This refreshing Lemon Kombucha is the perfect thirst quencher! It is sweet, tart, and bubbly.
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Are you a kombucha lover like me? If you are you'll be happy to know it's super easy to make your own.
It's totally worth taking the time to make it. You can customize it to your liking and save a lot of money in the process!
If lemonade and kombucha had a baby, this Lemon Kombucha would be the result.
It is sweet and refreshing. This is the drink you're going to want to have around for summer!
Other refreshing kombucha recipes are my Lemon Cayenne Kombucha recipe, Kombucha with Lemon and Lime Juice, and my Lime Kombucha Recipe.
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❤️ Why You'll Love It
- It's cheaper than store-bought kombucha and you can control the amount of sweetness.
- It is a great alternative to lemonade in spring and summer.
- It's light and refreshing.
Two Types of Fermentation
To make homemade kombucha, you start with the first 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.
To make Lemon Kombucha, you will be making a second fermentation.
The second fermentation involves taking that kombucha you made in the first fermentation and adding flavor. You let it ferment for another 3-5 days in sealed bottles. The result is a fizzy-flavored drink.
You can ferment even longer, if needed, letting the kombucha ferment 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
- Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice is best. I do not recommend store-bought lemon juice. Lemon juice also tastes great in my Lemon Ginger Mojito.
- Maple syrup: I like maple syrup for the sweet maple flavor. You could also use agave syrup or simple syrup made with brown sugar or white sugar.
- Kombucha: You'll need freshly made homemade kombucha that has not been refrigerated.
To see the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
🔪 Instructions
Step 1: Pour ¼ cup lemon juice into each 25 ounce bottle.
Step 2: Pour ¼ cup maple syrup into each bottle.
Step 3: Pour your homemade kombucha into the bottles, leaving 1-2" head space. Let sit 3-5 days in a dark place.
Step 4: Pop open the lids at least once a day. Pressure builds, and this allows it to escape. Taste each day to test its flavor and fizziness. For this recipe I let mine ferment for 5 days.
🎥 Video
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.
💭 Tips
- Use bottles with swing-top lids! Mason jars and store-bought kombucha bottles that have the seal broken won't hold carbonation.
- You can substitute the maple syrup with agave syrup, brown sugar, white sugar, or another sweetener.
- Refrigerate after the kombucha is done fermenting.
👩🏻🍳 Recipe FAQs
Yes! If you don't you could have a mess. By adding sugar to the homemade kombucha and fermenting it 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.
5 Secrets To Making Kombucha
Kombucha just got easier!
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🌟Need a new kombucha scoby? I love to buy my scobys from Fermentaholics. They're inexpensive and my kombucha comes out great every time.
🥃 Other Kombucha Recipes
If you tried this Lemon Kombucha Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and let me know how you like it in the 💬 comments below. I love hearing from you!
📋 Recipe
Lemon Kombucha
Equipment
- 4 (25 ounce) bottles with flip top lids or other air tight bottles
- Measuring cup
Ingredients
- 12 cups homemade kombucha
- 1 cup lemon juice
- 1 cup maple syrup
Instructions
- Line up 4 (25 ounce) bottles with flip top lids or other air tight bottles.
- Pour ¼ cup lemon juice 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 (or a few times a 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.
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Nutrition
*Note: Nutrition information should be considered an estimate only. Different nutrition calculators give you different results.
Casey says
This recipe is seriously tasty. Do you know what the measurements would be to substitute white sugar for the maple syrup? I brew my own kombucha to save money, so it's hard to swallow the expensive of maple syrup!
Willow Moon says
I haven't tried it. You could try equal amounts or a little less to start with. If you do try it, let me know what works!