Watermelon Kombucha is the most recent awesome brew that I have tried. Learn how to second ferment your kombucha with a juicy, ripe watermelon!
I remember the first time I tried Kombucha – I was in the truck waiting for my husband to emerge from getting a few things in the grocery store.
Though we live in Phoenix, we were actually visiting Flagstaff at the time. It was early fall, and we were up there to see the change of leaves – hoping that we would catch them at the right time.
I’ll admit, that my first swig of kombucha wasn’t all too pleasant… I’m fairly certain the Mr. had picked up Gingerberrry, which was his ultimate favorite. I, on the other hand, wasn’t loving that flavor… It wasn’t but a few days later that he picked up GT’s Guava Goodness and I fell head over heels.
Where has this been all my life?!
I’m certain that, over the next few years, we probably spent a small fortune on kombucha. We would pick up every time we hit up the store for random items. We also spotted cases at Costco (which meant at least 2-3 boxes crammed into my fridge..).
Before you know it, we were five kids in and they loved it just as much, if not more, than we did. It didn’t take me long to grow my own SCOBY from scratch, before brewing not one but two gallons a week.
Kombucha is so easy to make at home and the cost savings is quite advantageous. I experimented with flavors galore – strawberry, to ginger apple, to apple cinnamon, pineapple peach, to finally… watermelon.
Watermelon Kombucha is the most recent awesome brew that I have tried yet.
Not to mention that it’s summer, and watermelon is quite abundant. The small, personal size watermelons seem to work best for making this kombucha as it yields just the right amount of juice to suit a batch (6 bottles) of kombucha.
If you don’t have a brew of kombucha ready to bottle, you will want to see our DIY on growing your own SCOBY from scratch.
Then, use that SCOBY to brew a gallon of kombucha; once that brew is ready to bottle, you’ll second ferment with the watermelon.
How to Make Watermelon Kombucha
Slice the ends off of your personal size watermelon, and then slice again the long way. Scoop out the flesh and cut it into smaller chunks or pieces, and place in your blender.
Once in your blender, puree to liquify the melon. Watermelon is largely water, and so it shouldn’t take too long for the pieces to “catch” on the blade. If the melon is sufficiently sweet, there is no need to add more sugar. If you feel that your melon lacks in sweetness, add a small amount (1/8 C) of organic cane sugar.
Once pureed, push the contents through a fine sieve and store in a quart canning jar. Prepare your kombucha bottles – divide the watermelon juice equally. If you are using a standard kombucha bottle that you washed & reused from the store, then fill 1/4 – 1/3 with watermelon juice and then top off with your brewed kombucha.
Repeat with the remaining bottles, making sure to allow a few inches of headspace in the bottle for expansion during the second ferment. Cap each bottle tight and allow to sit at room temperature for 2-3 days to second ferment. After 2-3 days, move the bottles to the fridge.
*WARNING*
If you keep them too long at room temperature, you risk a large build up of pressure in the bottles. I have seen a kombucha explosion and it’s not fun to clean up!
When you get ready to drink your kombucha, I suggest opening it over the sink – or other area that you aren’t at risk. (I say this from experience – once, my husband opened his right before an interview and it fizzed up all over his pants!)
Not a fun thing to deal with!
Feel free to add some variety to your watermelon kombucha by adding mint, fresh lime or lemon, or even cilantro. Talk about a taste explosion!
Watermelon Kombucha is the most recent awesome brew that I have tried. Learn how to second ferment your kombucha with a juicy, ripe watermelon!
Ingredients
- 1 gallon of brewed kombucha
- 1 personal size watermelon
- optional: 1/8-1/4 C. organic cane sugar
- optional: fresh mint
Instructions
- Cut the ends off the watermelon and slice it in half the long way.
- Scoop out the flesh and chop into smaller pieces on your cutting board - no need to remove seeds.
- Place that watermelon (and optional mint) in the blender with a tiny (1/8 C of less) amount of water to get it started. If the watermelon is sweet, there should be no need for extra sugar. However, if your melon is lacking in sweetness, add 1/8 - 1/4 C. sugar to the blender while you puree the flesh.
- Pour the watermelon juice through a fine strainer into a large quart canning jar or measuring cup.
- Gather your clean, empty kombucha bottles (5-6) and divide your watermelon juice equally - 25-30% juice in each jar, topped off with kombucha.
- Allow several inches of headspace for the kombucha to second ferment. Top each bottle with your cap, tighten, and push to the rear of the counter. Repeat with all bottles.
- Allow that kombucha at least 2 days at room temperature to second ferment. After two days, move the bottles to the fridge and enjoy within a week.
- *Remember: Over the period of two days, any added sugar will get eaten by the natural sugars in the kombucha - be careful when opening your bottles. If you allow them to second ferrment for too long, those gasses in the jar can create quite an explosion.
I was amused to hear that you did not like hubby’s brew and that you finally came across the “Guava” brew. That is the one which I really enjoyed in the beginning, until I tasted “Watermelon”. Thank you for posting the recipe.
George, you are welcome! Yeah it was really trial and error for me.. I have tasted them all (it seems like) and what I love, my kids don’t. It’s fun to test out different flavors but when each of my 5 kids wants something different… well, then that gets a little much!
Hi! I looooove watermelon! This is going to be the next one! ( I just finished a batch with nectarine and roses ). I am wondering, in your pictures I see that you keep the kombucha in A plastic container. Do.you switch the kombucha to the plastic containers after the second fermentation? And does it keep gazzy enough ??
Thanks you
Love
Nathalie
Nathalie – those are actually glass bottles. When I first started making kombucha, I kept the kombucha bottles from store bought kombucha. Then I ordered new caps from online (1 dozen are $13 from Kombucha Kamp). But as time went on, I ended up getting swing top bottles on Amazon which I like better.
I bottle it after the second ferment. Then, I keep it out for a day on the counter in those bottles — that helps with the fizz factor. Just don’t let those set out too long or they will explode. A day or so should be sufficient.
What do you do your 2nd fermentation in then if you don’t bottle it until after your 2nd fermentation? I’m interested in this concept. Thank you.
So want to know if this is as good as Synergy Watermelon Wonder?
I’d tried Kombucha many times over the years with different flavors and never really liked i. But WOW WW is for me. And I feel it has healed my gut in just a couple of months of consumption.
I have a collection of about 50 bottles and realize now I have to try making it. Thanks for having a recipe.
Synergy Watermelon is my oldest daughter (17) favorite flavor of kombucha. That is why I had to find a way to make it at home, she was drinking so much of it that it was costing me a small fortune. In her opinion, it’s very comparable. You have the bottles, give it a try. Kombucha really is very easy to make once you get a rhythm going – I started first by making my own SCOBY (with a plain bottle of kombucha). Once that SCOBY was ready, then I started brewing my own kombucha at home. It is very rewarding and affords you the opportunity to experiment with various flavors – which is how I began brewing watermelon kombucha. Good luck to you Lorraine, let me know if you have questions!