By Jennifer Updated: . First published: . This post may contain affiliate links. 52 Comments
Back in the day I was somewhat of a Sarsaparilla and Root Beer junkie. I wasn’t grabbing a Mug or A&W root beer. No, no. I was going super gourmet and finding small batch brews with unique flavors. I used to have access to fresh brewed Sarsparilla and it sort of spoiled me. Seriously. Nothing like it.
Aside from my love of root beer and the like, I was not a big soda drinker. So it wasn’t *that* hard to give it up once I made the switch to a real food/unprocessed lifestyle. But every so often, I would get a deep yearning for some old fashioned Sarsaparilla or Root Beer.
I have been making fermented beverages for a few years now but had not mastered the art of making probiotic rich root beer. I tried again recently but wasn’t very impressed with the results. But then, a little light bulb came on.
Why not make Root Beer Kombucha or Sarsaparilla Kombucha?
So I did.
And the sun shown down so brightly that day because the universe knew that I had just created a life changing kombucha.
I suppose I could have looked up some recipe ideas online but being impatient for the glorious taste of Sarsaparilla, I tried the path of least resistance and came up with a winner!
Now – part of the reason why this tasted so amazing is that my base Kombucha is made from an incredible tea blend. I am not sure how great this would taste if your tea blend produces a strongly flavored kombucha. My kombucha is pretty mild, easy to drink plain, and agreeable to a wide variety of second ferment flavor combinations. It soaks up the flavors added to it very well! (If you want to try the tea blend I use, head over to my affiliate partner Kombucha Kamp and pick up a bag of Hannah’s Tea Blend. I promise you will not regret it!)
Ok – back to the Sarsaparilla Kombucha. You ready for the simplest recipe on earth? Here you go!
Looking for a fun and deliciously unique spin on kombucha? Love the flavors of root beer and sarsaparilla? Then you simply must try your hand at making my game-changing root beer kombucha and sarsaparilla kombucha.
Add the sarsaparilla root to the water and let it steep for 30 minutes
Strain the root out of the water
Allow the sarsaparilla water to cool to room temperature
Sarsaparilla Kombucha
Pour the sarsaparilla root water into your second fermenting vessel (I like to use these flip top bottles)
Add up to 16 ounces of Kombucha.
Put in a dark spot and allow to ferment another day or two. This simply increases the carbonation. You can also put it in the fridge and let it sit for a few days as well. I find it taste great either way.
Root Beer Kombucha Infusion
Put the sarsaparilla root and wintergreen leaf in a medium pot.
Add the filtered water and turn on high heat.
Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
Strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove herbs.
While warm, add the sugar and molasses and stir until dissolved. Add in the vanilla and lime juice and stir.
Allow to cool to room temperature.
This will create enough root beer infusion to use in a LOT of second ferments. Store the leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Root Beer Kombucha
Add ½ cup of the root beer infusion to every 12-16 ounces of kombucha.
You can leave the second ferment out for a few days until it gets the carbonation you like. Alternatively, you can put it in the fridge and drink it after a few days.
I like to add a few raisins and a wee slice of ginger to the bottle I am putting the Root Beer Kombucha in. It seems to add something to it. But it tastes great without it as well!
Notes
You can adapt this recipe to fit whatever size bottles you do your second ferments in. The end product will be light in color. It won’t look like Sarsaparilla but it will sure have a wonderful taste!
This nutritional information was auto-generated based on serving size, number of servings, and typical information for the ingredients listed. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, please calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients and amounts used, using your preferred nutrition calculator. Under no circ*mstances shall the this website and the author be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on the given nutritional information. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Give one or both of these recipes a try and let me know what you think!
-Remove any pellicles from your brew jar and place aside in a container.-Measure 1.5 – 2 cups of kombucha for your next gallon and add to the container with the pellicles (this is your starter tea). If you don't plan to start another batch right away, see this article on how to take a break from brewing kombucha.
To get started, we recommend selecting a flavor profile you typically enjoy. If you're a fan of tropical fruits, try SYNERGY Mystic Mango or SYNERGY Guava Goddess. For those who prefer more tart beverages, try SYNERGY Gingerade or SYNERGY Trilogy.
The beauty of it is that it can be reused endlessly! Once you've finished fermenting your kombucha, simply recuperate the scoby and store it to start a new kombucha recipe. The easiest way to store a kombucha scoby is to start a new fermentation just after bottling.
With proper care, SCOBYs can last many generations. But when you see excessive, dark yeast growth on a SCOBY layer, or if it starts producing Kombucha that tastes bad or overly acidic, it's time to get a new one. New kombucha recipes can be made.
The Centers for Disease Control recommends that four ounces of kombucha can be safely consumed one to three times a day. Overconsumption can lead to headache, nausea, gastrointestinal distress, or ketoacidosis.
I'm not getting carbonation in my kombucha after secondary fermentation. Don't worry too much; carbonation can be finicky. Often temperature has much to do with it, but sometimes the yeast just don't want to perform for you. Just keep on brewing, and it should come with time.
When you make kombucha and handle your own Betty its really important to make sure that you aren't transferring any bacteria from the environment into the brew. Cleanliness is key to healthy brews. Never touch the SCOBY with your bare hands or you risk contaminating it.
Some people may experience digestive upset when drinking kombucha, or from drinking too much. Symptoms such as gas, nausea, and vomiting may occur. These side effects may be more likely in people who drink too much kombucha.
The liquid will lighten in color over time. You might see some cloudiness at the bottom of the vessel where the yeast settles. That's totally normal — just make sure to stir your brew vessel well to distribute this yeast throughout the liquid before you bottle it.
A pure, fresh brew that grows a new, healthy SCOBY each time it ferments should have ZERO added flavors (including from the tea with which it's brewed). Even commercial brews that are flavored with fruit and truly natural flavors can introduce bad bacteria and the potential for mold formation.
One tip to keep in mind is that many people find that kombucha does not pair well with foods that are already higher in acidity because the flavor can become lost or overpowered.
Batch Size: To increase or decrease the amount of kombucha you make, maintain the basic ratio of 1 cup of sugar, 8 bags of tea, and 2 cups starter tea per gallon batch. One scoby will ferment any size batch, though larger batches may take longer.
If you are provided measurements in cups rather than ounces, just know that you will need 1.5 cups of kombucha starter tea per gallon. One cup per gallon is often sold to use for a gallon batch, don't settle for this.
First of all you will need to make a calculation based on the size of your bottle of kombucha that you'll use as a starter for the scoby making. You will want the ratio between the brewed kombucha to be 1:5 to the sweet tea you'll be making next.
Our recipe feeds the culture at a ratio of 2:1. 5. Use black tea. Don't experiment with green or white tea, a thick scoby forms best from regular black tea.
Introduction: My name is Geoffrey Lueilwitz, I am a zealous, encouraging, sparkling, enchanting, graceful, faithful, nice person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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