Blueberry Mojito Kombucha
Say hello to my very first batch of homemade kombucha!
That makes me like a bonafide hippie now, right?
Next thing you know, I’ll be living in a yurt in the woods, foraging for wild plants to eat.
Okay no, that would never happen. I’m way too impatient for wildcrafting. My luck I would go out into the woods in a hangry rage, pick the wrong plant and end up like the guy in the movie, Into the Wild.
But the yurt part, I could get down with. Especially if it was in Hawaii.
Cold Blueberry Mojito Kombucha + beautiful Hawaiian beach = happy Sarah.
In case some of you are new to kombucha, it’s basically just a naturally bubbly drink that’s full of gut-friendly probiotics. Read: a delicious and healthy alternative to soda. :)
Brewing your own at home is actually incredibly easy and, if you’ve formed an addiction to the store-bought varieties such as Brandon and myself, then making your own can also save you quite a bit of money. I’ve been wanting to try it pretty much ever since I laid eyes on Julia’s book Delicious Probiotic Drinks. There are so many wonderful recipes in her book and she breaks down the entire process for you!
Now finding a SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) might seem difficult at first but you can actually buy them online and have them shipped right to you. I was nervous that it wouldn’t survive the shipping process so I went to a place in Berkeley that sells these starter kits but apparently I could have saved myself the trip because it came sealed in a plastic baggy that they had shipped to them. #rookiefail
Anyways, making your own buch is a lot of fun, especially because you are able to experiment with whatever flavors you want. I chose a blueberry mint combo to start and it turned out to be really light and refreshing, not to mention pretty.
With that I hope I can inspire a few of you to give kombucha a try! And if you want to try brewing your own, don’t be afraid to buy your SCOBY online. :)
Cheers to healthy guts!
Blueberry Mojito Kombucha
Yield: 64 ounces
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 64 ounces kombucha
- 3/4 fresh blueberries
- 1/3 cup organic sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint (about 15 leaves)
- squeeze of fresh lime juice
- fresh blueberries, mint and lime wedges for garnish
Directions:
Combine the sugar, blueberries, water and mint in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Use a fork to smash the blueberries then reduce the heat and continue to gently boil for another 5 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. You can speed up this process by transferring it to a bowl or a glass and placing in the refrigerator.
Next combine the blueberry mixture with the 64 ounces of kombucha in a large jar or container and stir together. Pour it into separate kombucha bottles, distributing the pulp evenly amongst each. Tightly seal the bottles and place in a dark, warm place for 2-4 days to allow it to go through a secondary fermentation.
Refrigerate at least 24 hours before you’re ready to drink. If you like it to have a good amount of carbonation, wait at least one week before drinking. It gets fizzier the longer you wait!
When ready to drink, use a fine mesh strainer to strain out the pulp and the newly formed SCOBY. Pour into separate glasses with ice, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, fresh blueberries and fresh mint, then enjoy!
Method adapted from Delicious Probiotic Drinks
Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #makingthymeforhealth. I love hearing your feedback! 
i have never tried or fully understood what kombucha was, but this homemade version looks tasty and sounds less intimidating than the store bought bottled ones! Love the color of this :)
YUUUUUUUHS!! It looks sooooo good! I love this zesty blueberry mint combo and now I’m wishing I had a batch ready to drink right now! I’d say we’re officially in the hippy yurt with all the good bacteria our guts could possibly need ;) Thanks so much for the shout out, my love!
Mmmm Blueberry and mint is the best combo! These look so great, and the photos and food styling are stunning! I’ve never tried Kombucha before, but I’ve really wanted to for a while now, so I’ll have to get some to try in this :)
Yay, Sarah — you did it!! I need to make my second batch of buch — the first turned out great. So curious about the 1/3 c. up of sugar — I feel like most recipes use 1 cup. I’m always wanting to reduce my sugar intake… how long did you let it ferment for?
Btw, this photos are just perfect.
Thanks Hillary! :)
I used 1/3 cup for the second fermentation because it was only 1/2 gallon of kombucha but from what I’ve read the SCOBY eats most of the sugar and turns it into good bacteria so you’re not necessarily consuming all of it.
Also, I let the second batch ferment for 3 more days and then refrigerated for one day before drinking. :)
Yes, definitely agree with the scoby “eating” the sugar… I must not have read that you did a 2nd ferment. I heard this is what creates the fizz.
