lemon Kombucha
Lemon kombucha is complete but the flavor didn't quite meet my expectations. The flavor just didn't have the lemony punch I was looking for. Back to the drawing board on this on. Conversely, if you are looking for a fool-proof, proven recipe Gunpowder Green tea, Chamomile kombucha is a great one, having a nice balance of sweet and sour. It is on the lighter side as far as flavor goes, where the sweet and sour flavors are both mild. Detailed of how to make are described in the article 'How to make Kombucha'.
Despite things not turning out this time around I will continue to try and develop a perfect lemon kombucha. Happy holidays everyone! Until next time.
Equipment
tea kettle
gallon jar
muslin or tightly woven cloth
rubber band or butchers twine
Ingredients
2 tbsp of Gunpowder Green tea,
2 tbsp of Chamomile tea
2 tbsp of Hibiscus tea
2 cups of lemon tea (recipe below)
3 cups of water for tea
1 cup of sugar
About 1/2 gallon of water
Pellicle and 12-20 oz. of starter tea
Using a tea kettle (if you have one available) bring three cups of water to a simmer, between 167-185 F (75-85 C). Steep the tea only for a couple seconds and pour off brewed tea into empty container. The first brew is a “wash” to awaken the tea leaves. Again bring three cups of water to a simmer, between 167-185 F ( 75-85 C). This time steep for 10 minutes and then add to gallon jar. Add 1 cup of sugar and mix to help dissolve the sugar. Add about a half gallon of cold water, until the jar is a little more than half way full. When the liquid is at or below 100 F (37 C), add the pellicle carefully and starter tea. Cover with muslin or tightly woven cloth and keep tight with a rubber band. Place your gallon jar in a quiet area of the kitchen. I usually place it on top of my kitchen cabinets, although that is likely inconvenient for many.
Note:
This recipe does not include all the necessary steps to make a safe and healthy kombucha. You can follow my more in depth article ‘How to make Kombucha’ for a more detailed version, especially if you are new to brewing kombucha.
Lemon tea
Equipment
tea kettle
Ingredients
peel of seven lemons (limit white pith as best as possible)
2 cups of water
2 tbsp of sugar
Bring water to a simmer and steep lemon peels. Add sugar. Allow the peels to steep in the water overnight. The next morning, gently warm for around for 2-3 minutes, until slightly warm. You don’t want the tea to be more than 100 F (37 C). You can add the lemon tea at the beginning of the process when you brew the green or black tea and other teas or at any point in the process you see fit.
