Mint, Watermelon Recipe

Brew the tea

Bring 4 cups filtered water to near-boil. Steep 4–6 green tea bags (or 4 tsp loose leaf) for 4 minutes to make a strong infusion. Remove tea and let cool to room temperature (~20–25°C / 68–77°F).

Mix honey and water

In a clean, non-reactive fermentation vessel (1–2 gallon glass jar), combine the cooled strong green tea and 4 cups filtered water. Stir in 3 tbs raw honey until fully dissolved.

Add SCOBY and starter

Carefully add 1 cup of starter jun (previous batch) to the sweetened tea, then gently place the active jun SCOBY on top. Cover the jar with a breathable cloth or paper towel and secure with a rubber band.

Primary fermentation

Ferment at room temperature out of direct sunlight for 5–7 days, tasting daily from day 4. When the beverage reaches a pleasant balance of sweetness and acidity (mildly tart with honey character), proceed to flavoring. This yields an alcoholic jun base (hard kombucha) — typical ABV around 0.5–2% depending on time and starting sugars; longer fermentation will increase dryness and alcohol.

Prepare fruit and mint

While primary fermentation is finishing, cut seedless watermelon into 3 cups of small cubes and measure 1 packed cup of fresh mint leaves. Lightly bruise the mint leaves by clapping them between your palms or gently muddling to release oils.

Puree watermelon

Place the 3 cups watermelon cubes in a blender with 1 tbs filtered water if needed. Blend until very smooth. If you prefer a clear-ish second fermentation, strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean container to remove pulp; you should end up with approximately 1 to 1 1/2 cups juice/puree depending on watermelon juiciness.

Combine flavorings with jun

When the primary-fermented jun base tastes right, remove the SCOBY (place in a small jar with some jun for storage) and reserve 1 cup of that jun as starter for your next batch. Pour the remaining jun liquid into a clean pitcher. Add the watermelon puree/juice, the bruised mint leaves, and 1 tbs fresh lime juice. If you want higher carbonation, dissolve 2 tsp light cane sugar into a tablespoon of warm water and stir into the mixture to feed yeasts for the second fermentation.

Secondary fermentation (bottle conditioning)

Carefully funnel the flavored jun into 3–4 cleaned flip-top bottles, leaving about 1–1.5 inches headspace. Seal bottles tightly and leave at room temperature (out of direct sunlight) for 24–72 hours to develop carbonation — check bottles every 12–24 hours and refrigerate once desired carbonation is reached to avoid over-pressurization. Note: because this is a hard jun, pressure can build quickly; burp bottles if necessary after 24 hours.

Chill and clarify

Once carbonation is to your liking, refrigerate bottles for at least 12 hours to slow fermentation and help settle any suspended solids (mint and watermelon). If you prefer clearer liquid, pour carefully to leave sediment behind or decant through a fine sieve when serving.

Serve

Serve cold over ice if desired. Garnish each glass with a fresh mint sprig and a small watermelon wedge. Open bottles gently — tilt away from face — and pour. Store refrigerated and consume within 1–2 weeks for best freshness; burp bottles before opening if stored longer.

Reserve

Keep the reserved SCOBY and 1 cup starter jun in a covered jar in the refrigerator for up to 2–4 weeks, or start a new batch immediately.