Our 18 Best Kombucha Recipe Flavors – Make Your Own

Making a kombucha recipe at home with a kombucha brewing kit is a great way to save money – after your first batch, each bottle costs less than $1! Brewing your own kombucha also gives you the chance to get creative. You can replicate your favorite store bought kombucha or experiment with seasonal fruit, spices and other exciting ingredients. When you’re calling the shots your homebrewed booch ends up tasting more flavorful & exciting than what you find at the store.

If you’re not sure where to begin, try brewing one of our 18 favorite kombucha recipes, including dessert inspired recipes, fruity recipes and wacky Instagram-able recipes! Be sure to review our bottling day checklist & flavoring tips so that your bottling day runs smoothly. 

Using a kombucha brewing kit, you’ll need to ferment your kombucha tea for 1 – 2 weeks before bottling day. This leaves you plenty of time to plan your recipe, source your ingredients and find bottles if you don’t already have any.

On bottling day, you’ll remove the SCOBY from your fermenting jar along with 1 – 2 cups of fermented kombucha. Set these aside in a glass bowl while you bottle. Fruit and other flavors should NEVER come in contact with your SCOBY. Foreign yeasts on fruit skin and other produce can actually harm the SCOBY, which is why flavors should only ever be added to bottles.

You’ll need tight sealing glass bottles in order to carbonate your kombucha. You can use our Kombucha Bottling Kit, which includes eight 16oz glass bottles and twist off caps. You can also use swing top bottles. An airtight seal is key for fizzy carbonation, so we don’t suggest using mason jars.

Give bottles a good wash & rinse with non-antibacterial soap (antibacterial soap can kill the good-for-your-gut bacteria in kombucha). To avoid a mess, use a funnel when pouring kombucha into each bottle. Be sure to fill each bottle to the base of the neck or slightly higher. Leaving too much headspace will mean that it takes longer for carbonation to develop. More headspace = slower carbonation.

Once kombucha is bottled with fruit or other flavors, let the bottles carbonate at room temperature. Don’t store bottles in the fridge until the fizz is to your liking. Carbonation will continue to develop in bottles if left at room temperature, so be sure to test the carbonation every few days. To do so, you can “burp” your bottles by slightly untwisting the cap and listening for a hiss. The hiss sound means your batch is likely ready to be refrigerated. No hiss means you should let the bottles stand at room temperature and check again in a few days.

How To Flavor Your Kombucha

Whether it’s store-bought or made with a kombucha brewing kit, booch is often flavored with fruit because 1) it tastes delicious, but also because 2) the natural sugar is needed in order to carbonate. Yeast consumes this sugar and converts it into CO2. For that reason, we always recommend using some sort of sugar at bottling. This is for the yeast, not for you. If you opt to not add fruit or even starchy veggies, you’ll need to supplement with some sort of sweetener, like honey or maple syrup,  if you want a fizzy finished product.

We love using fresh in-season fruit in our homebrewed kombucha. If the fruit you want is not in season you can certainly use frozen, dried or dehydrated fruit. You can even use fruit juices or purees found in the juice aisle! 

Cut ingredients into smaller pieces to increase the surface area – this helps maximize flavor potential! Tear, slice, chop or puree your ingredients to boost flavors & make it easier to insert and remove the fruit from bottles.  

Keep in mind that you can always add more flavor to your kombucha, but you can’t take it away. It is easy to add more to your bottles if the flavor isn’t strong enough for you, but it’s not possible to take flavor away.

Remember, you can flavor every single bottle differently or split your batch so you have a variety of flavors in your fridge. This is especially helpful when you’re trying to perfect a recipe or flavor ratio. Let’s say you’re trying to dial in the perfect amount of lemon juice for a kombucha recipe. Fill one bottle with lemon slices, another with lemon juice, another with lemon zest! With a side-by-side taste test you’ll discover your favorite ways to use different ingredients.

Keep a kombucha journal and write everything down! Trust us. If you create a delicious batch of flavored kombucha you’ll definitely want to make it again or tweak the recipe to improve it in the future. Keep track of flavor combinations that were hits or misses and jot down what you’d change next time.

