Learn how to flavour your kombucha with white cedar for a local, boreal beverage!
Rich in vitamin C, white cedar (Thuya occidentalis) is a healthy ingredient full of benefits. First Nations have been using it for a long time to fight infections and to relieve the respiratory tract.
Today, cedar is slowly making its way into our pantries. When infused, it has a pronounced coniferous taste with a slightly lemony aftertaste. You can even detect hints of strawberries!
Its natural bitterness blends very well with that of kombucha.
If you don’t have a nice cedar hedge nearby, don’t worry, you can get 100% Canadian white cedar from our online shop!
Our delicious white cedar kombucha recipe tastes like a Quebec forest!
To learn more about boreal plants, see How to flavour fermented beverages with wild Canadian plants.
White Cedar Kombucha Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 kombucha scoby and its liquid culture (about 350 ml)
- 12 g plain tea
- 200 g sugar
- 2.5 L chlorine-free or filtered water (+ 4 cups of water for decoction)
- 12 g white cedar (Thuya occidentalis)
- 100 g honey
Steps
Infusion and Fermentation
- Pour 500ml of boiling water into the jar and add the tea. To facilitate the infusion, use tea bags or a nylon filter.
- Let it infuse for about 10 minutes. Remove the tea.
- Add sugar and stir until dissolved.
- Add water to reach a total of 3 litres (your tea should be lukewarm).
- Add the kombucha scoby with its liquid culture.
- Cover the container with the cloth and rubber band.
- Let it ferment for 10 to 15 days, at room temperature. From day 5, taste each day to see how the fermentation is progressing. When the taste is to your liking, remove the kombucha scoby and about 2 cups of liquid. Set aside for your next recipe.
Adding the Cedar Flavour
- Rinse the cedar with hot water.
- Place the cedar in a small saucepan and cover with 1 litre of water. Simmer for 20 minutes. Filter to remove the cedar. Add the honey, stir, and let it cool.
- Add 3 cups of cedar decoction to the 3 litres of kombucha.
- Bottle the cedar kombucha in pressure-resistant bottles.
- Store the bottles at room temperature for a few days to allow the fizz to develop.
- Put in the fridge when the kombucha is sufficiently fizzy (watch out for the pressure).
Now, all you have to do is enjoy this delicious and refreshing beverage, reminiscent of your childhood suburban backyard!
