How to make a delicately floral lavender kombucha! With just dried lavender buds and a berries (or sugar), your kombucha is transformed into a delightful flavor straight from the south of France.
You asked, I brewed! Coming at you with another floral kombucha recipe, this time with a Provençal lavender flavored kombucha!
When using lavender in any kind of recipe, it’s always a balancing act between adding enough lavender to actually taste it, and not adding so much that your recipe tastes like soap.
But when you get that balance right, kombucha and lavender combine into delicious floral bliss! Let’s brew.
There are two main fermentation phases when making homemade kombucha:
- First Fermentation: This is when you transform sweet tea into tart and delicious kombucha (see our guide to homemade kombucha here).
- Second Fermentation: This is when you carbonate the kombucha by adding flavor/sugars and bottling it. The lavender will be our flavor maker today, and crushed berries will provide the sugar needed for carbonation.
In order to make this Lavender Kombucha, you will need to have completed the first fermentation and have some kombucha that’s ready to be carbonated!
Ingredients for lavender kombucha
- Kombucha: You have brewed your kombucha in the first fermentation and are ready to flavor it (first fermentation instructions here).
- Dried Lavender Buds: As a precaution, ensure these lavender buds are food grade (i.e. don’t have added perfumes or chemicals). You’ll usually find culinary lavender where you would find tea in the grocery (or online here).
- Blackberries: We’ll use a few fresh or frozen (and thawed) blackberries to provide the kombucha with enough sugar to carbonate (while also giving the ‘buch a hint of purple color to match the lavender flavor). Just mash them up to expose the sugary insides, then drop them into your bottles! You can also use blueberries, honey, or sugar.
How to make lavender kombucha
Making your own lavender kombucha is super easy. The process goes something like this:
- Bottle: Evenly distribute lavender buds and mashed berries (or your chosen sweetener) into fermentation bottles. Pour in kombucha, leaving 1 to 2 inches free at the top
- Ferment: For 3 to 10 days, until it reaches the carbonation level you like.
- Enjoy: Chill in the fridge before serving, optionally straining out the lavender buds and berry fibers.
P.S. If you love floral flavors, you’ll also like our Bleeding Heart Kombucha, Rose Kombucha, or Elderflower Kombucha. Or step it up a notch by using hibiscus or butterfly pea flowers in your first fermentation!
Lavender Kombucha
Ingredients
- 1/2 gallon kombucha from a first fermentation this is not store bought kombucha, 1.9 L
- 8 to 10 blackberries* fresh or frozen and thawed
- 1 tsp culinary lavender
Instructions
- Bottle: Mash blackberries into a rough paste. Evenly distribute mashed berries and lavender buds into fermentation bottles. Pour in kombucha, leaving 1 to 2 inches free at the top.
- Ferment: Place in a dark, room temperature area for 3 to 10 days, until it reaches the carbonation level you like. This process will go faster in warmer climates, and slower in cooler climates.
- Enjoy: Chill in the fridge before serving, optionally straining out the flower buds and fibers. Can be stored in the fridge, tightly sealed, for several weeks.
Notes
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My lavender plants are so young that there are very few buds/flowers. Do you think I could use the leaves for this?
I honestly don’t know on this one! I would research if lavender leaves are safe to consume, but if the flavor is in them I don’t see why not!
Hi, Sarah! I wanted to let you know I’ve been using your kombucha book since last year and it’s been a wonderful experience!
I’m from Antigua Guatemala and kombucha brewing culture is growing fast.
I’ve just started second fermentation with fresh lavender buds (2 tsp per 240 ml hot water, for a lavender infusion). Hope it helps! 🙂
Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
Sounds delicious! Happy to hear you’re liking all of our kombucha content! 😀 Happy brewing!
Thanks, I cut some flowers this morning. They are still buds but ready to pop so I expect they’ll be pretty fragrant. I’ll let them air dry until the first fermentation is done and add them to send second. Fingers crossed ????
Hi Sarah,
I love your website and your easy-to-understand instructional video. I just started my first fermentation, having grown my own SCOBYS, following your recipe. Could I use fresh lavender flowers heads, that I’ve grown and know do not have any chemicals on them, instead of dried? If so, how many flower heads would you recommend to replace the 1 tsp of dried buds?
Thanks,
Heather
I forgot to mention that I know I shouldn’t be adding the lavender or other flavors now, during the first fermentation. I was just reading your recipes for when I’m ready for the second fermentation. 🙂
Hi Heather! So happy you’re liking the instructions! I haven’t tried using fresh buds, but I don’t think the amount would be far off from dried. I could imagine the flavor being more intense with fresh buds, so perhaps try 1/2 tsp at first then work your way up.
Nice! thanks for the recipe (and all the other useful info on your site) Do you know if you could use Lavender Essential Oil? or do you have any recipes using essential oils for flavour?
Thanks
I haven’t tried using essential oils actually. I think you could, just be sure the essential oils are safe to consume.