Our Top 18 Kombucha Brewing Kit Recipes:

We return to these kombucha recipes and flavor combos time and time again. Feel free to tweak them to fit your personal tastes!

Dessert Inspired Kombucha Recipes

Banana Bread Kombucha

1. Brew kombucha per our instructions.
2. On bottling day, add the following ingredients to each 12-16 oz bottle & top with fermented kombucha.
   • ⅛ of a banana, mashed
   • 1 tsp cinnamon
   • Optional sprinkle of cloves & nutmeg
3. Carbonate per the instruction manual before refrigerating!

Apple Cinnamon Kombucha

1. Brew kombucha per our instructions. 
2. On bottling day, add the following ingredients to each 12-16 oz bottle & top with fermented kombucha.
   • ¼ of a apple, finely diced
   • ½ a cinnamon stick
3. Carbonate per the instruction manual before refrigerating!

Pumpkin Spice Kombucha

1. Brew kombucha per our instructions. 
2. On bottling day, add the following ingredients to each 12-16 oz bottle & top with fermented kombucha. It may be helpful to use some kombucha to thin the puree mixture, this will make it easier to pour into each bottle.
   • 2 Tbsp pumpkin puree
   • ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
   • 4 tsp fresh grated ginger
   • Half a cinnamon stick
   • 1 small dash of vanilla extract
3. Carbonate per the instruction manual before refrigerating!

Sweet Potato Pie Kombucha

1. Brew kombucha per our instructions. 
2. On bottling day, add the following ingredients to each 12-16 oz bottle & top with fermented kombucha.
   • ¼ sweet potato, peeled & cubed
   • 3+ mini marshmallows
3. Carbonate per the instruction manual before refrigerating!

Mulled Wine Kombucha

1. Brew kombucha per our instructions. 
2. On bottling day you will make a mulled wine simple syrup. To do so, combine the following ingredients in a pot at medium-high heat. Simmer for 30-45 minutes, or until the volume is reduced by half, closely monitoring the pot.
   • 3 cups of cheap red wine
   • 1 cup sugar
   • 4 cinnamon sticks
   • 10 whole cloves
3. Let the syrup cool to room temperature. You can speed up the cooling process by placing the pot in a cold water bath in your sink. Once cool, remove & discard the cloves & cinnamon.
4. Add the following to each 12-16 oz bottle, then top with kombucha.
   • 2 Tbsp mulled wine syrup (NOTE: you may have leftover syrup)
   • 1 Tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice
5. Carbonate per the instruction manual before refrigerating!

Fruity Kombucha Recipes

 Tropical Smoothie Kombucha

1. Brew kombucha per our instructions.
2. On bottling day, add the following ingredients to each 12-16 oz bottle & top with fermented kombucha.
   • 2 Tbsp mango, pureed
   • 2 Tbsp pineapple, chopped
   • 2 Tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice
3. Carbonate per the instruction manual before refrigerating!

 Spiced Pear Kombucha

1. Brew kombucha per our instructions.
2. On bottling day, add the following ingredients to each 12-16 oz bottle & top with fermented kombucha.
   • 1/4 of a pear, chopped
   • 1 whole clove
   • 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
3. Carbonate per the instruction manual before refrigerating!

Fruit Salad Kombucha

1. Brew kombucha per our instructions.
2. On bottling day, add the following ingredients to each 12-16 oz bottle & top with fermented kombucha.
   • 1 strawberry, quartered
   • 5 whole blueberries
   • 2 slices of kiwi, skin removed
   • 3 slices of starfruit
3. Carbonate per the instruction manual before refrigerating!

 Pineapple Jalapeno Kombucha

1. Brew kombucha per our instructions.
2. On bottling day, add the following ingredients to each 12-16 oz bottle & top with fermented kombucha.
   • 2 thick jalapeno slices, seeds removed
   • 1.5 oz pineapple juice (or a few chunks, fresh)
3. Carbonate per the instruction manual before refrigerating!

Herbal / Floral Kombucha Recipes

Basil & Strawberry Kombucha

1. Brew kombucha per our instructions.
2. On bottling day, add the following ingredients to each 12-16 oz bottle & top with fermented kombucha.
   • 2 fresh strawberries, quartered
   • 2 large basil leaves, roughly chopped
3. Carbonate per the instruction manual before refrigerating!

