April 2, 2015 In Health, Nutrition, Recipe

Jun Tea – the Champagne of Kombucha

Like Kombucha, Jun tea is a effervescent fermented probiotic drink.

Made from green tea and honey, Jun tea is relatively unknown compared to Kombucha tea. Jun tea is sweeter than Kombucha, lighter in colour, and it takes a slightly shorter time to brew at a lower temperature.

Some people believe that Jun tea is an improvement on Kombucha. Made from green tea and honey instead of black tea and sugar. Some call Jun the ‘champagne of kombucha’ due to its sweeter and more exotic qualities.

I am not picking favourites; they both have a place in my kitchen. I will say that if you are into your fermented drinks then Jun will not disappoint you. It has a mild and delicate flavour, with just enough tart, and a mild sweetness.

To make Jun tea you will need a Jun scoby, which is the bacteria culture used to make fermented tea. You can buy these online on Gumtree. If you search “Jun tea scoby” on Gumtree you will find them for around $10. You will also need 1 cup of Jun tea starter, which usually comes when you purchase a scoby.

Below I have included a recipe for Jun tea that you can make at home.

 Ingredients

  • 3.5 Litres of spring water
  • 1 cup of raw organic honey
  • 4 tsp loose organic green tea
  • 1 Jun scoby
  • 1 cup of Jun tea starter (from a previous batch or purchased online with the scoby)

Method

  • Heat the water to 75 degrees Celsius (use a frying thermometer to check the water doesn’t get too hot).
  • Remove the pot from the heat.
  • Place 4 tsp loose tea in a stainless steel tea mesh and hook to the side of the pot.
  • let it sit for 3 minutes and then remove the tea mesh.
  • Pour into a large glass vessel.
  • Stir in the honey and let the mixture come to room temperature.
  • Stir in the starter mix. Place Jun scooby on top. Cover with a clean white tea towel or cloth and secure with string or a large rubber band.
  • Place in a quiet room on a shelf.
  • Leave for up to 6 days (after 3 days if you wish to bottle the Jun tea you can. If you leave it for 6 days it will be fizzier).
  • After the 6 days Jun tea should be botted, in glass only, and stored in the fridge.
  • Place Jun cultures in a glass jar with sufficient brewed Jun tea to cover and reserve it in the fridge for your next batch.
  • You may need to replace the scoby you use every couple of batches as the honey may breakdown the quality of the bacteria.

Enjoy!