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Blackberry Cucumber Kombucha Recipe

Sweet, tart blackberries combine with crisp, fresh cucumbers to create a drink that is equal parts delicious and refreshing.

A Beginner's Guide on How to Make Blackberry Cucumber Kombucha

Dark, rich purple and blue tones of blackberries with the vibrant greens of cucumber, you can be sure that this drink will look as beautiful as it tastes! The juxtaposition of flavor profiles of these two ingredients creates a flavor experience unique compared to other Kombucha recipes, and the sweet earthiness of blackberries combines with the natural flavors of kombucha in a very delightful way.

Whether you are sipping poolside or bundled up on the couch, this is the perfect beverage to satisfy and comfort your tastebuds.

Primary vs Secondary Fermentation

It’s important to note that making homemade kombucha is almost always a two-step fermentation process. Brewing kombucha is only a one-step process for those who prefer an unflavored flat kombucha. Otherwise, the steps consist of a primary fermentation and a secondary fermentation.

1. Primary Fermentation:

Primary fermentation is the first step of the kombucha brewing process. This is where your SCOBY transforms regular sweet tea into the tart and slightly sweet kombucha we love. At the end of this stage, you will have finished kombucha, but it will be flat and unflavored. Have you skipped this step? Then check out our guide on how to make kombucha at home, and for jun kombucha, see our post on how to make jun kombucha tea at home. Traditional kombucha is going to yield a bolder brew, while jun kombucha is milder and can be a bit tarter.

2. Secondary Fermentation:

Secondary fermentation is the step where you bottle, carbonate, and flavor your kombucha with the addition of sugar and flavors. In this step, the finished kombucha from the primary is mixed with sugar, fruits, or other flavors before bottling it with specialized lids that can hold pressure, like flip-top bottles. The bottled kombucha is then left at room temperature for natural fermentation, where yeast carbonates the kombucha within the sealed bottle. The ideal temperature range for this process is between 75-85°F. The amount of time needed to carbonate within the bottle is highly tied to temperature, which can take anywhere from 2-10 days.

💡Since this recipe is for the secondary fermentation, to make this recipe, you’ll need to have kombucha that has finished the primary fermentation and is ready to bottle.

Ingredients

Kombucha: Use kombucha that has completed primary fermentation and is ready to bottle and flavor.

Fresh Cucumbers: A trip to your local grocer will find you this staple ingredient, and be sure to look for a dark, ripe green without any blemishes and one that is firm to the touch. These will result in the most uplifting infusions in your brew
Fresh Blackberries: A deep purple to black when freshest, blackberries are a naturally sweet, tart, and earthy treat and can be found at most of your mainstream grocers. The best blackberries will also be firm, absent of any white or green patches, and with consistent coloring throughout.

Secondary Fermentation Preparation

This recipe makes one 16 fluid ounce bottle. For a 1-gallon batch, make 7 16 ounce bottles of kombucha or times the ingredients by 7. Before beginning this recipe, prepare the following:

Reserve 12 – 16 fluid ounces of kombucha and your pellicle from your completed primary fermentation and set aside. It’s best to pour from the top of the brew jar as the bottom will have a much higher yeast concentration. Use this as the starter for your next gallon batch of kombucha.
With your kombucha starter tea and SCOBY placed aside, there will be enough kombucha left to make seven 16 oz bottles. These bottles are the most popular as they are considered the best bottles for kombucha secondary fermentation, but any other airtight bottles made for carbonation will work.