Cranberry Kombucha Recipe

Are you ready for a new delicious Kombucha flavor? This cranberry Kombucha is freaking delicious. The fresh, fruity flavor and the natural bitterness of cranberries take your bootch to the next level. This easy recipe is a great way to introduce complex and exciting flavors into your fermentations. Especially during the colder months, this variety of Kombucha pairs super well with the season. If you have never made Kombucha yourself before, I can recommend starting. You can try endless flavors and customize the bootch to your liking, and you always have some of this delicious probiotic drink on hand for cheap!

What is Kombucha:

Kombucha is a fermented beverage based on tea. Usually, it’s prepared using either black or green tea. The heart of the Kombucha brewing process is the SCOBY, which is an acronym for Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast. This organism ferments the tea and sugar, transforming the mixture into a beverage loaded with probiotics, beneficial acids, and a characteristic tangy taste. While Kombucha already has complex and delicious flavors, you can alter its taste by introducing other ingredients during secondary fermentation. And a delicious secondary fermentation with cranberry is exactly what we will be doing today.

Ingredients for making Cranberry Kombucha

• Fresh or frozen cranberries
• Sugar
• Water
• A batch of freshly brewed Kombucha
• Optional: Other flavorings like cinnamon sticks or oranges.

First of all, you need a freshly brewed batch of Kombucha. If you are new to making Kombucha, check out my comprehensive “ultimate guide to making Kombucha“. I’d recommend fermenting your batch to a level where you would like to usually drink it pure as well, in terms of acidity and sweetness.

Aside from that, we will need fresh or frozen cranberries. Dried cranberries won’t work for this recipe. As cranberries have very little natural sugar, introducing some additional sugar will help with the second fermentation. To help the Kombucha take up as much of that delicious cranberry flavor, we will cook them into a jam and then feed it to the SCOBY.

I am keeping the recipe simple today. I will only include cranberries. The brew will taste delicious just like this. If you like to include some further wintery flavors, you can, for example, add spices like cinnamon, star anise, clove, or cardamom to the secondary fermentation. A slice of organic orange with its zest makes a delicious addition, too. Feel free to customize this recipe to your personal preferences!

Cranberry Kombucha Recipe:

Making the cranberry Kombucha is super simple. The recipe consists of two stages: First, we will cook a cranberry jam. After letting the cranberry jam cool, we will add it to our brew and let it ferment further. If you want to make it even easier, you can try using commercial cranberry jam or sauce as well..

The Kombucha:

Firstly, you need a fresh brew of delicious bootch to make this recipe. To make Kombucha, you first need to steep your tee of choice. Use a natural, unflavored black or green tea. Dissolve your sugar into the tea before letting it cool to room temperature. Make sure to keep all your equipment sterile and clean. We don’t want to introduce impurities or harmful bacteria that can hurt the SCOBY. Once the liquid is cooled, add the tea to your fermentation jar with the SCOBY and starter liquid. Next, cover everything with a breathable cloth and secure it with a rubber band. Let the Kombucha ferment in a warm, dark place, which can take anywhere between a week and a month, depending on your ratios, conditions, and taste preferences. You can check the taste of the Kombucha in the meantime to see when it is ready. Check my ultimate Kombucha guide before making your first batch for more tips and tricks.

The Cranberry Jam:

The cranberry jam is delicious on its own. I’d recommend making more of it to not only feed it to the Scoby but to keep some for yourself. The bitterness of cranberry makes such a delicious jam you can serve with many savory dishes as well.

Making the Cranberry Jam:

Firstly, give the cranberries a thorough wash. Add your water to a pot or saucepan and heat it. Next, dissolve the sugar into the water and add the cranberries. Simmer the cranberries for a total of 30 minutes. The cranberries will start to break up after some time. You can then use a spatula to break them up further. It is no problem if there still is some texture to the jam. We will pour the Kombucha through a strainer to filter these bits out. Once finished cooking, transfer the cranberry jam into a sterile jar while still hot. Allow it to cool to room temperature before using it in the cranberry bootch. If you want more tips on how to make this cranberry jam, you can check out my dedicated cranberry jam recipe.

The Secondary Fermentation:

Now, with the Kombucha and cranberry jam ready to go, it is time for the secondary fermentation. It is also now that the Kombucha can develop its carbonation, which, in my opinion, takes the drink to another level.

Add the freshly fermented Kombucha, together with the cranberry jam, to a clean fermentation jar or bottle, and seal it. I also added a few additional fresh cranberries that I still had on hand.

Let the Kombucha ferment for approximately another week until it reaches a flavor you like. The secondary fermentation time will depend on the strength of your Kombucha, the temperature, and your taste preference. I’d recommend regularly burping the bottles to avoid explosions. At least once, preferably twice a day.

Once satisfied with the flavor, you can strain the finished cranberry Kombucha through a fine mesh strainer or a coffee filter. Keep the bottles chilled to slow further fermentation. Still, the drink will continue to develop due to the yeasts and bacteria in the drink, so I recommend consuming it soon after you think it is ready!

Cranberry Kombucha Serving Suggestions

This cranberry Kombucha is, in my opinion, best to be enjoyed chilled. You can even serve it over ice or use it to make long drinks.

I hope you enjoyed this cranberry Kombucha recipe. Let me know what you think in the comments below!

Some more Fermented Drinks:

I recently fell into the rabbit hole of fermentations. Once you get started with it, there is so much to try. Have a look at these recipes if you are looking for some new inspirations, these drinks are lovely.

• Tonka banana water kefir
• Passion fruit water kefir
• Cucumber lemon mint ice cubes
• Peach water kefir
• Orange raspberry ice cubes
• Strawberry basil water kefir
• Ultimate water kefir guide

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