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Where do I get my ideas?

I suspect those who make kombucha at home love to experiment with different flavors.  Drinking a few customized blends during the week is a fun way to use the fruits you love based on your tastes.

I regularly use hibiscus and lavender syrups in addition to fresh and frozen fruit. The easiest thing I regularly use is thawed, frozen organic fruit like cherries, blueberries. However, the best booch I’ve made uses all-natural, organic fruit available at your local natural grocery stores and co-ops like Basics Co-op in Janesville.

Make Your Own Seasonal Varieties

Pomegranates come into the stores in southern Wisconsin in the early winter. I’ve heard poms are called Nature’s Most Laborious fruit, which is true. But they are a treasured addition to your ferments. I like eating them at the end of a bottle. They make for a delicious little burst in your mouth and they are full of vitamin C and antioxidants

Fresh strawberries in June, along with a leaf of basil from your garden or pot is never a bad choice. Feeling frisky? Throw some cilantro in with a hunk of fresh tomato. And then, when you pop that bottle open, look to a shot of good-quality vodka for an adult version of your booch.

Have some leftover watermelon or honeydew from your family picnic? See a good special on pineapples or grapes? Buy a variety you’d like to copycat? Want to see what happens to a marshmallow? The fun of home-brew is that there truly are no limits to your creativity.

I’ll Be Making This Again!

But it isn’t just about the added fruit. Good booch has to be more complex than a straight single flavor. Like a little spice and zest? Throw a hunk of ginger into a bottle. Like some heat? Try a slice of fresh jalapeno with some pineapple. Feel cold season coming on? Use an orange, honey, lemon, and cayenne to your advantage. Miss soda? Throw in some vanilla bean with a tasty peach. 

Some of the best mixtures my friends and I have enjoyed the most include:

• Ginger Cherry
• Peach Pear Honey
• Apple Mint
• Orange Rosemary
• Cranberry Orange Ginger
• Raspberry Chia
• Peppermint Mocha
• Blackberry Ginger
• Strawberry Lemon Mint

Have a question on a flavor or fruit? Would you like to share an idea or favorite recipe? Drop me a line!

Happy New Year!

As you look to your new healthy habits and resolutions, remember The Booch Witch can help you sustain and maintain your goals. Kombucha isn’t just about weight loss; this is about being kind to yourself. 

The regular intake of kombucha has benefits which can:

• Detoxify, helping you maintain a weight loss
• Decrease inflammation, riding you of stubborn fat 
• Help you cut back on alcohol and high-sugar drinks

Here’s my story

A handful of years ago, after losing a couple of pounds the old fashioned way, with diet and exercise, I stumbled upon kombucha in the store. I was looking to maintain my weight loss by paying better attention to what I put in my body. And, I knew the diet sodas had to go. I picked a bottle of retail booch and brought it to work. I was hooked on what would become my new, healthier afternoon pick-me-up instantly. I liked the natural flavors of the sweet, tart and fizzy drink. But, the $3 here and there were starting to add up.

I looked into brewing my own kombucha, did the math, and talked with some long-time brewers for advice on how to best get myself started. In May of 2017, I plopped my first starter kit into a jar and off I went! I’ve incorporated this healthy habit into a weekly routine and incorporating my own creative, bold flair and personal taste as much as I can. 

Taking the next step

As I’ve shared booch with friends throughout the year I’ve found many are interested in starting this process for themselves, and just need some guidance. This is where The Booch Witch comes in, offering educational classes and the tools you need to get started in one place.

Sign up to receive my newsletter to hear stories, news, and answers to class questions. Be sure to register for my Feb. 22 class at Basics Co-op in Janesville, and check back soon for info on how you can order your very own Booch Witch starter kit!

Thanks for swinging through, and stay tuned! I’ve got oodles of plans.