Kombucha can be flavored with a variety of combinations, and crafting great flavors for kombucha is easy once you know how to do it. Here are some guidelines to get you started.
Kombucha is mostly flavored with fruits with an easy process called the “second ferment” which takes place after the initial brewing of kombucha. There are so many flavor possibilities for kombucha that it’s impossible to describe them all.
So in this article, I’m going to talk about the 9 best kombucha flavors I’ve found, with instructions on how to make them.
All of these are a great place to start for beginners, and turn out with varying and delicious fizzy flavors perfect for making at home. Once these are mastered, you can experiment and tweak your favorite flavors until you find your own very favorite combinations!
Basic Kombucha Flavoring Steps
Before we get into the recipes, here’s a quick guide to the basic steps of flavoring your kombucha in a second ferment process.
- Choose your fruit: This can be whichever fruit you like, a mix, or a recipe combination like the ones suggested here.
- Add flavors to kombucha: After the initial ferment with the tea, you will add the fruits or purees to the brewed kombucha.
- Second fermentation: Once the flavors are added to the kombucha, bottle it in airtight bottles (I really like these bottles from Amazon) with an inch or two of headspace. Set it in a cool dark room to ferment for about 5-10 days, depending on the recipe. This is when the kombucha gets fizzy!
- Strain out the solids: Once the second ferment is ready, strain out the fruit solids and store them in the refrigerator.
- Enjoy! Your flavored kombucha is now ready to drink and benefit your health.
NOTE: For a more detailed guide about flavoring kombucha with fruit in the second ferment, check out my article here!
9 Most Popular Kombucha Flavors (& How to Make Them)
Kombucha is endlessly popular around the world. With so many flavor options, there is truly something to suit everyone’s tastes!
Here are the 9 most beloved kombucha flavors that you should try:
#1: Lemon Ginger
Anything with ginger in it has a unique taste. Ginger ale, ginger tea, gingerbread, you name it. All of them taste different, yet amazing. When ginger and lemon are together, it’s like a pair made in heaven.
Lemon ginger flavored kombucha is just like that. They complement each other like bread and butter and taste out of this world. Making lemon ginger kombucha is incredibly easy.
| Ingredients | Instructions |
|---|---|
| Juice of 1 lemon 1/2 Tbs chopped ginger 1 Liter kombucha | 1) Put the lemon juice and chopped ginger in a bottle. 2) Pour kombucha all the way to the top, leaving a two-inch space. 3) Let it ferment for at least seven days to get the best flavors. 4) Store it in the refrigerator and serve chilled. Use a strainer to sieve the ginger pieces if you like. |
#2: Chia Seeds
Chia seeds have amazing health benefits (these chia seeds on Amazon are a great value). They’re full of fiber, minerals, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids. They can be consumed in numerous ways. When mixed with a batch of kombucha, the flavor goes to a whole different level!
Chia seed-flavored kombucha is a thick textured drink, completely different from what you’re used to imagine when thinking of kombucha. Making chia seed Kombucha is slightly different from second fermenting with fruit flavors.
Chia seeds soak up water and swell up. So, you can’t directly add them to kombucha and pack them in a bottle, as the bottle might explode. Here’s how to make it:
| Ingredients | Instructions |
|---|---|
| 1 Tbs chia seeds 1 Liter kombucha Fruit to taste (strawberry, mango, or raspberry work well) | 1) Hydrate the chia seeds slightly so that they soak up a little bit of water. 2) Ferment the kombucha beforehand with any favorite fruits of yours. 3) Mix the hydrated chia seeds with the Kombucha and store them in a fridge. Serve cold. |
#3: Ginger Beet
Beets are vividly colored vegetables with tons of vitamins and minerals. When bestowed the responsibility of flavoring kombucha accompanied by ginger, beets become a whole different thing. They are full of antioxidants and sugars, which amplify fermentation.
| Ingredients | Instructions |
|---|---|
| 1 beet, juiced or pureed 2 Tbs ginger, grated 2 Liters kombucha | 1) Put the beet juices or purees in bottles. 2) Pour the kombucha in and ferment for 3 to 10 days. 3) Store it in the refrigerator and serve chilled. Straining out the beet solids is recommended. |
#4: Strawberry Kombucha
Strawberries are a popular flavor choice all around. Strawberry ice cream, strawberry milkshake, strawberry pie, strawberry cake, you name it. So why not kombucha? You can make the most flavorful kombucha with just strawberries:
| Ingredients | Instructions |
|---|---|
| 1/2 cup strawberries, pureed 2 Liters kombucha | 1) Add the pureed strawberries to bottles and pour Kombucha, following the same method as before. 2) Ferment for 3 to 10 days. 3) Strain the strawberry solids and store the kombucha in a cold place. |
TIP: You can add other herbs, spices, or other fruits to lift the flavor even more. Ginger goes well with most kombucha flavors. Also, you can add a few drops of lemon juice to give the kombucha a nice twist!
