Holiday Kombucha Flavors for Unique Seasonal Drinks

Since I brew my own kombucha, I’m always experimenting with different ideas for how to flavor it. In this post, I share some fun ideas for holiday kombucha flavors for a unique seasonal brew.

For those who’ve never sampled kombucha, as my grandmother used to say, “Try it, you might like it!” Fermented foods (and drinks) are wonderful for helping digestion – especially this time of year when we may be eating a little less healthy at holiday parties.

If you need a kombucha SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast) or other kombucha brewing supplies, I recommend Kombucha Kamp. The owner literally wrote the book on kombucha brewing.

Holiday Kombucha Flavors

For each recipe below, add the ingredients listed into your container first, and then fill the rest of the container with unflavored kombucha tea.

Most of these start with kombucha tea made with black tea, unless otherwise noted. Flavorings were added to a 16 ounce bail top jar, or a pint or quart mason jar, as noted. Flavorings are added after the initial brew when the kombucha is bottled. You add the flavorings and fill jar with plain kombucha. Serve immediately, or store for a few days (sealed) to increase carbonation.

Recipes with spices are best consumed within a few days, otherwise you may diminish the health benefits of your kombucha. (Many spices are antibacterial, and kombucha is made up in part of bacteria).

Cranberry Collins Kombucha

Cranberries are so abundant during the holidays that cranberry collins is a natural first choice for our holiday kombucha flavors.

To a quart jar add:
1/2 cup cranberry juice, plain unsweetened
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon maple syrup

To a 12 ounce jar add:
1/4 cup cranberry juice, plain unsweetened
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoon  maple syrup

Pumpkin spice Kombucha

To a pint jar add:

2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
A “shake” each of powdered nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon and ginger
3 drops liquid vanilla stevia (optional)

When ready to serve, strain or pour off the top of the jar to have a chunk free beverage, or stir to get all the pumpkin goodness.

Ginger Spice Kombucha

To a quart jar or a 12 ounce jar, add freshly slivered ginger to taste, generally from 1 1/2 teaspoons to 1/4 cup. (I like a little less, I have friends who like much more.)

Peppermint Patty Kombucha

1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/8 teaspoon chocolate extract *

Fill jar with plain kombucha. Serve immediately, or store for a few days (sealed) at increase carbonation.

*Note – chocolate extract may have questionable ingredients, so read the label. Alternately, you could use plain cocoa or chocolate drink mix, but those don’t blend nearly as well.

Toffee Apple Kombucha

To a 12 ounce bottle add:

1/4 cup apple cider
6 drops English Toffee liquid stevia

This flavor option also goes very well with almond blossom oolong tea from Frontier.

Toffee Almond Kombucha

To a 12 ounce bottle add:
6 drops English Toffee flavored liquid stevia
1/8 teaspoon almond extract

Apple Cinnamon Kombucha

To a quart jar add:

1 cinnamon stick
1/2 cup apple cider

To a 12 ounce bottle add:

1 thin cinnamon stick (the stick will swell as it absorbs moisture and large ones will be hard to get out of the bottle)
1/4 cup apple cider

Cinnamon Spice Kombucha

To a quart jar add:

1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
A small slice of fresh ginger

Cherry Bounce Kombucha

To a quart jar add:
1/4 cup dark cherry juice
Enough tart cherries to cover the bottom of the jar

Pomegranate juice and African redbush tea also pair well with cherries.

Citrus Punch Kombucha

November and December are also a good time of year to get great deals on fresh citrus, so a citrus medley wraps up our holiday kombucha flavors list.

To a 12 ounce jar add:
1 tablespoon each lime, orange and lemon juice

In addition to holiday kombucha flavors, you may also enjoy:

• Healthy Homebrew – Kombucha – How to brew kombucha
• Water Kefir Versus Kombucha – What’s the difference between water kefir and kombucha?
• Flavoring Kombucha and Kombucha Testimonials – Tips for flavoring kombucha and stories about how people I know have been helped by kombucha
• Kombucha Q and A and More Flavoring Ideas – More flavoring ideas and all the Q and A from the comments in a more readable format
• How to Make Coffee Kombucha – Using coffee instead of tea to brew kombucha

Originally posted in 2011, last updated in 2018.