Oh Booch, how I love thee…No, Booch is not my secret badass boyfriend who gets me in trouble on the weekends. Nooo…Booch aka Kombucha is one of my favorite fermented drinks. I do love it and it makes me feel great all the time. I drink it almost daily, it’s refreshing, can come in many flavors and gives me energy and satisfies my cravings for something sweet.
It’s one of the easiest fermented beverages to make. It’s low maintenance and you only have to make a new batch once a week. If you neglect it or forget it, you can make your very own kombucha vinegar. As a matter of fact, I am doing that very thing right now. I went out of town last week and forgot to put it in the fridge and when i came home it had started to turn to vinegar. So, I decided it was time to dive into the world of making my own vinegar. That recipe is to come later.
Please, allow me to introduce you to one of my favorite kombucha combinations! That is Wildberry Hibiscus and Pu’erh tea Kombucha. There is usually some bottled up in my fridge just begging me to open and drink it up. Yum! It’s slightly sweet with hints of flowery hibiscus and tart berries. It makes a beautiful, ruby colored drink which I love, because I like to indulge in beautiful foods. You will not find this flavor in stores so you must make this yourself.
Things you will need
1) Pu’erh Kombucha
First you will need to make a batch of Pu’erh kombucha. You can find directions for this in my post, “3 Steps To Start Making Kombucha At Home”. The Pu’erh kombucha is flavored during secondary fermentation with Wildberry Hibiscus Tea and a little bit of sugar. Don’t worry, the sugar will be consumed by the bacteria and yeast and will turn it into a bubbly, carbonated drink. The longer you leave it out to ferment during secondary fermentation, the less sweet it will be. So taste it throughout the fermentation process and put it in the fridge when it’s to your liking.
Secondary fermentation is when you take the kombucha, flavor it with juice, tea or herbs, bottle it and let it ferment longer. This creates a really bubbly drink.
Why Pu’erh Tea?
- Pu’erh (pronounced poo-air) makes a stronger tasting kombucha and is earthy in flavor and popular among tea connoisseurs because of its health benefits, history and origins. Pu’erh has many great health benefits and is known as a weight loss tea. I feel extra healthy when I drink Pu’erh kombucha :)
2) Wildberry Hibiscus Tea
The Wildberry Hibiscus tea is refreshing and reminds me of summer. I miss summer and can’t wait, so I drink this tea to reminisce of hot days on the beach, bikinis and flip-flops all day long. I used Zhena’s Gypsy Tea brand, but you can use any brand you like. There are many that have the same or similar flavor.
3) Pitcher, Flip-top Bottles & a Funnel
You will need a large pitcher or container to mix ingredients together, a funnel to make it easy to pour into the Flip-Top Bottles and strain out the yeast. Trust me, this funnel is a mess-saver and does double-duty by straining out the slimy yeast that forms during fermentation. The flip-top bottles are the best for holding in the gases and creating a carbonated drink. I have a few beer growlers from local breweries and those work well too.
How To Make Wildberry Hibiscus Pu’erh Kombucha
- ½ gallon of Pu'erh Kombucha (learn to make it here)
- 2 tea bags of wildberry hibiscus tea
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp sugar
- Bring 1 cup of water to a boil.
- Steep the tea bags in the hot water for 5 minutes.
- Remove the tea bags and add the sugar. Stir until dissolved.
- Let the hot tea cool to room temperature.
- Add the Pu'erh kombucha and cooled wildberry hibiscus tea to a large pitcher and stir.
- Using a funnel, fill the flip-top bottles with the kombucha.
- Seal the bottles and let sit in a cool, dark place for 3-7 days.
- After 3 days check one of the bottles and if it's bubbly put it in the fridge. Serve cold.
- If it's not bubbly, leave it out for a few more days. Check each day until it is carbonated. Once it's to your liking put it in the fridge and serve cold.
Resources
“3 Steps To Start Making Kombucha At Home”
Wildberry Hibiscus tea
Pu’erh
Funnel
Flip Top Bottles
Free DIY Kombucha ebook from Kombucha Kamp
The Legend Of The Sea Treasure (The story of kombucha)
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