White Orchard Kombucha Recipe

Probiotic kombucha is made by letting a SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony Of Bacteria & Yeast) ferment in sugar-sweetened, unflavored black or green tea, called a ‘primary ferment’. Once this fermentation takes place, a secondary fermentation can be used to increase effervescence and add flavor. That’s where White Orchard comes in.

INGREDIENTS

Primary ferment

32oz. 200°F water
10g unflavored black or green tea, like Organic Breakfast or Dragonwell
1 cup white sugar
1 SCOBY*
1-2 cups kombucha starter (plain kombucha from a previous batch)

Steep tea in hot water for 10 minutes. Strain tea leaves and transfer to a one gallon jar. Stir in white sugar until dissolved. Top with cold, filtered water leaving room for SCOBY and kombucha starter. Cover with cheesecloth and store in a warm, dark place for 1-2 weeks.

                      
Secondary ferment

10g White Orchard (or 3-4 tea pouches)
2 cups 200°F water
2 cups apple juice

Steep White Orchard 10 minutes in 2 cups hot water. Strain and allow to cool, then add apple juice. Remove SCOBY from primary fermentation jar. Combine the kombucha from the primary fermentation with the new tea mixture and pour into swing-top bottles. Seal and allow to sit 1 week in same warm/dark location, releasing a bit of pressure every 2-3 days, depending on ambient temperature, then refrigerate and serve.

^{*SCOBY cultures can be purchased online or found through neighborhood share groups.}