Jun Kombucha is a fermented drink consisting of green tea and honey. Experts believe the elixir was created in the Himalayan Mountains around 2,000 years ago. Jun differs from traditional kombucha. With its delicate, crisp, bright flavors. No wonder it earned the title “The Champagne of Kombucha.”
Jun Kombucha is considered a health elixir due to its many living healthy bacteria known as probiotics. Moreover, this beneficial drink aids in disease prevention and helps support gut health. Brewing your kombucha at home is also inexpensive compared to buying probiotic supplements.
Choosing The Right Honey
When making Jun kombucha, using higher quality, local ingredients will result in a more beneficial brew. When brewing at home, I like using local raw honey from a friend, neighbor, or beekeeper. Remember that just because the beekeeper is local doesn’t mean their pollen source will be. Some of our favorite local honey comes from Blueridge Honey Company in Ventura County, Backwoods Bee Farms in Kern County, and Mission Beekeeping in Ventura County.
Green Tea Used in Kombucha
However, honey is only one part of making Jun kombucha. Sourcing green tea and a Jun SCOBY is also very important. Green tea has several health benefits, and my family and I enjoy having a well-brewed cup every day. When making Jun kombucha, we like to use Prince of Peace. This organic brand has a very light flavor and comes in bulk from our local health food store.
Prince of Peace Organic Green Tea
Jun Kombucha Scoby
When purchasing a SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast), we like to barter with friends who have extra. However, if we cannot acquire a SCOBY, we’ve had great luck with the Fermentaholics Brand.
Fementaholics Jun Kombucha SCOBY and Starter
Water
Another ingredient that is extremely important when making Jun Kombucha is water. We use a Berkey Water Filter to purify water for drinking and cooking. Always use distilled or reverse osmosis water, essential when making Kombuchacha. Regular tap water may contain chlorine, harming your kombucha's good bacteria.
Adding Edible Native Plants
Naturally, this delicious elixir is very versatile when adding medicinal herbs. Depending on your preference and location, you can use a variety of herbs and berries for your Jun Kombucha. At the end of summer, I like to add elderberry to the kombucha. Elderberries give the kid’s immune system a boost. Sometimes, I’ll add a teaspoon of Reishi (mushroom) tincture to the final product. There are some spring flavors we enjoy, including California black sage (Salvia mellifera) and strawberry mixed, ginger and lemon, as well as California everlasting (Pseudognaphalium californicum), which adds a light maple flavor. Finally, have fun creating various flavors using edible native plants that make you happy.
Refreshing Jun Kombucha
Jun Kombucha made with Edible Native plants
Ingredients:
Glass Gallon Jar
Cheesecloth
Rubberband
1 Jun Kombucha SCOBY with starter
4 cups Organic Green Tea
4 cups Distilled Water
1 cup Organic Raw Local Honey
Edible Native Plants (berries & herbs) (optional)
Directions:
Bring water to 170 F in a kettle. While the water comes to temperature, add 6 tea bags into a large jar or pitcher.
Pour the hot water over the tea, then let it steep for at least 3 and up to 5 minutes.
Strain the tea through a fine-mesh sieve into your jar, then let it cool to room temperature.
Once the tea is cooled to room temperature and mixed with honey, add your SCOBY and ½ cup Jun tea starter liquid.
Cover the jar with cheesecloth and let the Jun culture for 7 to 10 days or until it smells pleasantly sour and faintly sweet.
Carefully remove the Jun SCOBY and set it on a plate. Stir the remaining Jun tea, and reserve ½ cup for your next batch.
Prepare a fresh batch of Jun immediately or store the SCOBY and reserved tea in a jar at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the fridge for longer.
After reserving the SCOBY and ½ cup tea, stir the Jun again, then pour it into 4 pint-sized flip-top bottles.
Let them culture at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, then enjoy them immediately or transfer them to the fridge, where they’ll keep up to 3 months.
If you wish to flavor your tea, mix in ½ cup fruit juice or herbs to your finished Jun, then bottle and continue culturing in the bottle for 2 to 3 days before transferring to the fridge.
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