Bootlegger Kombucha 12 Oz Recipe

Make sweet tea

Bring 1 cup of hot water just off boil. Add 1 tablespoon loose black tea (or 1 tea bag) and 2 tablespoons sugar. Steep 5–7 minutes until fully infused. Remove tea leaves/bag and stir to dissolve sugar fully.

Add the sweet tea to 2 cups of cold filtered water in a clean glass jar (gives ~24 fl oz total). Allow the tea to cool to room temperature (below 85°F / 29°C) before proceeding—this is critical to avoid damaging the SCOBY or killing beneficial bacteria.

Once cool, pour in 1 cup of unflavored raw kombucha (store-bought unpasteurized or reserved from a previous batch) as starter liquid. If you have a SCOBY and are building a full jar fermentation, add the SCOBY now. Cover jar with a breathable cloth and secure with a rubber band.

Leave the jar to ferment at room temperature (around 70–78°F / 21–26°C) out of direct sunlight for 7–10 days for primary fermentation. Taste starting at day 5; it should be tangy but still slightly sweet. This recipe is scaled small: primary ferment until balance is pleasant for you.

While primary fermentation finishes, prepare the ginger-lemon-berry mix. Lightly mash the 3 tablespoons mixed berries in a small bowl (or pulse once/twice in a blender) to release juices but not fully puree.

Peel and finely grate fresh ginger to yield about 1 teaspoon. Combine grated ginger, mashed berries, and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice in the bowl. If you want the final bottle slightly sweeter, stir in 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup until incorporated.

Sterilize (wash thoroughly with hot soapy water or sanitize) the 12 fl oz flip-top bottle and strainers so they are ready for bottling.

When the primary kombucha reaches the desired taste (tangy with a bit of sweetness), gently remove the SCOBY (if used) and set aside with 1/2 cup of starter kombucha for future batches. Do not discard.

Strain the kombucha into a clean pitcher to remove any large yeast strands. Measure out 12 fl oz of kombucha for a single bottle.

Add the prepared flavoring mixture (ginger, lemon, berries, and optional sweetener) directly into the 12 fl oz bottle. Pour in the 12 fl oz of kombucha, leaving about 1/2 inch headspace. Seal the flip-top bottle tightly.

Leave the sealed bottle at room temperature for secondary fermentation to build carbonation. For ginger-lemon-berry flavor and moderate carbonation, ferment 24–48 hours. Check pressure by carefully opening once after 24 hours—if very fizzy, refrigerate to stop fermentation; if not, allow up to 48 hours.

When carbonation is to your liking, place the bottle in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours to chill and halt further fermentation. Strain kombucha into a glass when pouring to remove fruit pieces and ginger bits if desired.

Serve chilled. Open carefully—the bottle may be highly carbonated. Store refrigerated and consume within 2–3 weeks for best flavor and moderate carbonation. Reserve some finished kombucha as starter liquid (about 1 cup) for your next batch if you are scaling up.