Chai Kombucha

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This Chai Kombucha combines warming chai spices and sweet tart kombucha in one bottle. Made with chai simple syrup, it's quite refreshing!

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This Chai Kombucha is spiced with just the right balance of chai spices. Made with chai tea-infused simple syrup, it couldn't be any easier!

It is sweet and refreshing. It is the ultimate drink for fall.

If you like the warming flavor of chai spice, try some Overnight Oats with Chai Spices or Chai Chia Pudding.

You could also make your own Chai Spice Mix to add to your favorite baked goods.

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❤️ Why You'll Love It
Two Types of Fermentation
What Makes Kombucha Fizzy?
🧾 Ingredients
🥣 Supplies
🔪 Instructions
Other Ways To Use Chai Simple Syrup
Should I Burp My Second Ferment Kombucha?
How Long Does It Take To Get Fizzy Kombucha?
👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe FAQs
🥃 Other Kombucha Recipes
📋 Recipe
💬 Comments

❤️ Why You'll Love It

It has the warming spices of chai.
It has the perfect balance of flavors.
It is sweet and refreshing.

Two Types of Fermentation

The first fermentation of kombucha is when you combine sweetened tea, a kombucha scoby, and some starter tea. You let it ferment for 7-21 days and the result is uncarbonated unflavored kombucha.

For the second fermentation, you remove the scoby and take that kombucha you made in the first fermentation, and add flavor. You let it ferment for another 3-5 days in sealed bottles. The result is a fizzy-flavored drink.

You can ferment the flavored kombucha for up to 14 days. It all depends on the amount of sugar content in the flavor you're adding, and the temperature of the room.

Warmer temperatures will cause faster fermentation, and higher sugar content will also speed up fermentation.

What Makes Kombucha Fizzy?

The second fermentation is when kombucha gets fizzy. By putting it into a sealed container at room temperature and adding a sugar source (fruit and/or sweetener), carbon dioxide builds.

🧾 Ingredients

Homemade Kombucha in two gallon-sized jars.

Chai tea bags: Add warming spices like cinnamon, cardamom, ground ginger, allspice, nutmeg, black pepper, and cloves. I used chai tea bags because this homemade chai syrup comes together quickly and easily. You could also use a homemade chai spice mix and your favorite sweetener.
Water: Adds the liquid component.
Dark brown sugar: I used brown sugar because I like the molasses flavor, but you could also use white sugar or light brown sugar.
Homemade kombucha: You'll need freshly made kombucha that has not been refrigerated yet.

To see the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

🥣 Supplies

Funnel
4 (25 ounce) bottles with flip-top lids
Measuring cup

🔪 Instructions

Chai Simple Syrup

Chai tea bag steeping in a saucepan with water.

Step 1: In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Turn off the heat and add tea bags.

Step 2: Add brown sugar. Heat on low heat for 1-2 minutes until sugar is dissolved.

Chai Kombucha

Chai simple syrup being poured into a funnel into bottle.

Step 3: Pour ½ cup chai simple syrup into each bottle.

Kombucha being poured into a funnel into bottle.

Step 4: Pour homemade kombucha into the bottles, leaving 1-2" head space.

Step 5: Pop open the lids at least once a day.

Other Ways To Use Chai Simple Syrup

Lemonade
Coffee
Tea
Pancakes or waffles
Sorbet or ice cream
Smoothie
Cocktails

Should I Burp My Second Ferment Kombucha?

Yes! If you don't you could have a mess. By adding sugar to the homemade kombucha and fermenting a second time in bottles with swing top lids, you're creating an environment for carbonation. If you don't allow it to escape, you'll have kombucha all over your kitchen.

How Long Does It Take To Get Fizzy Kombucha?

It can take anywhere from 1-14 days. It depends on a few things.

It depends on how much sugar you have in the kombucha. (Sugar in the form of fruit and/or sweetener.) The more sugar, the faster you'll get carbonation.
It also depends on the weather. Warmer temperature = faster carbonation. I've had bubbly kombucha after a day in summer months and bubbly kombucha after a week in colder months.

5 Secrets To Making Kombucha

Kombucha just got easier!

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👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe FAQs

Can I use chai for kombucha?

Chai flavors go really well with kombucha. For this chia kombucha recipe, I used chai simple syrup in the second fermentation to add the chai flavors.