This Coffee Kombucha combines two great drinks into one. It's the perfect pick-me-up for any time of the day!
This Coffee Kombucha is one of my favorite flavors, and will be in my repertoire for many brews to come. The combination of kombucha and coffee is truly delightful.
I used a secondary fermentation process for this recipe, which is a way to make a guaranteed batch of drinkable kombucha. I was going to try using coffee in the first fermentation instead of black tea, but after reading about all the things that could go wrong, I didn't want to chance it.
Coffee contains oils and is highly acidic, which is why it can be a disaster.
Other yummy coffee recipes are my Superfood Latte, Carbonated Iced Coffee recipe, and my Cold Brew Cacao Coffee.
Jump to:
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 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
This is an overview of the ingredients. To see the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Homemade kombucha: You'll need freshly made kombucha that has not been refrigerated yet.
- Coffee: I used cold brew coffee because that's what I drink daily. It is less acidic than other brews. You could also use freshly brewed coffee, just make sure to cool the hot coffee to room temperature.
- Maple syrup: Adds sweetness. You could also use agave syrup, simple syrup, or your favorite sweetener.
🥣 Supplies
- Funnel
- 4 (25 ounce) bottles with flip top lids
- Measuring cup
🔪 Instructions
Pour ¼ cup maple syrup and ¼ cup cold brew coffee into each bottle. Pour your homemade kombucha into the bottles, leaving 1-2" head space. Let sit 3-5 days at room temperature out of direct sunlight.
Pop open the lids at least once a day. Pressure builds, and this allows it to escape.
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 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.
💭 Tips
- I recommend using cold brew coffee for this recipe since it's a lot less acidic. I pretty much only drink cold brew coffee, so I didn't even try this with regular coffee.
- Only use bottles with swing top lids! Mason jars and store-bought kombucha bottles that have the seal broken won't hold carbonation.
- Refrigerate after the kombucha is done fermenting.
👩🏻🍳 FAQs
Since this coffee kombucha recipe is a second fermentation, it is not only foolproof, but it tastes delicious. It has the tart flavor of kombucha combined with bold coffee flavor, and the sweetness of maple syrup.
5 Secrets To Making Kombucha
Kombucha just got easier!
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.
🥃 Other Kombucha Recipes
*Don't forget to come back and leave your feedback and star rating.
📋 Recipe
Coffee Kombucha
Equipment
- 4 (25 ounce) bottles with flip top lids or other air tight bottles
- Funnel
- Measuring cup
Ingredients
- 12 cups homemade kombucha
- 1 cup maple syrup
- 1 cup cold brew coffee
Instructions
- Line up 4 (25 ounce) bottles with flip top lids or other air tight bottles.
- Pour ¼ cup cold brew coffee and ¼ cup maple syrup into each 25 ounce bottle.
- Using a funnel, pour freshly made homemade kombucha into each 25 ounce bottle leaving 1-2" head space.
- Let bottles sit out (at 75° - 85°) 3-5 days, making sure to pop the lids each day to let out the pressure of the carbon dioxide. Taste each day to test its flavor and fizziness.
- Refrigerate when you are happy with the amount of fizz and flavor.
Nutrition
*Note: Nutrition information should be considered an estimate only. Different nutrition calculators give you different results.
**Important! If you are gluten free you may want to avoid coffee altogether. I personally have never had a problem drinking it, and I have a gluten intolerance. It is probably because I drink whole bean organic coffee, and grind it myself. I learned that it can be problematic for people who don't tolerate gluten. So I did some research and one article mentioned to try organic whole bean coffee because it isn't highly processed causing cross-reactivity issues. So please do the research yourself, and test it out. I try to only post recipes that are 100% gluten free since I have a gluten intolerance. I am really careful about avoiding gluten in my daily life.
Deborah says
Am definitely going to try this! Just a comment though, I've always used half gallon mason jars for my kombucha forever and get a beautifully fizzy end product!