Just bottled a very good batch!

[Yooper]

This was a small (1/2 gallon) batch, as I wanted to see how it came out before making a larger batch. It was just plain black tea, and it came out really good, with the right amount of zing.

But I wanted something more. I'm an anti-sugar nazi, so I didn't want to sweeten it. That makes it hard to decide what sort of flavoring to use. I saw on the forum here that someone used ginger without sweetening it, but I can't remember who! Anyway, I cold steeped some ginger and lemon zest during the last week, and then at bottling strained that out and added it to the kombucha. It came out perfectly!

I love ginger ale, but haven't had it since I gave up sugar a number of years ago. This is really close to the flavor of a ginger ale soda that I loved, and I'm excited about how this came out. Now I wish I would have made a lot more!

 

[ericbw]

Do you avoid juice as well? You just want it plain with zero added sugar?

I sometimes do a fruit tea that I add when the booch is fermented out. It's better with sugar, but even without it adds flavor and cuts the sour.

I can see how ginger and lemon zest would be good. Is it fizzy?

 

[Yooper]

Do you avoid juice as well? You just want it plain with zero added sugar?

I sometimes do a fruit tea that I add when the booch is fermented out. It's better with sugar, but even without it adds flavor and cuts the sour.

I can see how ginger and lemon zest would be good. Is it fizzy?

Yes, I avoid fruit juice. I do eat some fruit, but never fruit juice. I eat whole foods, like fruits, but never juice them.

Yes, I made it fizzy, and it's nicely carbed up and tart but not sour and the ginger seemed to cut that tartness, almost like sugar would. It's very nice!