Sage Kombucha
Sage kombucha is brewed with sage tea infusion in the second fermentation and is very aromatic due to the essential oils present in sage leaves.
If you grew up in Europe, sage might remind you of the sweet and aromatic candy typically sucked on to mend a sore throat. This sage kombucha brings out those memories.
Sage has an earthy and, to some, slightly bitter flavor, which is not notable in this brew as the bitterness is balanced with sugar or honey in the 2nd fermentation. Sage kombucha has a lovely rich amber color, similar to most regular pils beers.
A fun fact about sage is that the name “sage” comes from the Latin word “salvia,” which means “to heal.” Read more about its health properties here.
Using herbal teas for flavoring kombucha is convenient as dried herbs can be used throughout the year, although the tea can also be made using fresh herbs.
This is a recipe for flavoring kombucha with sage tea in the second fermentation. You’ll need a batch of kombucha from the first fermentation. To read more about this process, and to learn more about the procedure of brewing kombucha, see our post on Brewing Kombucha 101.
Table of Contents
Equipment to brew kombucha at home
- Brewing vessel – You’ll need a glass jar, preferably with a wide mouth. Plastic can leach chemicals into the tea and harm the SCOBY. Opt for a 4-liter (one gallon) large jar. It’s useful for the jar to have a spigot, but it needs to be made from stainless steel, or plastic.
- Plastic fine mesh strainer – This will help to strain the tea and SCOBY in the bottling process.
- Breathable cloth – You need to cover the jar during fermentation to keep flies and dust from getting in. Cotton or muslin cloth both work well.
- Rubber band – To secure the cloth to the jar.
- Bottles – For storing the flavored kombucha. You should look for glass bottles with swing caps, that are specifically made for brewing beer, kombucha, and other fermented drinks. Avoid decorative glass bottles with swing caps that are not meant to hold carbonated and fermented drinks, as they are made from thin glass, that can explode once you’ve bottled kombucha, especially ginger kombucha which is extra fizzy.
- Thermometer – To check the temperature of the tea for kombucha.
- Funnel – For transferring the tea to bottles.
- Wooden or plastic ladle – For stirring the tea.
How to make sage kombucha at home
Sage tea recipe
Bring 1 liter of water to a boil and add 20 grams of fresh or 30 grams of dried sage leaves. Sage stalks contain tannins, which have a stronger flavor. If you prefer a milder sage flavour use only leaves.
Turn the heat down, cover with a lid, and let infuse for anywhere between 30 minutes and 2 hours.
Sweeten with 40 grams of sugar or honey. Less will work as well, just not that will result in a more sour kombucha. Mix well until the sugar has dissolved.
Sage kombucha recipe
Once sweetened, add 1 liter of cold water to get the temperature to 30 degrees. Pour over 1 liter (or one quart) of kombucha from the first fermentation.
Transfer the mixture into swing-top bottles suitable for fermented beverages, such as beer. Store the bottles in a dark environment.
Bubbly sage kombucha should be ready within a span of 3 to 5 days.
Remember to release excess air daily by burping the bottles. Once you are happy with the flavor and carbonation, refrigerate to slow down the fermentation process.
Recipe alterations
- Speed up the fermentation process by using a larger quantity of kombucha from the first fermentation batch.
- Use other herbal tea, although some like mint might be more challenging to ferment – consider adding a slice or two of ginger to it to support fermentation.
- Sage and orange are a wonderful combination. But this is a very active brew, so please make sure to burp and release the gas daily.
How to store kombucha
Kombucha cannot go bad. It can however turn into vinegar. Therefore we recommend keeping it in the fridge for up to a week as it will continue fermenting in the fridge. It might become too sore after that. If that happens, there is no need to throw it away. Use it to make a new batch of kombucha or leave it to completely form into vinegar. Use the vinegar in salad dressings or for cleaning.
More kombucha recipes
- Brewing kombucha 101
- Ginger kombucha
- Apple kombucha (with fresh apples and apple juice)
- How to make jun tea kombucha (with kombucha SCOBY)
- Lavender and blueberry jam jun kombucha
Did you make this recipe? Let us know what you think. Leave us a comment and rate it by clicking the stars below – it really helps us out!
Happy cooking, and thank you for stopping by!
Sage kombucha
Equipment
- 1 Bottles with swing caps meant for fermentation
- 1 Rubber band
- 1 Thermometer
- 1 Funnel
- 1 Large spoon
Ingredients
- 1 liter kombucha from first fermentation brew
- 40 grams sugar or honey
- 20 grams fresh sage leaves
Instructions
Sage tea
- Bring 1 liter of water to a boil and add 20 grams of fresh or 30 grams of dried sage leaves. Sage stalks contain tannins, which have a stronger flavor. If you prefer a milder sage flavour use only leaves.
- Turn the heat down, cover with a lid, and let infuse for anywhere between 30 minutes and 2 hours.
- Sweeten with 40 grams of sugar or honey. Less will work as well, just note that it will result in a more sour kombucha. Mix well until the sugar has dissolved.
Sage kombucha
- Once sweetened, add 1 liter of cold water to get the temperature to 30 degrees.
- Once cooled down, pour over 1 liter (or one quart) of kombucha from the first fermentation.
- Sterilize the bottles with white vinegar.
- Transfer the mixture into swing-top bottles suitable for fermented beverages, such as beer.
- Store the bottles in a dark environment.
- Bubbly sage kombucha should be ready within a span of 3 to 5 days.
- Release excess air daily by burping the bottles. Once you are happy with the flavor and carbonation, refrigerate to slow down the fermentation process.
Notes
- Speed up the fermentation process by using a larger quantity of kombucha from the first fermentation batch.
- Use other herbal tea, although some like mint might be more challenging to ferment – consider adding a slice or two of ginger to it to support fermentation.
- Sage and orange are a wonderful combination. But this is a very active brew, so please make sure to burp and release the gas daily.
- Keep it in the fridge for up to a week, as it will continue fermenting in the fridge.
How would a person know which probiotics are in the kombucha?
Would a lab be able to tell us this?
Hi Dee, What a great question! Not sure if you are asking about which probiotics are in kombucha in general, or in a particular brand or home-brewed kombucha. For a general overview of the types of probiotic strands commonly found in kombucha, This article has a useful overview. If you want to know what probiotics are in the kombucha you brew, a lab might be your best bet – but we don’t have any experience with that. Please keep us posted if you decide to get lab analysis.
I had so much fun creating this recipe and sharing it with you! I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I do. If you do, I’d love to hear your thoughts – please leave a comment and a star rating to let me know how it turned out! Your feedback not only makes my day but also helps other readers decide if they want to make it too. Happy fermenting!