Believe it or not, you don’t need to have a lot of brewing experiences to make this zingy ginger pineapple grapefruit Kombucha recipe. While it features three flavors, its preparation is easy and it only requires simple ingredients and equipment so you can make it at home anytime. It offers a unique blend of spice and citrus that helps you refresh and recharge during a busy day. It is also packed with immunity-boosting benefits that can protect you from colds and flu during the winter season.
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Health Benefits
Ginger
Ginger contains gingerol which is a powerful compound that has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Adding ginger to your daily diet protects the body against diseases caused by bacteria and germs. It can also keep your mouth healthy, calm nausea, relieve indigestion, soothe sore muscles, and lower blood sugar and cholesterol. Moreover, it has shown positive effects in easing arthritis symptoms and slowing down the growth of some cancers like colorectal, gastric, and ovarian cancer.
Pineapple
Pineapples are loaded with nutrients like fiber, vitamin C, and manganese. They also contain antioxidants that help the body fight the harmful effects of free radicals. The fiber and digestive enzymes in pineapple help aid in digestion too. Moreover, eating pineapples may reduce the risk of cancer and boost the body’s immunity and stop inflammation. Pineapples may help ease arthritis symptoms and aid in the body’s recovery after surgery or heavy exercise as well.
Grapefruit
Ginger is a powerful medicinal plant that can help reduce free radical damage to your cells and help in weight loss. It is also known for treating various diseases like nausea, indigestion, menstrual pain, and even cancer. Apart from that, ginger has also shown positive effects in managing symptoms of osteoarthritis, improving brain function, and lowering cholesterol levels.
How To Make Ginger Pineapple Grapefruit Kombucha
Ginger Pineapple Grapefruit Kombucha requires more preparation compared to other flavored Kombuchas. It also requires several ingredients like ginger, pineapple, and grapefruit. You will also need Kombucha which has finished its first fermentation. Kombucha is a fermented beverage that undergoes two fermentation processes which are first fermentation (F1) and second fermentation (F2). F1 is the fermentation process for making Kombucha. During this fermentation process, the sweet tea is converted to Kombucha by the SCOBY. It can take more than 10 days depending on your preferred taste. After completing F1, Kombucha undergoes F2 for flavoring and carbonation. If it’s your first time doing a second fermentation, feel free to check this blog post for the complete guide.
Ginger Pineapple Grapefruit Kombucha Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Homebrewing kit This is for 1st fermentation
- 1 Heating mat This is for 1st fermentation
- 1 Boochsleeve This is for 1st fermentation
- 1 Bottlebrush kit To clean your bottles
- 6 Bottles (16 oz.) or 2 Growlers (½ gallon)
- 1 Funnel For the 2nd fermentation process
- 1 Mesh strain colander For the 2nd fermentation process
- 1 PBW cleaner To clean your bottles
- 1 Manual juicer / Electric juicer optional, if you want to juice your flavorings
- 1 Blender
Ingredients
- 1 gal Kombucha
- 6 tsp Grated fresh ginger ($0.90 per 0.25 lb.)
- 3/4 cup Pineapple juice ($7.84 per pineapple)
- 3/4 cup Freshly squeezed grapefruit juice ($0.48 per oz.)
Instructions
- Clean your bottlesDilute the PBW cleaner according to the productinstructions. After diluting, take your bottlebrush kit and scrub yourfermentation bottles with your diluted cleaner. Rinse the bottles and let thebottles dry before adding any ingredients.
- Prepare your ingredients Peel your fresh ginger and grate it using a grater. You mayalso mince the ginger using a knife. For the pineapple, use an electric juiceror blender to prepare your pineapple juice. When it comes to preparing thegrapefruit, use a manual juicer to extract its juice.For this recipe, you will only use 6 tsp. grated ginger, ¾cup pineapple juice, and ¾ cup grapefruit juice. Divide these into six portionsand get ready to bottle.
- Add one portion of flavoring into each bottleAdd one portion of your flavorings to each bottle. Oneportion should be equivalent to 1 tsp. of grated ginger, 1 oz. of pineapplejuice, and 1 oz. of grapefruit juice.
- Fill the bottles with Kombucha liquid Use a funnel to fill the bottles with Kombucha liquid. Youmay opt to strain the excess yeast of the Kombucha liquid using a mesh straincolander or a smaller sieve before bottling. Make sure to leave about ½ to 1 inch of headspace in yourbottles to achieve good carbonation. After filling the bottles, slightly shakethe Kombucha to mix the ingredients. Set aside the remaining Kombucha liquidand use it as a starter tea for your next Kombucha ferments.
- Ferment Cap your bottles and make sure that there are no openingswhere carbon dioxide may escape. This will ensure good carbonation buildup ofyour brew. Allow the Kombucha to ferment in a fermentation station that hasroom temperature between 60℉ to 85℉. If you arehaving trouble maintaining a warm temperature for your brew, you may use aheating mat. Fermentation may take from 3 to 14 days depending on thecarbonation and your preferred taste.
- Store your finished Kombucha in the refrigerator You can taste your bottled Kombucha after three days offermentation. If the taste is already fit to your liking, keep your Kombuchabottles in the refrigerator to inhibit fermentation and preserve the taste. Ifyou want stronger tasting Kombucha, allow it to ferment for more days.
- Serve and enjoy As you serve your bottled Kombucha, you will see floatingresidues in the liquid. These are from the yeast and the flavorings used. Theseresidues are safe to ingest but if you feel uncomfortable drinking them, strainthe Kombucha liquid first before serving.
How to level up the taste
Ginger Pineapple Grapefruit Kombucha is the perfect immunity-boosting beverage during winter. It is great to enjoy as it is but if you want to level up its taste, here are some things you can do.
To level up the taste of this delectable beverage, substitute the fresh pineapple and grapefruit juice with store-bought or commercial juices. These juices have added sugar which can help boost yeast activity and give Kombucha a stronger taste.
If you don’t have store-bought juices, you may simply add sugar to your ferment to boost yeast activity. You may also serve your ginger pineapple grapefruit Kombucha with honey for a sweeter and more appealing taste.
Featured Product
The Humm Zero Sugar Pineapple Jalapeno features the sweet flavor of pineapple that is perfectly complimented by the spice of Jalapeno. It is keto-friendly, organic, gluten-free, and vegan. It is good for the gut and contains vitamin B12 which boosts energy and supports overall health.
Health-Ade Kombucha Ginger Lemon is filled with living probiotics and detoxifying acids. It supports gut health and claims to be non-GMO, vegan, and gluten-free. It is low in sugar as well so it is the perfect snack if you are trying to cut down on sugar. Moreover, it has a warm tart taste that is perfect for winter.
Humm Probiotic Kombucha Hopped Grapefruit is a tasty refreshing treat for a busy day. It is made with an organic juice blend and organic raw carbonated Kombucha. It is packed with probiotics and only contains 60 calories per can. It also has vitamin B12 which is known to boost energy.
