If you’ve ever endeavored to brew your own kombucha, you know that the result of your initial ferment has a rather plain flavor when compared with your favorite professionally made varieties, but it doesn’t have to stay that way! The combinations of herbs, spices, fruits, and juices that can add flavor to your homemade kombucha are almost endless, allowing you to transform your original tangy tea canvas into countless quaffable masterpieces.

How to Flavor Kombucha: The Basics

1. Make a batch of plain, fermented kombucha tea.
2. Transfer SCOBY and 1 to 2 cups plain kombucha into a clean glass container with lid and store this in fridge for future ferments.
3. Add flavoring ingredients of choice to remaining plain kombucha. 
4. Secure lid and let ingredients infuse at room temperature for 1 to 2 days.
5. Taste infused kombucha for flavor. If needed, add more ingredients to adjust flavor balance or let steep another 2 days to increase flavor intensity.
6. When desired flavor is reached, strain out flavoring ingredients and transfer kombucha into glass bottles with secure stoppers.
7. To build carbonation, let sealed bottles sit on counter top at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
8. Store finished kombucha in refrigerator and consume within about 2 weeks.

Kombucha Flavoring FAQs

When do I add flavoring to my kombucha?

I’m often asked at what point in the kombucha making process should flavors be added. While thoughts on this subject vary somewhat by personal method and the ingredients used, in general, I like to allow my kombucha to fully ferment before adding my favorite flavor combinations (as noted in our earlier post on kombucha making, plain kombucha usually takes one to two weeks to develop).

The reason for adding flavoring after fermentation is that some botanicals can interfere with the fermentation process, and even if they don’t, they can add distinctive flavors to your starter tea that will come through in future batches, which can somewhat limit your flavoring options.

can I leave the SCOBY in my kombucha when flavoring?

Since some flavoring ingredients will affect the health and/or flavor of your SCOBY, you’ll likely want to remove most of it before adding herbs, spices, or other ingredients. 

Can fresh ingredients be used to flavor kombucha?

My years of working at Mountain Rose Herbs have built up my spice cabinet to near bursting, so I tend to gravitate towards dried ingredients for my kombucha flavorings. However, fresh ingredients can definitely be used and are a fun way to infuse seasonal flavors into your ‘buch rotation.

In general, no special preparation is required for adding fresh herbs and other plant material to your kombucha. Keep in mind that, just like with making a tincture or tea, ingredients infuse more quickly and completely when you expose more surface area, so you may wish to roughly chop roots or lightly mash berries to help unlock their flavors. I avoid using powders, as they tend not to strain out well and leave an undesirable grittiness behind in the final beverage.

Make sure you are using clean plant material grown without toxic pesticides/herbicides (this is particularly important to keep in mind when wildharvesting ingredients).

Will flavoring affect the shelf life of my kombucha?

If properly stored in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator, most flavored kombuchas will last about as long as plain kombuchas. However, if you are using very perishable ingredients like fresh fruit, you may find that your kombucha will spoil more quickly, so you’ll want to be sure to keep these batches refrigerated and consume within a week.

How do I make my kombucha fizzy after flavoring?

In order to increase carbonation, I transfer my kombucha into individual glass bottles with secure lids, then leave the sealed bottles on a countertop for 2 to 3 days before popping them into the fridge. Some folks find that adding a bit more sweetener or fresh fruit before this final countertop ferment can encourage more natural fermentation.

Homemade Kombucha Flavor Ideas

Here are some of our favorite blends, but feel free to be creative and experiment with your own favorite flavors! Each blend is intended to flavor one gallon of plain kombucha but can be scaled down for smaller batches.

Elderflower lemon

• 1 gallon plain kombucha
• 1 cup organic dried elderflowers
• Juice from 3-4 organic lemons

For this variation we recommend infusing the elderflowers first and then adding your lemon juice during the straining and bottling phase.

Raspberry Rose

• 1 gallon plain kombucha
• 1/2 cup organic dried pink rose petals
• 1 cup organic raspberries, muddled

hibiscus ginger

• 1 gallon plain kombucha
• 1/2 cup organic dried hibiscus flowers
• 3/4 -1/2 cup organic dried ginger root (depending on how spicy you like it!)

READY TO GET Back to ‘Bucha Basics?

Learn How to Make Your Own Kombucha!

You may also enjoy:

• How to Make Mead with Berries and Spice
• Lemon Lavender Fizz Herbal Soda
• Gruit: An Adventure in Herbal Homebrewing