 Lavender & Blueberry Kombucha

1. Brew kombucha per our instructions.
2. On bottling day, add the following ingredients to each 12-16 oz bottle & top with fermented kombucha.
   • 12 whole blueberries (dried, frozen or fresh)
   • 1 tsp dried lavender flowers
3. Carbonate per the instruction manual before refrigerating!

Mint & Watermelon Kombucha

1. Brew kombucha per our instructions.
2. On bottling day, add the following ingredients to each 12-16 oz bottle & top with fermented kombucha.
   • 4 mint leaves, roughly chopped
   • 4 Tbsp watermelon, blended & strained
3. Carbonate per the instruction manual before refrigerating!

Sage & Blackberry Kombucha

1. Brew kombucha per our instructions.
2. On bottling day, add the following ingredients to each 12-16 oz bottle & top with fermented kombucha.
   • 4 sage leaves, roughly chopped
   • 4-6 blackberries muddled
3. Carbonate per the instruction manual before refrigerating!

Turmeric & Honey Kombucha

1. Brew kombucha per our instructions.
2. On bottling day, add the following ingredients to each 12-16 oz bottle & top with fermented kombucha.
   • ¼ tsp ground turmeric
   • ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
   • ½ tsp honey
3. Carbonate per the instruction manual before refrigerating!

Dry Hopped Kombucha

1. Brew kombucha per our instructions.
2. On bottling day, add the following ingredients to each 12-16 oz bottle & top with fermented kombucha.
   • 3 – 7 Citra hop pellets (or your favorite hop
   • 2 tsp kiwi juice
3. Carbonate per the instruction manual before refrigerating!

Instagramable Kombucha Recipes

Charcoal Black Magic Kombucha

1. Brew kombucha per our instructions.
2. On bottling day, add the following ingredients to each 12-16 oz bottle & top with fermented kombucha.
   • 3 slices of lemon, quartered
   • 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
   • Powder from 1 activated charcoal capsule
3. Carbonate per the instruction manual before refrigerating!

Glitter Kombucha

1. Brew kombucha per our instructions.
2. On bottling day, add the following ingredients to each 12-16 oz bottle & top with fermented kombucha.
   • Silver edible glitter (as much or as little as you like)
   • 2 tsp kiwi juice or your choice of sweetener (for carbonation)
3. Glitter will settle during carbonation, but you can gently swirl to mix the glitter back into suspension. DO NOT SHAKE bottles.
4. Carbonate per the instruction manual before refrigerating. Glitter will settle, but can be swirled back in when serving. DO NOT SHAKE bottles.

Bright Blue Raspberry Kombucha

This photogenic kombucha recipe uses butterfly pea flowers – dried flowers that turn liquid purple in the presence of acid (like acidic kombucha)!

1. Brew kombucha per our instructions.
2. On bottling day, you will make a “tea” from the butterfly pea flowers. They’re quite earthy, so we suggest this method instead of adding whole flowers to bottles. Warm water and butterfly pea flowers on the stove & let steep for 5 minutes.
   • 4 tsp butterfly pea flowers
   • 1 cup of water
3. Pour the tea into a heat safe measuring cup, straining out the flowers. Let the tea cool to room temperature.
4. Add the following to each 12-16 oz bottle & watch the color change from blue to purple as you top with fermented kombucha!
   • ¼ cup fresh raspberries, muddled
   • 1 lemon slice, halved
5. Carbonate per the instruction manual before refrigerating!

TIPS FOR CHOOSING YOUR OWN KOMBUCHA FLAVORS

Brew your way through all 18 of our kombucha brewing kit recipes or come up with your own recipes. Nearly any fruit and herb combination will taste delicious, but there are different guidelines and recommendations for each type of flavor component.

Using JUICE with your kombucha brewing kit

The juice aisle is full of delicious fruit juices like pomegranate juice, pineapple juice, grapefruit juice, cranberry juice, apple juice, apple cider & more! When using fruit juice, maintain a ratio of 10% juice to 90% kombucha in bottles. Fresh juice or 100% juice is recommended over concentrate.

