Jun Kombucha
You can find more recipes like this in our Sourcebook!
I was given a Jun scoby to ferment years after I started making my own kombucha. (The word scoby is actually an acronym: Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast. A scoby is the living home for the bacteria and yeast that transform sweet tea into tangy, fizzy Jun.) Jun is similar to kombucha, but it is brewed with green tea and honey instead of black tea and sugar. For this reason, there is a lower caffeine content by the time it is fully fermented.
Also, I’ve found the flavor profile of Jun is lighter and fresher than kombucha, and it takes less time to ferment. It is said to have a higher lactobacillus content, which is a win for the gut. The one downside is that it is definitely more expensive to make due to the cost of honey versus sugar. Still, I think the health benefits and taste make it worth trying.
To get started with this project, you'll need...
- 8 cups filtered water
- 2 teaspoons green tea or 2 green tea bags
- 1⁄2cup raw honey
- 1 Jun scoby (you can purchase this online from places such as Kombucha Kamp)
- 1 cup previously cultured Jun tea (from the purchased scoby or a previous batch)
1. Boil the water, and then remove from the heat and let it cool to 165°f. 2. Steep the tea for 2 minutes. The longer the tea steeps, the stronger the “green tea” flavor your Jun tea will have.
3. Remove the tea and set aside to cool to between 96 and 104°f.
4. Add the honey and stir to dissolve. (You can skip the previous step and dissolve the honey right away in the hot tea, but the health benefits are greater when the honey is not heated at the higher temperature.)
5. Pour this mixture into a half-gallon jar or container. Add the scoby and previously cultured Jun tea. Cover the container with a kitchen towel and secure with a rubber band.
6. Let it rest at room temperature for 3 days to culture. (You can culture longer, but the taste might become too acidic.)
7. Once pleasantly sour and still a little sweet, drink your tea immediately, or try a second fermentation for added bubbles. think kombucha champagne!
8. Save 1 cup of your Jun tea, and then repeat this process to make more.
TIP: To do a second fermentation, decant the Jun into bottles, cap them, and store in a warm, dark place. Allow them to sit for 2 to 3 days. This will create a really fizzy and flavorful Jun.