Rosella (Hibiscus) Kombucha is a delicious drink that produces a lovely deep crimson colour and an interesting, yet distinct tart flavour.
Rosella (Hibiscus) Kombucha
If you haven’t heard of kombucha, it is a probiotic, fermented tea that is tangy, yet sweet. This drink can be fermented with fruit or juice to make a lovely flavoured fizzy drink or it can be drunk plain. Ginger Kombucha is a delicious flavour as is this Rosella or Hibiscus Kombucha.
Making Kombucha
To make Kombucha you will need a large glass or ceramic jar as well as a scoby and starter tea. A scoby (Symbiotic Culture of Yeast and Bacteria) can be purchased from places online, though you may know of people that already make their own Kombucha who are able to give you a scoby and some starter tea. You could also try to make your own from a plain, pre-made bottle of Kombucha that you can purchase from a health food store. I have never tried this method, so can’t say if this works well or not.
Just a Few Notes before you Start:
- If you live in a cooler climate, you can stick a thermometer strip to the jar. During cold weather months, wrap heat mat around jar. 78-80 degrees. If it gets too warm, loosen the mat.
- The warmer the air temperature, the faster the kombucha will ferment. The longer the tea ferments, the more sugar molecules will be eaten up, the less sweet it will be.
- Scoby will grow with each fermentation process and can be divided to share or ferment more at a time.
- No metal should come in contact with Kombucha or scoby. Use a metal spoon, use a plastic or wood spoon to sample.
- Use glass and plastic jars, measuring cups, and utensils. Wood spoons are ok.
- Kombucha needs 10-16 days for first ferment depending on weather/temperature. A dark area is perfect for kombucha brewing and should have an outlet nearby for the heat mat (if needed). Kombucha will change from a sweet odour and taste to a more vinegar/tangy based as it ferments.
- The second ferment is where the flavours are added and individual bottles are filled. These will sit on the counter for 3-5 days before putting in the refridgerator.
First Fermentation
Usually, fruit and juices are added at the second fermentation stage, though with Hibiscus, it can be used as part of a the fermentation as well. If using as a first fermentation, I suggest you keep it separate from your normal kombucha, having two going at the same time.
To make rosella kombucha in the first fermentation, simply replace the black or green tea with dried hibiscus flowers, steeping them in the hot water to extract their flavour. You could replace all the tea with hibiscus flowers or you could use a mixture of black / green tea and hibiscus flowers.
Then run the first fermentation like you usually would, allowing it to brew for around 6 – 10 days until it reaches the flavour you like. Then you can bottle up the rosella kombucha, using different flavours in the second fermentation or just plain.
Note 1 – After using this hibiscus kombucha as a first fermentation a few times, you will notice that your hibiscus kombucha starts to decline, taking longer to brew or not fermenting very well. To reinvigorate the Scoby, do one batch of black or green tea and starter tea.
Note 2 – You will also notice that your Scoby may change to bright pink in colour. This is another reason to have two different batches of Kombucha running at the same time. You can always add rosella or hibiscus to the second fermentation. It tastes just as great.
Second Fermentation
To make Rosella Kombucha using the second fermentation, make a batch of kombucha as you usually do. When your kombucha is ready to bottle up leaving 1 – 2 inches at the top of your bottles. Add 3-4 teaspoons dried hibiscus flowers to each bottle – and any other flavours you want to add – then seal the bottles and ferment as usual – 3 to 5 days. If you leave it too longer, it will have a more vinegary taste, though the longer you leave it, the more fizz it will have and the more alcohol content it can have. If you are feeding it to children, don’t leave it more than 3 days. If you want a stronger flavour, then add more dried hibsicus. When ready, chill in the fridge before serving.
Rosella Kombucha Flavours
Rosella works well with quite a few flavours including:
- Rose petals
- Berries – such as blueberry and raspberry
- Ginger
- Citrus – such as blood orange
More Kombucha Recipes
Delicious Rosella (Hibiscus) Kombucha
Ingredients
Rosella (Hibiscus) Kombucha ~ First Fermentation
- 16 fresh hibiscus flowers, de-seeded or dried hibiscus
- Scoby with 200ml of starter tea
- 1/2 cup organic raw sugar
- 1.8 L filtered water
Plain Kombucha with Rosella as Second Fermentation
- Scoby with 200ml of starter tea
- 6 bags organic black tea or 3 organic black and 3 organic green tea bags
- 1/2 cup organic raw sugar
- 1.8 L filtered water
Instructions
Plain Kombucha
- Gather your supplies which include tea bags, sugar, pan to heat water, large glass jar, coffee filter, and cheesecloth.
- Wash your glass jar and cure with white vinegar (rinse). Rinse hands with vinegar as well as the Scoby must be handled with clean hands.
