Second Fermentation = Ginger Booch

Want to take Kombucha to the next level? – Of course you do! Add some fruit juice to a few air-tight, glass containers (along with your first ferment kombucha), wait three days (give or take a day) and you're on your way to bubbly success! That's right, adding more sugar to the already slightly-fizzy first ferment will win you the most tasty carbonated treat of yo life!!

Your welcome. 

My favorite so far has been ginger booch! I tried a few different methods to find my favorite outcome:

1. Ginger Simple Syrup
2. Just Ginger
3. and A Combination of the two

#3 proved to be our favorite! It had the perfect balance of sweet and spicy.

Ginger Simple Syrup (compliments of Martha)

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 piece fresh ginger (about 10 inches long and 4 ounces; or use several small pieces)

How to: Ginger Simple Syrup

1. Slice ginger into very thin rounds.
2. Bring water and sugar to a boil (stirring to dissolve sugar).
3. Add ginger.
4. Bring to a simmer.
5. Remove from heat.
6. Let sit, covered, for 30 minutes.
7. Strain the ginger.

This syrup will last in your fridge for up to one month! (A good thing to know if you want to prep this step before your first ferment is ready.)

I added the leftover ginger rounds to my bottles to get even more flavor out of them! But of course you can just toss them.

Here's another ginger kombucha recipe if you want to make it without the added sugar.

Once your first ferment kombucha is ready for it's second fermentation:

1. Wash your hands!
2. Place SCOBY mama in a clean dish (I like to put a large lid over the dish to keep any miscreant bugs from touching her).
3. Pour kombucha through a fine-mesh strainer, into a large easy-pour container (a large blender attachment works well)
4. **Portion out 1/2 cup of the liquid for your next "first fermentation" (DON'T MISS THIS STEP!!)
5. Using a funnel, add equal portions of fruit juice (in this case, ginger syrup) to the six glass bottles
6. If desired, add loose fruit (ginger slices) to the bottles
7. Using the funnel again, pour equal portions of your first ferment kombucha to the bottles
8. Close air-tight lids
9. Put in a warm dark place – away from any other fermented goods
10. Check in 3 days for carbonation
11. Refrigerate
12. Start your next first ferment process
13. Repeat!

Happy Batching!