fruit juice to flavor your kombucha, you will want to use approx. 10-20% juice and 80-90% kombucha. Again, you can tweak this figure to your personal preference! As mentioned, you will need to add sugar or another sweetener if you decide to use an unsweet fruit juice such as lemon juice. Some popular fruit juices used during second fermentation are:
Apple juice, grape juice, orange juice, pineapple juice, grapefruit juice, cranberry juice, and pomegranate juice. Again, the sky is the limit! You can even juice fruits on your own and add a custom juice combination to your brew!
Sugar, Honey, Agave Nectar, Maple Syrup & Other Sweeteners
If you are looking for a simpler flavor or to just add carbonation to your Kombucha brew, these sweeteners are great options! Sugar is our first recommendation if you are simply looking to add carbonation. You will want to add approximately 1 tsp. to each 16 ounce bottle if you choose this route. You can start with the same amount for other sweeteners; again, feel free to adjust this to suit your personal preference! This is just the baseline amount to add if you are simply looking for carbonation.
What else can I Add?
You need sugars to create carbonation for your kombucha, but you are absolutely not limited to sugary items! Among other possible additions are vegetables, herbs, extracts, and even more! If you decide to take this route, you will just want to make sure to add some form of sugar if you would like an end product with carbonation. Get some inspiration for each of these additions by checking out some popular options in each category.
Vegetables
Vegetables are another excellent option for flavoring your kombucha. You can add anything from celery to jalapenos, or you can even take the easy route and add a vegetable juice of your choosing! The options below can be mixed and matched with fruit, herbs, and more to your heart’s desire:
Cucumber, jalapeno, carrot, vegetable juice blends, other hot peppers (anything from chili peppers to habaneros!), tomatoes, and beet juice!
Herbs & Spices
Herbs and spices are a wonderful addition to fruit and veggie-based kombucha flavors! We recommend using fresh herbs and spices if you can; dry, powdered spices have a tendency to collect at the top of the finished Kombucha and give the Kombucha somewhat of a grainy texture. Having said that, dried herbs and spices can definitely be used if you do not have fresh herbs on hand or prefer to use the dried variations for any other reason. You just might need to give your ‘booch a good stir prior to drinking! You will also want to make sure to adjust the quantity used accordingly if you are following a recipe. The sky is the limit on this one, but we have included some popular options to get your wheels turning below:
Turmeric, cardamom, rosemary, dill, cinnamon, mint, ginger, basil, cayenne, lavender, cilantro, anise, nutmeg, lemongrass, and even black pepper!
Extracts
Extracts are a fast and easy way to quickly boost your flavor or complement other flavors. Oftentimes, you can add a fresh option (such as fresh fruit, juice, or herbs) to achieve the same flavor you would get with an extract. When possible, we recommend taking the fresh route. However, if you are short on time or would like to add somewhat of a hard-to-find flavor, extracts can work great as well.
If you are going to use an extract, we recommend using organic, oil-free products. Make sure to use a pure extract rather than an “imitation” flavor. Imitations are often made with synthetic ingredients, which are harmful to your kombucha. If you are interested in options for extracts in kombucha, check out the examples below:
Vanilla, almond, hazelnut, lemon, orange, lavender, lemongrass, rose, and hibiscus
Add-Ins: Miscellaneous & Superfoods for a Boost!
At long last, there are some miscellaneous items you might want to consider adding to your Kombucha as well as some popular “superfoods” you can add for a nutritional boost! Feel free to get creative with this! We have included a few options below:
Chia seeds, coffee beans, spirulina, matcha, cocoa powder, carob powder, maca powder, and ground flax seeds.
Mix & Match!
What is better than kombucha flavored with one of these options? Kombucha flavored with a combination of them! Check out our kombucha recipes for some clutch combos or get creative and start doing some experimenting on your own! We hope this article got your creativity juices flowing and helped you to come up with some great ideas!
Have a favorite addition that we forgot? Not a fan of something we listed? Feel free to share your experience below! We would love to hear about some of your favorite combinations as well!
Thanks for learning with us today! Best of luck with your next brew! 🙂
