Here’s a delicious recipe for flavouring your kombucha, using hibiscus flower and rose hip (for the basic kombucha recipe, see How to make your own kombucha).
These two ingredients give kombucha a fruity, tangy flavour, a powerful red colour, and a big boost of vitamin C.
Rose hip, also called cynorhodon, is the fruit of the wild rose shrub. The berry is thought to be 20 times richer in vitamin C than an orange! Keep an eye out, there are probably some near you.
However, be sure to leave some for the animals, for which it is excellent pre-hibernation food! The berries are even more delicious after the first frost.
Hibiscus is a bright red tropical flower. It is mainly consumed in infusions, for its fruity taste and its high content of antioxidants and vitamin C.
In this recipe, the hibiscus and berry infusion is added in the second fermentation. This preserves the taste and the benefits of the ingredients. In addition, you avoid ending up with a bright red kombucha scoby!
To learn more about which tea to use for the first and second fermentation, see our article on the best teas for kombucha.
Hibiscus and Rose Hip Flavoured Kombucha
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 L chlorine-free or filtered water + 500ml (2 cups) for the infusion
- 12 g tea (6 tbsp.)
- 200 g sugar (1 cup)
- 1 kombucha scoby and its liquid culture (about 350ml)
- 30 ml hibiscus (or 10g)
- 30 ml rose hip (you can also use only the petals) or 11g
Steps
Preparing the kombucha
- Pour 500ml of boiling water into the jar with the tea. Let it infuse for 10 minutes, then remove the tea.
- Add the sugar and stir to dissolve.
- Dilute the sweetened tea with cold water, to make up a total of 3L (the tea should be lukewarm or cold).
- Add the liquid kombucha culture and film (scoby).
- Cover with a cotton cloth to let air through and secure with a rubber band.
Fermenting the Kombucha
- Ferment the kombucha for 5 to 10 days. As the days go by, the kombucha will become less sweet and more acidic.
- From the fifth day onwards, taste the kombucha. If it is still too sweet, let it ferment for a few more days. When you are satisfied with the taste, move on to the next step.
- Remove the film (scoby) and about 500ml (2 cups) of kombucha. Set aside for your next kombucha recipe.
Adding the Flavour
- In a jar, brew hibiscus and rose hips in 500ml (2 cups) of boiling water. Let infuse for 20 minutes.
- Remove the hibiscus and rose hips by straining the infusion. Compost the berries and flowers and save the liquid.
- Once the infusion has cooled down, mix it with the plain kombucha.
- Mix the kombucha well and pour into pressure-resistant bottles.
- If preferred, let the bottles stand at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. The kombucha will become increasingly fizzy.
- Place the bottles in the fridge to slow down the production of bubbles.
Enjoy in champagne glasses on a mild February evening, or on any occasion that needs a little sweetness!
