Summer Archives - The Booch Witch

Fresh watermelon sit on a plate in the sun, with a shallow dish of thawed frozen strawberries.

Summer Picnic Kombucha

Leftover picnic goodies are a dream come true for homemade kombucha… especially watermelon and juicy strawberries. When prepping flavors for kombucha, “over-ripe” fruit like juicy watermelon and strawberries lend well to strong flavor development. Turn to your leftovers or your grocery store’s “day-old” produce section for other winners like peaches, pears, and even tomatoes!

The fruity pairing of watermelon, strawberry, and a slight touch of basil combines well in fermentation and develops into a most refreshing summer kombucha. What’s naturally sweeter than that combination?

Strawberry – thawed, frozen, or fresh (1+ tbsp)
Watermelon – fresh or dehydrated (1 tbsp)
Basil – fresh leaf (1, if using dried ¼ tsp.)

I love popping this one open before I commute home on a warm, late-summer day. I always give yours truly a compliment after the first sip! Follow my dehydrated fruit tips and tricks in other recipes featured to make Summer Picnic Kombucha year-round!

Fresh melon is in a shallow dish next to a scattering of dried hibiscus petals and sliced fresh ginger.

Melon Magic Kombucha

I enjoy fresh muskmelon or two from the local farm stand every summer. A juicy, sweet fruit, muskmelons are good sources of potassium, which helps promote healthy blood pressure.

Being a small family of two, we always have leftovers whenever an entire melon is purchased. Good thing melons of all types make a delicious natural kombucha flavor, as featured in this recipe! In this recipe, you can use any of your favorite melon varieties to create a magical kombucha of your own ????

Melon Magic Kombucha is completed with our favorite, dependable booch-zinger: ginger. A generous portion of tangy hibiscus leaves this one of the quickest homemade brews you can make while emptying your fridge ????

Melon – fresh muskmelon (1+ tbsp) or dehydrated (1.5 tsp – see advice below)
Hibiscus – dried culinary petals (6 petals)
Ginger – fresh, powdered, or crystallized (small chunk, about ½ tbsp)

Let’s chat more about melons Muskmelons are a type of melon that include cantaloupe and honeydew* To read more on muskmelon varieties and differences, check out this Minneopa Orchards’ explanation.

Muskmelon also dehydrates nicely. Melons are SO moist that you are left with a super-concentrated, super-sweet fruit when dehydrated. It kind of tastes like an earthy version of a sweet mango.

Plus, dehydrated melon is a convenient kombucha flavor trick when you cannot access fresh produce.

Recently, during a home renovation, I needed to move my kombucha station downstairs, and I couldn’t access a full kitchen for two months. With limited access to a fridge, sink, etc…. even cutting boards! I needed to be efficient. I used every last bit of the dehydrated melon I had on hand over six weeks, and the kombucha was absolutely delicious. Be resourceful and utilize your own reliable dehydrated favorite fruits to keep on hand for when you may need them. Love you future self♥

Be sure you follow my advice: When using dehydrated fruit in kombucha, you will want to use about HALF of the called-for fresh amount. Use it sparingly – a little goes a long way.

Handwritten recipe is featured on an open notebook. Rested on the notebook pages is a jar of Wisconsin maple syrup, fresh sage leaves, and fresh, red cherries, and a cinnabar gem.

Leo’s Creation Kombucha

Leo Season is July 22 – August 23, and this is a warm fire sign. Ruled by the Sun, Leos like to create and let themselves shine. I’ve honored this essence in Leo’s Creation Kombucha recipe, a warm, decadent, and naturally sweet kombucha. The energy of the sign-inspired drink may amplify your creative tendencies and cravings for romance and luxury.

Indulged with ripe cherries, this kombucha lets Leo lions be the savory center of attention. I recommend fresh cherries, which can be found in Wisconsin around Leo season. Plucked right from your garden, fresh sage gives a different type of earthy touch. An optional touch of local Wisconsin maple syrup evens it all out.

Cherry – fresh, or frozen and thawed (1 – 1 ½ tablespoons)
Sage – 3 leaves dried or fresh, crushed between your fingers
Maple Syrup (1 squirt)

dried calendula flowers featured on a purple background

Calendula Sun Rise Kombucha

Perk up with this fresh, healthy and easy kombucha perfect for summer. Fresh oranges, a splash of orange juice mix together with special flowers and herbs for a magical summery kombucha.