I did a single ferment for 9 days and it turned out great.
Have you thought about installing a plug-in so we know when you reply to comments? :) xo
It wasn’t as fizzy as I would have liked but I think it’s because I let the first ferment sit for too long (almost 3 weeks) before I started the second. Next time I will start the second after 7-10 days, when it’s still a little sweet. And I need to get better kombucha bottles too. I used mason jars this time.
I thought I did have a plugin installed called comment reply notification but it must not be working. I’ll have to check on that- thanks for letting me know! xo
Okay, so I just drank another one from this batch today and it was much more fizzy! I guess I just needed to let it sit a little longer. :)
I would love to start making my own kombucha!!
We brewed our own kombucha last fall and it was actually pretty fun! Honestly, we just couldn’t drink it fast enough! We just drank ours plain but I love the idea of making it into a mojito!
I know, it does make a lot!
Not gonna lie, I’ve always been super skeptical of kombucha. You’re the first person who’s made me even pause and wonder if I’d want to try it. If all it is is fizzy yummy juice then maybe I’m just totally paranoid and overreacting. Your pics make it look a lot less scary than what’s in my mind haha.
I’d recommend trying Synergy’s Gingerberry flavor to see how you like it. They usually sell it at health food stores or Whole Foods but I think Target started carrying it recently too. Anyway, that’s my favorite flavor and most people seem to like it. It’s really refreshing served over ice! :)
You’re a total hippie now ;) I have heard that making your own is super easy but I haven’t done it yet…I need to make sure Miguel likes it first or else I’ll be stuck drinking butt loads of it on my own.
Ya, it would be WAY too much for one person. Although you could always try doing a small batch of it to start. :)
First of all, gorgeous! Second of all, YUM :)
Beyond impressed. The SCOBY is a little scary to me, but of course, you’ve used it in style! :) LOVE the sound of this!
let us know when you start foraging in the wild for ramps and shrooms, then we’ll officially induct you into the hippie hall of fame :). I cannot think of a more delicious combination for your first kombucha Sarah and your photos are just stunning. I want this fizzy mojito right now; it’s hot out there today! (that’s not a complaint though :).
Haha, yes I will keep you updated! :)
And I know, the heat was brutal today! I was ready for warmer weather but it went from one extreme to the other. Hopefully it cools off just a leeeetle bit.
I’m not a big soda drinker, but I LOVE flavored, sparkling waters. I’ve never had kombucha before, and now I definitely know I need to try it, not only for the effervescence, but because these are so darn gorgeous!
These are so pretty! I don’t really like kombucha – I think it’s just because I’m not a carbonation fan at all – but if you put one of these in front of me, I would give it a try girlfriend :)
This is my next step to Hippification! I’ll take it, Sarah! I’m inspired… I’ve always wondered how to make homemade kombucha! Now I know it’s this SCOBY stuff. And you’ve included my favorite summer sipper! Blueberry mint! Thank you for this my dear! :D
On this hot night I could SO go for one of these. Looks delicious, Sarah!
Oooo – yeah! My husband has developed this pricey habit so I’m definitely going to be trying this for him! Blackberry and basil sounds ah-mazing! (What store in Berkeley did you get the starter kit?)
I’ve been thinking about trying to brew my own kombucha (one of my friends does it and I figure worst case she can help!! haha). This sounds fantastic! And I love the photos – the lighting is so pretty!
Well helloooo ! I shall introduce this drink to all my alcohol loving friends ;)
These are beautiful!! And congrats on making your first batch of kombuch! I don’t think I could live in the woods either, haha! We staying in a yurt when we were in Hawaii and I really liked it! But I think 2 days was enough! Is Friday yet so I can making a batch of these?!
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Hey Sarah! I’m going to make this today and just want to clarify – that is 3/4 cup of blueberries, right? I assumed, just wanted to double check! :)
Yes! Thanks for catching that, Taylor! I hope you love it!!
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Been experimenting with kombucha for a lil bit now, and just getting into 2nd ferments. Thanks so much for the recipe. Making the berries now bc I have a big batch of kombucha ready to bottle. It’s so fun to use diff teas and play around w diff fruit flavors too. Did a batch of vanilla chai tea w apple juice and clove, soooo good!
That sounds amazing!
The first batch of this turned out AMAZEBALLS! I’m making another now. Next question, how to get blueberry splatters out of Lularoe lol mehhh
So glad you enjoyed it! :)
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