Cherry kombucha with tarragon

Bring water (1.3 L) to a boil, remove from heat, and add hibiscus tea (10 g). Let it steep for 1 hour, then cool down.

Mix frozen cherries (200 g) with water (1 L), bring to a boil, cook for 30 seconds, and remove from heat. Blend the mixture with a blender, let it steep, and cool down to 30 °C.

Strain the hibiscus tea and cherry mixture into a common container. Ensure that the base temperature does not exceed 35 °C. Add sugar (160 g) and mix well with a whisk until dissolved.

Sugar is needed for fermenting the tea fungus. During fermentation, it is partially consumed but does not disappear completely. After fermentation, the drink may contain about 4-7 g of carbohydrates per 100 ml. For keto, drink in small portions of 50-100 ml and account for carbohydrates in your daily intake.

Pour the base into a clean jar. The liquid level should be in the widest part of the jar. Place the tea fungus (1 piece) with the brown side down and add a little brine from the fungus. Cover the jar with breathable fabric, secure it with a rubber band, and leave it at room temperature away from direct sunlight for 5-12 days.

After 5 days, taste the kombucha from the center of the jar using a straw. If the drink has become tart, pleasantly sour, and suits your taste, strain it and pour it into bottles with a swing top. Add fresh tarragon (10 g), close tightly, and leave at room temperature for 2 days for secondary fermentation.

Instead of bottles, you can remove the tea fungus, add tarragon directly into the jar, and let the drink sit for another day.

Before opening the bottle, first gently release the gas, then place the kombucha in the refrigerator. Store the drink in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. Transfer the tea fungus to a hotel for storage or use it for new fermentation.