Forager & Fermenter

🫖

Kombucha

10–18 days · Beginner

🫚

Ginger Beer

8–14 days · Beginner

🍋

Herbal Lemonade

3–7 days · Beginner

💧

Water Kefir

3–5 days · Beginner

🍵

Jun Tea

8–13 days · Easy

🍍

Tepache

3–6 days · Beginner

🔬 Know Your Ferment

Every fermented drink uses a different starter culture — a community of beneficial yeasts and bacteria that do the work. Here's how they compare.

🍄

SCOBY

A rubbery disc of bacteria and yeast. Reusable forever. Used for Kombucha and Jun Tea. Slow but produces the most complex flavours.

🫚

Ginger Bug

A live wild-yeast culture grown from fresh ginger. Feed it daily like a sourdough starter. Powers Ginger Beer and Herbal Lemonade.

💎

Water Kefir Grains

Translucent crystal-like grains — not dairy. Fastest of all: 24–48 hours for F1. Reusable. Neutral flavour takes on anything you add.

🍍

Wild Yeast

No separate starter needed — wild yeasts live on the skin of fruit and flowers. Tepache uses pineapple skin. Elderflower Champagne uses the flower heads.

Drink	Starter	Base	Time	Difficulty	Flavour	Alcohol
🫖 Kombucha	SCOBY	Black / green tea	10–18 days	⭐	Tangy, vinegary, complex	0.5–3%
🍵 Jun Tea	Jun SCOBY	Green tea + raw honey	8–13 days	⭐⭐	Delicate, floral, honey	0.5–3%
🫚 Ginger Beer	Ginger bug	Water, ginger, lemon	8–14 days	⭐	Spicy, bright, citrus	<1%
🍋 Herbal Lemonade	Ginger bug / wild yeast	Lemon juice, herbs, water	3–7 days	⭐	Bright, herbal, citrusy	<0.5%
💧 Water Kefir	Water kefir grains	Sugar water / fruit juice	3–5 days	⭐	Mild, fruity, light	<1%
🍍 Tepache	Wild yeast (pineapple)	Pineapple skin + piloncillo	3–6 days	⭐	Tropical, spiced, lively	1–2%

⚠️ Alcohol percentages are approximate and increase with longer fermentation times. All are very low compared to commercial beer (4–6%) or wine (12–15%).

💬 Community Tips

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Fermentation Safety: Always sanitize all equipment. Monitor for off-odors, unusual colors, or mold. Maintain correct salt ratios for lacto-fermentation.