Calendula, an annual flower that re-seeds when happy, can easily be grown in a home garden pot. Dried petals make a zesty partner with citrus in this flavorful summer favorite. Good-ole stand-bys like fresh ginger and dried lemon verbena make this incredibly cheap kombucha look and taste like a million bucks.

The orange and yellow flowers of calendula are ruled by the Sun and come with many beneficial properties. Kombucha homebrewers and shoppers can also find dried calendula petals, also known for promoting healthy skin, in natural grocery stores and co-ops. Look for calendula on the ingredient label in retail face washes.

Calendula – dried petals (1 tsp)
Orange Juice – fresh juice (about 1 tbsp)
Ginger – fresh, powdered, or crystallized (small chunk, about ½ tbsp.)
Orange – fresh juice or cut-up segments (about 1 tbsp)
Lemon verbena – fresh or dried (About three leaves, smudged between fingers to release the delicious essence)

Strawberries sit in their own juice in a glass jar on a table with a Ouija Board cloth. A full, fresh banana and a few gems are also on the cloth.

Strawnana Kombucha

You may not expect it, but bananas are REALLY good in homemade kombucha. Bananas are an easy fruit to keep on hand. They are high in potassium and come in their own little carrying case for convenient snacking year-round!

Bananas pair really well with juicy, tangy fruits (or even peanut butter!) in homemade kombucha. Enjoy my special recipe, inspired by my friend and financial advisor, Kari Drasic.

Strawberries – fresh, frozen or dehydrated leftovers (½ – 1 tablespoon)
Banana – sliced into narrow, long pieces (about ¼ banana, or 1 ½ tbsp)
Fresh ginger – a dime to penny-sized slice (1 tbsp)

Substitute strawberries for any sweet fruit and try your own creation. Blueberry banana! Kiwi Banana! Cherry Banana! Orange Banana! Pineapple Banana! (you get the drift ????)

Handwritten recipe is shown with dehydrated strawberries, fresh cilantro and fresh ginger scattered on the page with gemstones.

Sweet Crab Kombucha

Cancer Season is June 22-July 22, and this special Earth sign is ruled by the Moon. People born under this sign tend to enjoy the comforts of home and nurturing the people they love ????

Strawberries are in season in Wisconsin at the end of June and into July, perfect timing for the Cancer zodiac season. Buy a full flat from your local farmers and at farm markets. Clean and freeze leftovers in freezer-safe bags, or dehydrate them!

Fresh ginger and cilantro flatter the sweetness of Sweet Crab Kombucha into an ultra-summery drink.

Strawberry – fresh or frozen and thawed (1+ tbsp); dehydrated (1 tsp)
Cilantro – fresh sprig (about 1 tbsp)
Ginger – fresh, powdered, or crystallized (small chunk, about ½ tbsp.)

Tell me more about dehydrated strawberries! Strawberries are JUST INCREDIBLE when dehydrated. The sweet little berries should be sliced and laid out in a single layer on a dehydrator until crisp and dry.

Store dried strawberries in an airtight container (like a mason jar) in a cool dark area (like a basement). They should keep for well over a year and can be utilized in all sorts of recipes throughout the year. Just keep in mind they are dehydrated and pack a powerful punch.

When using dehydrated fruit in kombucha, you will want to use about HALF of the called-for fresh amount. Use it sparingly – a little goes a long way. I usually put a spoonful in my mouth during the cold days of January and mentally escape to the sweet summer vibes provided by Cancer season and the delicious strawberry.

A fresh sprig of mint and thawed jar of frozen blackberries sit on the handwritten recipe.

Fresh Earth Kombucha

Pick some mint up at the farmer’s market? Do you have fresh mint growing in your garden? June is the perfect time to trim up your mint babies.

*See my mint tip after the recipe ????

Fresh sprigs of mint add a low-key flavor to homemade kombucha flavorings. Any berry (frozen or thawed), or fresh fruit (apples, strawberries, cherries – the possibilities are endless) typically pair well with fresh mint.

Blackberry is a favorite of mine to combine with mint. Blackberry is such a dark, dramatic fruit and is ruled by the Earth element for all of my fellow Earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn). As you place blackberries in kombucha, asking for prosperity is appropriate.

Blackberries – fresh or frozen and thawed (1+ tbsp)
Mint – Fresh (1 sprig)*
Hibiscus – dried culinary petals (3 petals)

*Dried mint can also be used in kombucha. Use it sparingly ????

