With sweet orange juice and fragrant vanilla, this Orange Creamsicle Kombucha is a treat! Try it in your next batch of home brewed kombucha (and be prepared to pop open a bottle of sunshine).
I once went through a Sunkist phase (back when I was hopelessly addicted to diet sodas), downing a few Diet Sunkists per day. Had I only known the deliciousness that is orange kombucha, I would have kicked the habit sooner!
But this isn’t just plain ole orange kombucha. This is orange vanilla kombucha. Or as I call it…Creamsicle Kombucha!
With just two simple ingredients, your home brewed kombucha can be transformed into a summertime nostalgic glass of sunshine!
There are two main fermentation phases when making your own kombucha:
- First Fermentation: Transforms sweet tea into tart and tasty kombucha (see our guide to homemade kombucha here).
- Second Fermentation: Carbonates the kombucha by adding flavor and sugars (like orange juice) and bottling it.
In order to make this Orange Creamsicle Kombucha, you will need to have completed the first fermentation and have some kombucha that’s ready to be carbonated!
Ingredients for this Orange Creamsicle Kombucha
- Kombucha: You have brewed your kombucha in the first fermentation and are ready to flavor it (first fermentation instructions here).
- Orange Juice: Fresh or store bought orange juice both work here. This will provide the sugars for the bacteria and yeast to feed on, creating fizzy carbonation!
- Vanilla: We’ll use vanilla extract here, but you can use vanilla beans if you want a more intense vanilla flavor.
“Never thought to try orange juice. If I were making a 16 oz bottle, how much would I use of each?”
How to make this orange vanilla kombucha
Making your own orange flavored kombucha is super simple and goes something like this:
- Bottle: Evenly distribute orange juice and vanilla 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 fibers and yeast.
Vanilla and Orange Kombucha (Home Brewed Creamsicle Flavor!)
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ gallon kombucha from a first fermentation, this is not store bought kombucha, 1.9 L
- ½ cup orange juice, 120 mL
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Bottle: Evenly distribute orange juice and vanilla into fermentation bottles. Pour in first fermentation 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 fibers and yeast.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
Thank for sharing! Does it keep long?
Yes! It will keep for a few weeks (or even months) in the fridge.
This looks so good! What a great combination of flavors!
I love kombucha
Hi,
I am very new to making Kombucha as I had never tried it before but I have started making one using your guide which helped me a lot. Currently, I am in the process of making Scooby from the store-bought kombucha hope it is going well as I am very worried about how it ends. I have a few questions, as I have never tasted kombucha before how I came to know it got the desired taste?, can I do second fermentation in plastic bottles as flip-top bottles are not available? I am thinking of trying the orange and Pineapple mix flavor how will this match go? Looking forward and Thank You in advance. 🙂
It is finished when the flavor is a nice blend of tart and sweet. And we don’t recommend plastic bottles, but if that’s all you have then it’s worth a shot!
About to do my first second fermentation! Loving all your recipes, thank you! Keen to try this one, the grapefruit and the lemon ginger. Is there any good reason not to do 3 different flavours in 1-litre batches?
If I were to do the plastic bottle test, do I burp that bottle too? And will that kombucha be drinkable in the end?
You can definitely do 3 different flavors! No need to burp the plastic bottle – when it’s rock hard then the rest should be good to go. And as long as the bottle was clean, it shoooould be find to drink!
Never thought to try orange juice. If I were making a 16 oz bottle, how much would I use of each?
That would be 2 Tbsp of juice per bottle! 😀
I made this recipe, but it came out flat as a pancake! I made blueberry kombuch with the rest of the batch, and that bubbled up a treat. Do you have any suggestions as to why it didn’t come out?
Strange! Maybe try adding a teaspoon of sugar or honey and letting it ferment for another couple days?
This is a very yummy flavor. We’ve enjoyed this several times.
I’m bottling this tonight!
Enjoy! 😀
This sounds sooooooo good! I can’t wait to try it on my first batch!
Would love to hear how it goes! 😀
Thank you for this idea , this year we see a good orange season , planty oranges and mandarine sò sweet, so i like to takr this opportunity, to add this idea, but is anything else i can add to instead of vanilla? Thank you
Cinnamon or cloves would be tasty!