Ready for a fermented tea drink that is milder, healthier, and faster to ferment than Kombucha? If yes, then Jun Kombucha definitely fits the bill. Jun Kombucha is a kind of fermented tea drink that uses green tea and raw honey. While essentially, Kombucha and Jun are different, they both use SCOBY to transform the sweet tea mixture into a fermented beverage. However, compared to Kombucha SCOBYs, Jun SCOBYs tend to be harder to find. So, where to buy Jun Kombucha SCOBY culture? We did our research and here is what we found out.
Jun SCOBY culture is not widely available in health food stores and retailers. Oftentimes, you are more likely to buy this product from online sellers and shops. You may also be able to buy it directly from a Jun brewer. Like the usual Kombucha SCOBY, Jun SCOBY is typically packaged in a thick plastic bag with some Jun Kombucha liquid to keep it hydrated. Some Jun Kombucha products also come in kits with other essential brewing items like this Jun Kombucha Essentials Kit from fermetaholics.com. Depending on the size and age of the Jun SCOBY and the product inclusions, the price can range from $30 to $70.
If you can’t find any sellers of Jun Kombucha SCOBY in health food stores or online, you may try to borrow one from a friend. However, if that still doesn’t work for you, don’t worry because you can make your own Jun Kombucha SCOBY with the usual Kombucha SCOBY. Keep reading as we go in-depth on this topic and other details you need to know about Jun Kombucha.
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Can I Make My Own Jun SCOBY?
The short answer is yes. It is possible to make your own Jun Kombucha SCOBY by converting a Kombucha SCOBY to a Jun SCOBY. To do this, you will need to use raw unflavored Jun Kombucha tea as starter tea and honey in a new batch of Kombucha. The Jun Kombucha liquid contains yeast and bacteria that will help the SCOBY adapt to the fermentation process of Jun Kombucha. You will also need to use honey instead of sugar to train it to brew Jun Kombucha.
Compared to Jun Kombucha SCOBY, raw Jun Kombucha tea can be easier to find in health food stores or in online stores. However, making a baby SCOBY can take two to four weeks and more. In addition, newly formed SCOBYs ferment slower and give Kombucha a less potent taste.
How To Make Jun Kombucha SCOBY Step-by-step Guide
Again, as we have mentioned above, this process can take a relatively long time and requires a lot of patience. Hence, we recommend buying a Jun Kombucha SCOBY instead of making it. Nevertheless, if you are really up for the challenge, here are the general steps on how you can make your own Jun Kombucha SCOBY.
Step 1. Bring water to a boil.
Step 2. When the water reaches the boiling point, remove the pot from the heat.
Step 3. Add the honey to the boiled water.
Step 4. Steep the green tea bags in the boiled water. Allow them to brew for 3 to 5 minutes.
Step 5. Allow the sweet tea mixture to cool down to room temperature (68℉) and transfer it to a brewing jar.
Step 6. Add the Jun Kombucha liquid.
Step 7. Add the Kombucha SCOBY.
Step 8. Cover the brewing jar with a cloth and secure it with a rubber band.
Step 9. Allow the Kombucha mixture to ferment until baby Jun Kombucha SCOBY forms.
Step 10. Transfer the newly grown Jun Kombucha SCOBY to a Jun Kombucha SCOBY Hotel or start a new batch.
How to Make Jun Kombucha from Kombucha SCOBY
If you don’t have Jun Kombucha tea, you may also try to slowly introduce honey and green tea to your Kombucha SCOBY. The key to the success of this method is taking it slow. You will need to slowly introduce the ingredients used in brewing Jun to your Kombucha SCOBY to prevent throwing the cultures out of balance. Here are the general steps you can follow for this method.
Step 1. Bring water to a boil.
Step 2. When the water reaches the boiling point, remove it from the heat.
Step 3. Add 80% sugar and 20% honey to the boiled water. Stir until the sugar has fully dissolved.
Step 4. Steep 80% black tea and 20% green tea bags in boiled water. Allow them to brew for 3 to 5 minutes.
Step 5. Remove the tea bags from the sweet tea mixture and allow the sweet tea mixture to cool down to room temperature (68℉). Transfer the mixture to a brewing jar.
Step 6. Add the Kombucha starter liquid.
Step 7. Add the Kombucha SCOBY.
