Artificial Food Coloring Free Ginger Lemon Kombucha
Bright, tangy, and naturally effervescent, this ginger lemon kombucha is the kind of homemade drink that makes you wonder why you ever bought the bottled stuff. Every ingredient here is exactly what it says it is — filtered water, green tea, raw honey, fresh ginger, and real lemon juice — with zero synthetic dyes or mystery additives hiding in the mix. That matters more than you might think, since many commercial kombuchas use added colorings to achieve that appealing golden or rosy hue. Here, the warm amber color comes entirely from the green tea and fermentation process itself, which is as clean and natural as it gets. The two-stage fermentation builds real depth of flavor: the first ferment develops that signature tartness, while the second locks in lively carbonation along with a zippy ginger-lemon punch. It does take a little patience — about a week for the first ferment, then a few more days to carbonate — but the hands-on time is minimal and the payoff is a genuinely refreshing, fizzy drink you can feel good about. Pour it slowly over ice and enjoy knowing exactly what went into every sip.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the sweet tea base
- 3.5 quarts filtered water
- 4 bags green tea
- ½ cup raw honey
For the first ferment
- 1 scoby with ½ cup starter liquid
For the second ferment
- 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
Instructions
- 1
Bring 3.5 quarts of filtered water to a boil in a large pot. Remove from heat, add the green tea bags, and steep for 5 minutes, then remove and discard the bags.
- 2
Stir the honey into the hot tea until fully dissolved. Allow the sweet tea to cool to room temperature — it must read below 85°F (29°C) on a kitchen thermometer before proceeding, as higher temperatures will harm the SCOBY.
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