Using FRUIT with your kombucha brewing kit

When adding whole fruit to bottles, maintain a ratio of about 15-25% fruit to 75-85% kombucha. For the boldest flavors, using whole fresh fruit is recommended. Think citrus, berries, cherries, mango, watermelon, apples, pears & more! Try a local international food market or Asian grocery store, which will often supply a wider range of hard to find fruit that’s perfect for experimenting. 

If you can’t fresh fruit you can certainly use dried, dehydrated or frozen fruit! Some whole fruit may benefit from being blended or pureed before adding to bottles. Fruit with a lot of pulp, like watermelon, is best blended and strained.

Be sure to slice, chop, dice, muddle or even cut fruit into matchsticks before bottling. This helps fruit fit in the bottle (and makes clean up easier) and helps increase surface area for the most flavor.

Using VEGETABLES with your kombucha brewing kit

You aren’t limited to fruit, so don’t shy away from the rest of the produce section! Experiment with light, refreshing veggies like cucumbers. Try something bold & spicy like hot peppers. Or go for something more earthy like beets, which will also provide an electric red/pink color!

Many vegetables can taste a bit “pickled” when added to kombucha whole. Peel and juice vegetables like carrots & cucumbers instead of adding slices to avoid a vinegary veggie flavor. 

Alternatively, you can skip the preparation and source vegetable juice (not from concentrate) instead! Using vegetable juice will cut down on the amount of sediment that accumulates in bottles.

Using HERBS with your kombucha brewing kit

You might consider starting an herb garden because fresh herbs and fruit are the perfect kombucha combo. Herbs add depth and complexity to your bottled booch without adding much sugar. Think basil, sage, rosemary, mint, lavender, lemongrass, turmeric & more!

Dried herbs are much more potent than fresh herbs. Use dried herbs sparingly, as they can overpower the other flavors in your bottles. Dried herbs may also clump together and not evenly disperse flavor to the entire bottle. 

Herbs are best used with some type of fruit because herbs alone won’t provide enough fermentable sugar to create carbonation. You’ll need some assistance from the fruit sugar (even just a few drops) or an added sweetener.

Using SPICES with your kombucha brewing kit

Adding spice adds complexity and warmth to bottled kombucha and is an easy way to transition kombucha flavors into fall. Raid your spice cabinet for cardamom, anise, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne, allspice & more!

You may opt to use whole spices (like cinnamon sticks) or ground spices. Powdered spices help distribute flavor really well, but they may contribute to sediment and may glob together. This can easily be strained out when pouring or serving your kombucha.

Just like herbs, spices along won’t provide enough fermentable sugar on their own to help carbonate your kombucha. You’ll need an assist from some fruit or juice. If you want your spice flavors to shine, choose a fruit with light & subtle flavor, like pear or kiwi.

Using SUGAR with your kombucha brewing kit

While the SCOBY requires plain table or cane sugar during fermentation, you can get much more creative with the type of sugar you use in bottles. If you plan to add fruit to your bottles you don’t need to add more sugar, but you can do so to add some sweetness and a fizzy boost.

If you plan to leave your kombucha plain or use low-sugar ingredients, a source of sugar is likely be required in order to carbonate. Think honey, agave, maple, brown sugar, confectioner’s sugar & more!  

If you have concerns about the sugar content in your final kombucha, one of our favorite ways to add a little bit of sugar to help with carbonation, but not overpower the flavor or add to much sugar: KIWI JUICE! A few drops of kiwi juice will provide you with the fuel you need to carbonate successfully.

Using FLOWERS, SUPERFOODS & MORE with your kombucha brewing kit

While some prefer traditional, classic flavors, you can certainly use unconventional ingredients (other than produce) to flavor your kombucha. Look to your baking stash, your bar cart or your garden for extracts, seeds & powders that pack major flavor.

Think coffee beans for richness (& caffeine), chia seeds for added texture and nutrients or spirulina to get your greens in each bottle. Borrow from your baking stash and use vanilla or almond extract, matcha powder, cocoa powder or shredded coconut. Use floral ingredients like hibiscus, butterfly pea flowers, rose, hibiscus or lemongrass.

If you have kombucha bottling or flavoring questions, drop us a line at support@craftabrew.com!