Step 8. Cover the jar with a cloth and secure it with a rubber band.
Step 9. Allow the Kombucha mixture to ferment for 7 to 10 days and more depending on the preferred taste.
After successfully completing this fermentation process, you can increase the amount of honey and green tea by 30%. After that, increase again the amount of honey and green tea again by 30%. If you were able to achieve good results after this, you can finally use 100% honey and 100% green tea.
Is Jun SCOBY same as Kombucha SCOBY?
Although both are colonies of bacteria and yeast that make fermentation possible, Jun SCOBY and Kombucha SCOBY have differences from each other. In fact, there are many theories about their differences. culturesforhealth.com gives us a clear explanation of these theories.
One theory says that Jun SCOBY and Kombucha SCOBY originated in different geographical regions, hence are not related to each other. In addition, this line of thought also believes that Jun Kombucha has its own SCOBY and a regular Kombucha SCOBY can’t be converted to ferment Jun.
On the other hand, some Kombucha enthusiasts say that Jun Kombucha is a branch from the Kombucha family tree and that Jun SCOBY is a Kombucha SCOBY that has been trained to ferment raw honey and green tea.
Another interesting theory is that Jun SCOBY has different cultures compared to Kombucha culture. Jun SCOBY also tends to have a lighter color and can only convert green tea and honey.
Does Jun Ferment Faster Than Kombucha?
Jun Kombucha ferments faster than Kombucha. This is mostly because of the honey in Jun. Jun uses honey as food for its SCOBY. Compared to sugar, honey can be broken down faster. Hence, allowing the yeast to eat faster and boosting the fermentation activity. Generally, Jun takes only half of the time to ferment as Kombucha.
What Is Jun Kombucha SCOBY?
Jun Kombucha SCOBY or Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast is an important ingredient for fermenting Jun. It is used to convert sweet green tea mixture to Jun Kombucha. Like the ordinary Kombucha SCOBY, it also contains different strains of microorganisms like lactobacillus and yeast cultures. However, the culture of Jun SCOBY feeds on honey instead of sugar.
Is Jun Healthier Than Kombucha?
While studies to prove that Jun is healthier than Kombucha are still lacking, one thing is for sure, Jun is made of healthier ingredients than Kombucha.
Instead of black tea and sugar, Jun Kombucha uses green tea and honey. Green tea is packed with plant compounds similar to black tea, however, it contains more powerful antioxidants that can help prevent cell damage due to free radicals. On the other hand, honey is an organic form of sugar and contains various nutrients. It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties as well. According to mindbodygreen.com, honey helps in mineralizing Jun. It also helps boost Jun’s health benefits because of its live enzymes and B vitamins content. In addition, honey protects Jun from allergens that can possibly damage the brew.
Advantages of Making Jun Kombucha
If the mentioned health benefits are not yet enough to convince you that Jun Kombucha is a must-try, these advantages of making Jun Kombucha might just change your mind.
- Cheaper to maintain
Compared to Kombucha, Jun Kombucha ferments at a relatively cooler temperature (65℉ to 70℉) so you won’t need to purchase any heating equipment to achieve the ideal brewing temperature.
- Made with 100% organic ingredients
As we have discussed above, Jun Kombucha is made with all-natural honey and green tea. This makes it free from any preservatives and substances that may affect human health.
- Ferments faster
Jun Kombucha ferments faster than conventional Kombucha because it uses honey which is easier to break down compared to sugar.
- Has a milder taste
Jun Kombucha offers a mild taste with floral and light tartness perfect for newbie Kombucha drinkers. Ultimately, it is easy to drink and definitely refreshing.
Disadvantages of Jun Kombucha
As much as we want to avoid the disadvantages, it is important that you know everything about Jun Kombucha before brewing. Below we list the usual disadvantages of brewing this drink.
- More expensive to make
Honey is one of the main ingredients for Jun. Although there are cheap kinds of honey out there, we recommend going for the relatively expensive ones to guarantee quality. Depending on the variety and quality, honey can cost more than twice cane sugar.
- Finding Jun SCOBY is difficult
Jun SCOBY is much harder to find than Kombucha SCOBY. Oftentimes, you can only find one online or buy it directly from a brewer you know. While you can technically make your own Jun SCOBY by using Kombucha SCOBY, this method takes a long time.
