Apple Spice Kombucha Recipe
There’s no place like home, and the flavors of this Apple Spice Kombucha will make you feel like you’re there.
Fall breeze arrives and with just one gust seems to sweep everyone off their feet. It’s not just the weather that creates this feeling but the fragrant, delicious comfort foods. Spiced apple cider is one of the most special and reminiscent for me. I remember, as a kid, hanging out with my dad, drinking hot apple cider through cinnamon sticks straws. This kombucha recipe does such a great job re-creating that warm, fuzzy feeling that apple cider brings and is a fall must-have!
PRIMARY VS SECONDARY FERMENTATION
It’s important to note that brewing 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 secondary fermentation.
- Primary Fermentation: The 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 making kombucha at home or our guide on making jun kombucha at home. Traditional kombucha is going to yield a bolder brew, while jun kombucha is milder and a bit more tart.
- Secondary Fermentation: The secondary fermentation is the step where you bottle, carbonate, and flavor your kombucha by the addition of sugar and flavors. This step is essentially adding a bit of sugar/flavor to each airtight bottle and letting it ferment a little longer, allowing the yeast to carbonate the beverage in an airtight environment naturally. How exactly does this happen? See our post on kombucha secondary fermentation here.
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 ready to bottle
INGREDIENTS
- Unfiltered Apple Juice: Feeling nostalgic? Because if there’s an ingredient that puts us in the feels, it’s classic apple juice like this. Find your bottle at your local grocer.
- Cinnamon Sticks: The original flavor of Fall (sorry, Pumpkin Spice), a few of these are used to give us the cinnamon flavor in our apple cider and kombucha that we love.
- Candied Ginger: These sweet and spicy morsels not only infuse a great flavor, but the sugar also helps build up carbonation during secondary fermentation. Not sure where to find candied ginger? You can find it here – candy ginger.
- Whole Cloves: A surprisingly inexpensive ingredient, whole cloves bring the apple cider ingredients together, and these can be found typically at your local grocer.
- Kombucha From A Finished Primary Fermentation: As we begin our secondary fermentation process, the most vital ingredient of all is your fresh ‘booch.
SECONDARY FERMENTATION PREPARATION
This recipe makes 7 16 ounce bottles of kombucha. 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.
Crystallized Candied Ginger 7oz
Organic Dried Elderberries
Lavender Petals, Organic – 2 oz
Organic Dried Rose Hips – 4 oz
Fall Kombucha Recipe: Apple Spice Kombucha
Course: Holidays, Kombucha, Kombucha Recipes, Apple Spice, Apple CiderCuisine: KombuchaDifficulty: Easy
7
Bottle(s)
15
minutes
2-10 Days
This Apple Spice Kombucha recipe is for 7 16 fluid ounce bottles as this recipe walks us through making the hot, fresh apple cider used for our secondary fermentation. Some of our favorite seasonal flavors combine to make one of our favorite Kombucha recipes.
Ingredients
-
3 Cups Unfiltered Apple Juice
-
3 Sticks Cinnamon
-
1-2 TBSP Candied Ginger
-
2 TSP Whole Cloves
-
1 Gallon Kombucha From A Finished Primary Fermentation
- SUPPLIES
-
1 Sauce Pot
-
1 Funnel
-
7 16 oz Kombucha Bottles
Directions
- First, we will make the concentrated hot apple cider. Add 3 cups of unfiltered apple juice, 3 cinnamon sticks, 1-2 tbsp candied ginger, and 2 teaspoons of whole cloves to a pot and let come to a rolling boil for about 2 minutes.
- Remove from stove and allow mixture to cool to room temperature. Once fully cooled, strain out the mixture to remove the cinnamon sticks, cloves, and what’s left of the candied ginger if any.
- Using a funnel, distribute the apple cider evenly to each of the bottles. This step is best done over the sink. There should be about 3-4 ounces of liquid in the bottom of each bottle.
- Using a funnel again, slowly pour Kombucha from your brew jar into the bottles, ensuring there is about one inch of headspace left from the top of each bottle. The kombucha may foam up as you pour so be sure to pour carefully.
- Tightly place caps on each bottle.
- Keep your bottles at room temperature for 2-10 days depending on temperature.
- Once per day, “burp” the bottles by removing the cap to allow built up pressure to escape and place the cap back on. The carbonation and pressure will rebuild so do not worry about it going flat. Do not forget this step each day as if you do, that Booch is going to spray all over you and your kitchen upon opening!
- When happy with the flavor and fizziness of your brew (2-10 days at proper temperature), place your bottles in your fridge to chill and halt the fermentation.
- Enjoy your Brew-tiful creation by the glass or use it in some of your favorite holiday foods as a dressing, cocktail ingredient, etc!
Notes
- Notes: First-time brewers may find it helpful to substitute a glass bottle for a plastic bottle of equal size. Fill the plastic bottle as directed above, leaving 1-2 inches of empty headspace at the top. This plastic bottle will now be used as a pressure gauge. Once this bottle becomes rock solid, you will know the remaining are ready. This method can help prevent bottle bombs.
I made the Apple Spice Kombucha for a couple of batches. Everyone just loved it. GREAT Recipe! Thanks for posting and keep em coming!
Thank you Rob! So glad you enjoyed it!
What is the cup size? for 3 cups apple cider vinegar
Hi Manil, This recipe calls for 3 cups (24 fl oz) of apple cider, not be be confused with apple cider vinegar. These 3 cups get distributed throughout the bottles for a full gallon’s worth. If you are just wanting to try a small bottle, try using 3-4 fl oz of apple cider per 16 fl oz bottles.