#5: Blueberry Kombucha
Blueberry kombucha tastes incredible and is very easy to make. The taste, smell, and flavor of blueberries transcend all expectations when mixed with kombucha. Among fruit flavors, blueberry kombucha is one of the most popular around the world. They can also be combined with various herbs, but I will stick to the basics here:
| Ingredients | Instructions |
|---|---|
| 1 cup blueberries, boiled 2 Liters kombucha Lemon zest or grated ginger, optional  | 1) Boil the blueberries, which will allow the sugars to seep more freely and mix with kombucha. 2) Put the blueberries and 1/2 cup of water together in a stainless-steel pot and simmer them. 3) Once the mix becomes more viscous and reaches a gummy texture, add them with the kombucha in bottles. 4) Keep them in a dark place and ferment for 3 to 10 days. 5) After that, put them in the fridge for further consumption. You can add a hint of lemon zest or ginger to twist the flavor. |
#6: Zingy Raspberry Kombucha
I’m calling it zingy since that’s exactly what this flavor offers! This delicate mixture of raspberry, ginger, and lemon is full of liveliness and energy. Ginger is an all-time great when it comes to flavoring up drinks and giving them fizz with its natural yeast, and lemon juice is a perfect partner. Adding a drop of honey will boost the fermentation even more.
| Ingredients | Instructions |
|---|---|
| 1 cup raspberries 2 Tbs grated ginger 1 lemon, juiced 1 drop honey 2 Liters kombucha | 1) Mash the raspberries with a mortar and pestle. Once they are mashed into a pulp, set them aside. 2) Take swing-top bottles and put ginger, lemon, honey, and raspberry paste inside. 3) Pour Kombucha all the way to the top, leaving about 1 inch of breathing space for the carbonation. 4) Ferment for around 10 days. 5) Strain out the solids and store them in a fridge. Serve chilled for the best taste. |
#7: Spicy Apple Cinnamon
It’s almost astonishing how well the flavor of cinnamon goes with the sweet taste of apples. You can use Fuji, Honeycrisp, or Gala apples. Whatever you do, the end result is nothing short of toothsome kombucha that is full of flavors. This recipe will demonstrate how only a touch of cinnamon can enhance the flavor inside-out:
| Ingredients | Instructions |
|---|---|
| 1 cup apple, chopped 1-2 sticks of cinnamon 2 liters kombucha | 1) Pick your favorite apples. Chop the apples into small cubes. Apple juice or apple cider vinegar can be used instead for faster preparation. 2) Add the apples into bottles with a stick of cinnamon or two. You can grind the cinnamon and add the powder to yield better flavors if you prefer. 3) Pour the kombucha to the top, leaving an inch or so of headspace. Ferment for up to 10 days. Serve chilled. 4) No need to strain the apple solids as they taste delicious with the kombucha! |
#8: Mango Kombucha
The flavor of mangoes sets everything right, in my opinion! They are sweet, juicy, meaty, and yet one of the most delicious fruits gifted by mother nature. When combined with sour and tangy kombucha, the balance of flavor swings like a pendulum which you cannot help but love.
| Ingredients | Instructions |
|---|---|
| 1 cup ripe mango, mashed 2 liters kombucha | 1) Smash the ripe mango to a pulp using bare hands, or blend it in a grinder; whatever suits you. 2) Place the smashed mango in a large bowl to mix with the kombucha properly. 3) Put the mixture in bottles and ferment for 7 to 10 days (or more if you want more carbonation). 4) Straining out the solids is optional, but I recommend not to. Serve cold with crushed ice. |
#9: Blackberry Vanilla Kombucha
Who doesn’t like vanilla? This herb-derived flavor is second to none when it comes to making creamy, sweet, and succulent flavorings. When mixed with blackberry and infused into already fermented kombucha, the outcome is nothing you would expect. If you are into creamy, pie-like flavor, blackberry vanilla kombucha is just the thing you need:
| Ingredients | Instructions |
|---|---|
| 1 cup blackberries, frozen or fresh 1/4 cup water 1 Tbsp sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract 2 Liters kombucha | 1) Cook 1 cup of fresh or frozen blackberries and 1/4 cup of water in a pan to heat. Add the sugar when cooking. Once the berries reach a mushy appearance, turn off the heat. 2) Add the cooked berries to flip-top bottles along with kombucha and the vanilla extract. You can use vanilla beans if preferred. 3) Ferment for at least 3 days, but 10 days is recommended. 4) Strain out the fruit fibers if you wish, and serve chilled. |
I hope you love these recipes, and that some of these flavors inspire you to keep up kombucha making! Kombucha is a wonderful, healthy, and probiotic-rich drink that has amazing benefits. The possibilities of flavors are endless, and with fruits, herbs, and spices added, so are the health benefits of this wonderful fizzy drink!
Other than the 9 kombucha flavors that I’ve talked about above, there are plenty more. You can follow this guide or choose to make your own based on what your favorite fruits and herbs are.
I always like to enjoy a cold glass of kombucha in the afternoon when I need a little pick-me-up. Knowing mine is homemade with all of the good bacteria and lovely flavors I created myself makes drinking kombucha and planning my next flavor combination so enjoyable.
Need more kombucha tips? Look here:
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