If you are craving a Kombucha drink that is mildly sweet with a familiar fruity taste, then you should definitely check this grape Kombucha recipe out. It offers a refreshing subtle sweetness from grapes and a tangy kick from Kombucha. It is also cost-effective, easy to make, healthy, and sure to delight both children and adults. Moreover, grape Kombucha can help to turbocharge your energy on a hot summer day or a busy day at work.
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Health Benefits
Grape
Grapes are packed with beneficial nutrients like fiber, copper, vitamin K, potassium, vitamin C, manganese, and vitamin E. Adding grapes to your daily diet offers various health benefits like lower blood pressure and sugar levels, reduced cholesterol, and improved memory and mood. Grapes are also known to support heart and eye health as well as protect against diabetes and bacteria. Furthermore, they are high in antioxidants that help repair damage to the cells. Grapes may have anticancer effects and prevent certain types of cancer in the breast, liver, and stomach as well. They may support bone, skin, and hair health and have anti-obesity effects too.
How To Make Grape Kombucha
This grape Kombucha recipe requires grape and Kombucha that has finished first fermentation.
Kombucha is a healthy beverage that undergoes two fermentation processes namely first fermentation (F1) and second fermentation (F2). During the first fermentation, the sweet tea is converted to Kombucha by the Kombucha culture or the SCOBY. After the first fermentation, Kombucha undergoes second fermentation for flavoring and carbonation.
Kombucha’s second fermentation is generally easy but you still have to pay close attention to factors such as temperature, sugar, and more. If it’s your first time doing a second fermentation at home, you can check our complete guide here for more details.
Grape 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 Blender
Ingredients
- 1 gal Kombucha
- 30-40 Grapes ($1.08 to $1.11 per lb.)
Instructions
- Clean your bottlesDilute your PBW cleaner as instructed on its label and scrub yourbottles using your bottle brush kit. Rinse and dry your bottles properly beforeadding any of your ingredients.
- Prepare your flavoringWash your grapes with water and remove the stems. You may usegrapes with seeds but seedless grapes are preferable. Dice your grapes andremove the seeds. You can add your diced grapes directly to your Kombucha butif you want more flavor, you should puree your grapes in a blender. Divide yourdiced or pureed grapes into six portions.
- Add your grape flavoring into the bottleAdd one portion of your grape flavoring to each bottle. Feel freeto add or lessen the amount of flavoring in your bottle depending on yourpreferred taste.
- Fill your bottle with Kombucha liquid Use the funnel to pour the Kombucha liquid into the bottles. Youmay filter the excess yeast of your Kombucha with a mesh strain colander beforepouring your Kombucha into the bottles. Leave about ½ to 1 inch of headspace inyour bottles for good carbonation buildup. Set aside your remaining Kombuchaliquid and use it as a starter for the next batch.
- Ferment Cap your bottles tightly to prevent the carbon dioxide fromescaping. Let your Kombucha ferment under room temperature which is between 60℉ to 85℉. The fermentation time can take about 3 to 14days depending on the carbonation and your preferred taste. If the temperaturein your fermentation station is cooler than the recommended fermentationtemperature, you may use a heating mat.
- Store your finished Kombucha in therefrigerator Once your Kombucha reaches your preferred balance of sweet andtart flavor, move and keep your bottled Kombucha in the refrigerator. The coldtemperature will inhibit the fermentation process of Kombucha and preserve yourdesired Kombucha flavor for a relatively long time.
- Serve and enjoy Bottled Kombuchas tend to have floating residues that can beunsightly for some drinkers. If you feel uncomfortable drinking these residues,you may strain them before serving.
How to level up the taste
Blending the grapes is always a great way to achieve that pure grape flavor for your Kombucha. However, if you want a stronger flavor punch for your booch, cooking your grapes with some sugar is a better way to prepare your grape flavoring. To do this, simply toss in sliced grapes, ⅛ cup of sugar, and some water in a small saucepan. Cook your mixture until the sugar has completely dissolved and the grapes have broken down. Cool down your cooked grapes before adding them to the bottle. The added sugar in your grape flavoring will encourage yeast activity and give your Kombucha a sweeter and more enjoyable taste.
Another great way to level up the taste of grape Kombucha is by adding herbs. We particularly like combining grapes with rosemary because of its piney minty fragrance and flavor. To add rosemary to this grape Kombucha recipe, simply chop 4 to 6 sprigs of rosemary and divide them into six portions. Add one portion of rosemary to each bottle.
Choosing the right grapes can also make a difference in the taste of your Kombucha. You can use any kind of grapes you want but make sure that they are already ripe and juicy to get additional sugar that can boost yeast activity.
Featured Product
GT’s synergy offers full grape goodness in their Divine Grape Kombucha. It is organically produced with pure natural ingredients and has a tangy taste with a natural effervescence that is truly enjoyable.
The Health-Ade Kombucha Tea Grape Vibes is a must-try for every grape Kombucha fan. It claims to be non-GMO, vegan, and gluten-free. Moreover, it contains relatively low sugar compared to other Kombucha drinks.
If you like grapes and goji berries, then this Goji Grape Kombucha from Mother Kombucha is for you. It is made with organic ingredients and pu-erh green tea blend that are healthy and delicious.
