Description

The sweet, hydrating juice from watermelon pairs perfectly with the slight spice of a deseeded jalapeno. This recipe will make your taste buds dance while nourishing your body.

Ingredients

Scale

2 jalapeno peppers (stemmed and halved lengthwise)
4 cups diced watermelon
14 cups green tea kombucha

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Instructions

Remove the jalapeno seeds (unless you like it spicy).
Puree the watermelon in a blender or food processor.
Place a mesh cloth or strainer over a gallon-sized fermentation vessel and pour the puree through until all of the juice has drained (use a spoon to squeeze out any excess liquid from the watermelon puree).
Discard the puree and add the jalapeno pieces to the watermelon juice.
Add the kombucha to the jar and secure a clean mesh cloth with a rubber band to the top of the jar.
Leave the jar in a warm place for the second fermentation (for 2 days).
Strain the mixture to remove the jalapeno pieces.
Use a funnel to pour the mixture into individual bottles and seal them tightly with caps.
Leave the bottles to ferment at room temperature for another 2 days.
Refrigerate for 6 hours before consuming.

Notes

Place one of the bottles in the fridge for about 6 hours to test your spicy watermelon kombucha’s fizziness and flavor. Then open the bottle and taste your kombucha. If it is carbonated to your liking, refrigerate all of the bottles and serve when chilled. If it is not where you want it to be, leave the bottles to ferment for another day and try again.

If you want an even spicier drink, add more jalapenos or leave some of the seeds in. Be sure to wash your hands after handling the jalapeno, as the spiciness can burn your eyes or skin.

Green tea kombucha is my choice for this recipe, but white tea or oolong kombucha would also work well.

If you want to reduce the work, use watermelon juice concentrate rather than pureed fresh watermelon. If you aren’t a fan of watermelon but want something just as refreshing, try this recipe with grapefruit juice instead.

To make a kombucha margarita, add a shot of tequila to the drink (my favorite is Casamigos tequila). You can also add a few drops of lime juice and agave to make an authentic margarita and garnish it with a piece of lime.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Fermenting Time: 96 hours