Mint Gardening Tip:

To keep a mint plant healthy, cut it before it starts to produce a flower. This ensures the plant’s energy is held within the leaves, and not spent on the flower itself. As you can imagine, producing a flower uses a lot of a plant’s energy.

Mint is so tough and forgiving, I typically eye up the best mint cuts when they reach 9-10 inches, but it varies by mint.

Important Tip: Cut the mint directly above a lower group of leaves, right above the grouping, as illustrated.

And… Repeat. The mint shown is a “Chocolate Mint” variety. I typically cut 6 sprigs for each bundle.

Tie in a bundle and hang upside down to dry. I like using twine, leftover ribbon, rubber bands, whatever I have my hands on.

Dried leaf bundles can be used for tea, potpourri, and even smudging as a sage alternative. Mint is known to aid in prophetic dreams, so adding some mint to a bedtime tea brew can be a good idea when looking for guidance.

A jar of thawed, frozen raspberries sits on a linen scarf with fresh raspberries scattered around a fresh ginger root. A natural rock with druzy quartz vein flanks the image.

Raspberry Ginger Kombucha

This is my all-time favorite recipe ????

Kombucha brewers often ask me: “What’s your favorite booch flavor?” Raspberry Ginger Kombucha is a special, slightly sweet, and always reliable recipe. And oh my- the results are faithfully fizzy, and refreshing.

Just perfect. Tastes like a million bucks, and costs pennies.

This simple recipe can be made in a pinch if you regularly keep frozen raspberries and fresh ginger on hand. Fresh ginger has many health benefits and can help increase immunity and aid digestion. Fresh ginger root can be found in most grocery stores, and substituted with powdered ginger or even candied and crystallized ginger!

Raspberry – fresh or frozen and thawed (1 ½ tbsp)
Ginger – fresh, powdered, or crystallized (small chunk, about ½ tbsp.)
Add a squirt of lemon juice, lime juice, honey if you want to explore :)

Dried chamomile in a jar, two ripe peaches, and a condensating jar of Wisconsin maple syrup relax on a purple and green silk scarf.

The Gemini Stir Kombucha

Gemini Season is May 21-June 21. This playful air sign is all about communication, perfect for a juicy, fuzzy sweet peach. Gemini is a constellation in the northern sky, one of the zodiac constellations. It is located between Taurus and Cancer. The constellation is dominated by Castor and Pollux, twins conceived by different fathers to originate two bright stars that appear relatively close together, forming an o shape.

The Gemini Stir is a lively fusion of peach with hints of deep maple topped off with a mellow and honey-ish taste. Peaches are a flavorful fruit, often associated with relationships and used as a symbol of love and typically come into season and are trucked up to Wisconsin (where I live) starting in June. Check out this informative and enjoyable episode from Wisconsin Foodie to learn more about the process.

✨If you have the space and funds, take advantage of bulk deals and dehydrate extra peaches for a peachy winter escape. They also provide a rich-tasting finish to this gourmet kombucha recipe.

Maple syrup is a decadent addition to homemade kombucha. Wisconsin is known for its dairy, cheese, and beer, but quality maple syrup is another delicious product that the state is known for. Made from the sap of sugar maple trees, Wisconsinites have plenty of local options. Many producers ship, if you don’t live around local maple syrup ????

Peach – fresh, frozen and thawed, or dehydrated (1+ tbsp)
Maple Syrup (1 squirt)
Chamomile – dried flower petals (2 tsp)

???? More about chamomile Chamomile is a popular garden flower known for its daisy-like appearance and calming properties. It is a self-seeding annual, meaning it will reseed itself year after year, so you may find chamomile popping up in your garden every year.

Around this time of year, volunteer chamomiles start popping up in my garden and overwintered pots.

Dried chamomile flowers are a favorite for my homegrown nighttime tea blends. They also provide a rich-tasting finish to this gourmet kombucha recipe. If chamomile grows in your garden, you can harvest the flowers when they are fully open.

To dry the flowers, spread them out in an airy basket, on a screen, or a piece of paper in a well-ventilated area. The flowers should be dry within a few days. Once the flowers are dry, you can store them in an airtight container for up to a year. With a bit of care, you can enjoy chamomile flowers in your garden year after year.

Check out my blog on garden herbs for more information on chamomile and other garden herb cultivation in homemade kombucha ????