- You will need to boil 1.8 litres of water in a kettle or on the stove. Once boiled, place this water into heatproof jar.
- Place 6 tea bags in the hot water and allow to steep for about 15 minutes.
- Remove the tea bags and add the sugar. Stir, with a wooden spoon, to dissolve the sugar in the tea. Allow tea to cool to room temperature before going onto the next step.
- Pour tea into your kombucha jar. Place scoby, scoby starter tea, into jar as well. Cover jar with cone shaped coffee filter and wrap in cheesecloth. Wrap a large rubber band around filter if desired.
- Place bottle in a dark, still place where the temperature stays around 70-75˚F or 21-24˚C. Start tasting the tea on day 6 to decide if the kombucha is tangy enough. It should be mildly sweet and slightly vinegary. Remember, don't use a metal spoon, use a plastic or wood spoon to sample.
- When the kombucha is to your desired taste, prep your bottles for the 2nd fermentation by rinsing each 16 oz bottle with white vinegar. You could also stop here, bottle the kombucha and drink it plain.
Rosella (Hibiscus) Flavouring ~ Second Fermentation
- Wash, dry and deseed rosella and break up the flowers if using fresh flowers. You could also use dried flowers. Divide rosella among the bottles you have prepared for the 2nd fermentation - about 3 - 4 teaspoons to each bottle. Add other flavours if you are using.
- Remove the scoby with clean, vinegar rinsed hands and place in a bowl with 200 ml of kombucha tea. This scoby and reserved tea can be used to start your next batch of kombucha.
- Pour kombucha tea into each jar using a plastic funnel. Do not fill over, leave about 1 - 2 inches at the top of the bottles. During the 2nd ferment, you'll burp the bottles daily. Slowly uncap and allow air to escape the bottles. Place bottles in the refridgerator after 3-5 days. If you leave it too longer, it will have a more vinegary taste, though the longer you leave it, the more fizz it will have and the more alcohol content it can have. If you are feeding it to children, don't leave it more than 3 days. If you want a stronger flavour, then add more dried hibsicus. When ready, chill in the fridge before serving.
- A small scoby may develop in each bottle and this is completely normal. If desired, strain kombucha into a glass before drinking. Use a plastic strainer.
Rosella (Hibiscus) Kombucha ~ First Fermentation
- Usually, fruit and juices are added at the second fermentation stage, though with Hibiscus, it can be used as part of a the fermentation as well. If using as a first fermentation, I suggest you keep it separate from your normal kombucha, having two going at the same time.
- Gather your supplies which include hibsicus / tea bags, sugar, pan to heat water, large glass jar, coffee filter, and cheesecloth.
- Wash your glass jar and cure with white vinegar (rinse). Rinse hands with vinegar as well as the Scoby must be handled with clean hands.
- You will need to boil 1.8 litres of water in a kettle or on the stove. Once boiled, place this water into heatproof jar.
- Add the sugar to the water. Stir, with a wooden spoon, to dissolve the sugar in the tea.
- Place 16 rosella flowers that have been deseeded or for a mixture, try 8 rosella flowers and 3 tea bags in the hot water and allow to steep for about 15 minutes.
- Remove the tea bags and rosella flowers and allow the tea to cool to room temperature before going onto the next step.
- Then run the first fermentation like you usually would, allowing it to brew for around 6 - 10 days until it reaches the flavour you like. Then you can bottle up the rosella kombucha, using different flavours in the second fermentation or just plain.
Notes
- If you live in a cooler climate, you can stick a thermometer strip to the jar. During cold weather months, wrap heat mat around jar - 80˚F or 27˚C. If it gets too warm, loosen the mat.
- The warmer the air temperature, the faster the kombucha will ferment. The longer the tea ferments, the more sugar molecules will be eaten up, the less sweet it will be.
- Scoby will grow with each fermentation process and can be divided to share or ferment more at a time.
- No metal should come in contact with Kombucha or scoby. Use a plastic or wood spoon to sample.
- Use glass and plastic jars, measuring cups, and utensils. Wooden spoons are ok.
- Kombucha needs 10-16 days for first ferment depending on weather/temperature. A dark area is perfect for kombucha brewing and should have an outlet nearby for the heat mat (if needed). Kombucha will change from a sweet odour and taste to a more vinegar/tangy based as it ferments.
- The second ferment is where the flavours are added and individual bottles are filled. These will sit on the counter for 3-5 days before putting in the refrigerator.
- After using this hibiscus kombucha as a first fermentation a few times, you will notice that your hibiscus kombucha starts to decline, taking longer to brew or not fermenting very well. To reinvigorate the Scoby, do one batch of black or green tea and starter tea.
- You will also notice that your Scoby may change to bright pink in colour. This is another reason to have two different batches of Kombucha running at the same time. You can always add rosella or hibiscus to the second fermentation. It tastes just as great.
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