A beautifully light, fruity, fizzy and refreshing pink grapefruit kombucha with a sweet and tangy citrus flavour.
I don’t really drink alcohol so when I first discovered kombucha I was stoked; it felt like a real treat to have one on a Saturday night and it’s an added bonus that it’s actually good for you! I love trying all of the different flavours but let’s face it, at £2 a bottle it’s not the type of thing you can justify having every day.
Brewing my own kombucha is something that I’ve been keen to do for a long time but faced with SCOBYs, starter tea and fermentation, it’s somewhat daunting. I came across a YouTube channel called ‘You Brew Kombucha’ which has helpful ‘How To’ videos that make it sound like a breeze so I decided to man up and give it a go. Let me tell you… it’s a piece of cake! And you can stock your fridge full for a fraction of the price of shop bought kombucha.
If you’ve been mulling it over for a while, now is the time – invest in a kombucha kit with a brewing vessel (big jar), SCOBY (a ‘tea baby’ as I call it), starter tea (basically a bit of ready made plain kombucha) and you’re good to go.
An incredible restaurant in Lima, Peru inspired the flavour for this recipe. Alongside an epic vegan meal at Veda Restaurante I had a pink grapefruit cocktail which was absolutely beautiful and I knew it would be the perfect flavour for kombucha. It’s light, fruity and fresh with a hint of sweetness – absolutely beautiful served ice cold on a sunny afternoon with a slice of fresh grapefruit.
This kombucha is a real treat! It’s:
Fruity
Bubbly
Both Tangy and Sweet
With a
Refreshing Citrus Flavour
I have no doubt that you will LOVE this recipe – be sure to tag me on Instagram when you make it @aveganvisit 🙂
The Video Recipe:
The Written Recipe:
Fizzy Pink Grapefruit Kombucha
Ingredients
For the first fermentation:
- 8 black tea bags (organic)
- 1 litre boiling water
- 175 g granulated sugar
- 2.5 litres cold water
- 500 ml starter tea
- 1 SCOBY
For the second fermentation:
- 1 litre pink grapefruit juice (freshly squeezed)
- 18 tsp granulated sugar (90g)
Instructions
Stage 1: First fermentation:
- In a large jug, add your tea bags and boiling water and let the tea brew for 15 minutes until nice and strong.8 black tea bags, 1 litre boiling water
- Remove the tea bags and add the granulated sugar to the jug. Stir to dissolve.175 g granulated sugar
- Add 2.5 litres of cold water to your brewing vessel (your kombucha jar) and then add the brewed tea.2.5 litres cold water
- When the liquid in the vessel is between 65°F – 90°F (18°C – 32°C), add your starter tea and SCOBY.500 ml starter tea, 1 SCOBY
- Cover the jar with a breathable cotton cloth and secure it with an elastic band. Set it aside somewhere warm (so it stays between 65°F – 90°F / 18°C – 32°C) for 7-10 days.
- Taste your kombucha after 7 days; if it is too sweet then leave it a few more days, if it is the desired tanginess then you are ready to move on to the second fermentation.
Stage 2: Second fermentation:
- Distribute your pink grapefruit juice equally between your bottles. If you're using 250ml bottles this will be about 55ml per bottle.1 litre pink grapefruit juice
- Add 1 tsp of sugar to each 250ml bottle and shake gently to mix with the grapefruit juice.18 tsp granulated sugar
- Note: You are adding sugar at the second fermentation to give the yeast something to feed on. This is what causes the carbonation and there should be very little sugar left by the time you come to drink it, so it won't be too sweet. The sugar and carbohydrates listed in the nutritional information is as per the ingredients, so this should reduce significantly by the time of serving.
- Remove your SCOBY from your brewing vessel, along with 500ml of the tea. You can use this as your ‘starter tea’ for your next batch!
- Give the tea remaining in the brewing vessel a good stir.
- Fill the bottles to the neck with kombucha, seal with an airtight lid and set aside somewhere warm (65°F – 90°F / 18°C – 32°C) for 2-7 days.
- After 2 days, if you can see bubbles in the liquid, take one bottle and put it in the fridge to chill. Once it has chilled fully, test it to see how carbonated it is. If it is fizzy then put the remaining bottles in the fridge. If not, leave the other bottles out for another few days and then test again. When you put the bottle in the fridge this stops the fermentation/carbonation process.
- Note: This recipe should provide you with a beautifully carbonated kombucha. If you’re struggling to get carbonation, head to KombuchaKamp.com for some great tips and tricks to boost the fizz. Good bottles are key!
- When you are ready to enjoy your kombucha you might like to strain it through a tea strainer to remove any yeast strands or baby SCOBYs that have formed.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Hi, I’m Tara! I’m taking you on a trip around the world in vegan cuisine and bringing the world’s most delicious dishes to your kitchen.
