Paraben Free Ginger Lemon Kombucha
Bright, tangy, and alive with natural fizz, 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 whole and recognizable — filtered water, green tea, raw honey, fresh ginger, and real lemon juice — which is exactly what you want when you're keeping synthetic preservatives and additives out of your routine. Store-bought fermented drinks can be a minefield of undisclosed flavorings and stabilizers, but brewing your own puts you in complete control of what goes into every sip. The two-stage fermentation process sounds involved, but it's mostly hands-off waiting while the SCOBY does its thing, transforming sweet tea into something wonderfully complex. The second ferment with sliced ginger and fresh lemon juice builds a lively carbonation and a flavor that's zippy, warming, and just a little citrusy. Chilled straight from the fridge, it's genuinely refreshing and satisfying in a way that feels like a treat rather than a health obligation.
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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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