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Kom-nom-nom-bucha

I am hooked guys. Kombucha just may be the best thing that I have discovered so far this year. The health benefits… the bubbly fizziness… the unlimited number of flavours that I seem to be able to make… the goodness just never ends!


So this morning, just imagine my delight when I found a website that has a LOT of yummy-sounding kombucha recipes! I am planning try just about all of them, but I think I am starting with this one – mulled wine kombucha!


According to the reviews of this recipe, it resembles something called glühwein. Glühwein comes from Germany, and is a hot red wine mulled with winter spices, like cinnamon, cloves and citrus. Basically, it sounds like bliss. Mixing what sounds like one of my favourite flavour profiles with kombucha’s wonderful effervescence just sounds like something that I absolutely must try.


The process for making this is slightly different than making your average batch of kombucha though. For this Glühwein Kombucha, you actually simmer down the wine and spices to form a syrup which will be used to flavour the kombucha. You basically add it when you are moving your batch of kombucha into second fermentation and then leave it for 3 to 10 days, depending on how fizzy you would like it to be.


It’s really easy to make the syrup too! Just add the wine, sugar and spices to a small saucepan over medium/high heat. Let simmer, uncovered, until mixture has halved in volume (finished mixture should be about ¾ cup). Let the syrup cool to room temperature (speed this up by setting the pot in a sink full of cold water). It’s that easy!


To bottle this wonderful concoction, evenly distribute the syrup and orange juice into your fermentation bottles. Pour in the kombucha, leaving 1 – 2” free at the top. Leave it on the counter at room temperature for 3 to 10 days, until it reaches the carbonation level you like, then pop it in the fridge for a few hours to thoroughly chill before serving.


Now that the pandemic is starting to be brought under control and the world is opening up again, I would love to have a few friends over for a socially distanced and enjoy a pitcher of this drink! Who wants in?


Glühwein Kombucha:

· ½ gallon kombucha from a first fermentation (unflavoured)

· 1½ cups red wine (any cheap red table wine is perfect for glühwein)

· ½ cup sugar

· 5 whole cloves

· 1 to 2 cinnamon sticks

· ¼ cup orange juice, divided


1) Make the syrup: add the wine, sugar, cinnamon and cloves to a small saucepan over medium heat. Let simmer, uncovered, until mixture has halved in volume (about 45 minutes). The finished mixture should measure out to be about ¾ cup. Let the syrup cool to room temperature (speed this up by setting the pan in a sink full of cold water). Strain cinnamon and cloves from the syrup

2) Add the syrup and orange juice to your fermentation bottles. For every 2 cups of kombucha, use 2 tbsp. of syrup and 1 tbsp. of orange juice (you may not use all of the syrup). Pour in your kombucha which has finished its first fermentation stage, leaving 1 – 2” free at the top

3) For 3 to 10 days, until it reaches the carbonation level you like

4) Chill in the fridge before serving, optionally straining out any fibres that remain






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