For cozy winter brunches. . . or festive holiday toasts, here's the healthiest and yummiest version of a mimosa imaginable. . . with fresh squeezed orange juice and sparkling, effervescent and super-healthy kombucha!

Kombucha, for those who don't know about this highly addictive drink with amazing benefits, is a fermented tea brimming with beneficial bacteria and probiotics to fill your digestive system with immune boosting properties (did you know that 70% of our immune system resides in our GI tract?) and give us overall vitality and wellness.

So how do you make these delicious and festive drinks that will have you clinking glasses and toasting to your literal good health?

Here's the quick way: 

Find your favourite brand of kombucha at the store, I like GT's gingerade, original, and trilogy (a blend of three flavors) or High Country's Ginger, or Wild Root. . . but there are lots out there so experiment with them all. . . and pour 1 bottle into a punch bowl or pitcher with the same amount of fresh squeezed orange juice.  Roughly 1-2 oranges per serving. . . so to celebrate with a crowd, plan on at least 10-12 oranges and use the squeezing time for chatting, catching up on podcasts, listening to music or some quiet meditation time.

Here's the complete DIY way:

(Which is super eco-friendly when you save bottles and jars to fill with your homemade brew and mix in all the fruits from the summer harvest or seasonal pomegranate seeds!)

Brew your own kombucha by obtaining a "mother" (the science project-looking culture with floaty tendrils you see in real apple cider vinegar) either online or from a friend (they double every time you make a batch and it's getting quite trendy these days to brew your own so you probably can find someone to get an extra "baby" from, I've even seen them on craigslist or health food store bulletin boards).

Boil 6 cups of water with 6-8 organic black tea bags (or 6 tablespoons of loose black tea), add 1 cup of organic, raw (turbinado works well) sugar and simmer for a 1-2 hours.  Let cool until room temperature and pour into a very clean (previously sterilized with hot water and vinegar) glass jar (be sure to remove all metal rings from your fingers before your hands come into contact with this process and remove any metal lids as it will tamper with and deactivate the culture), then add the "baby" culture and any bit of leftover kombucha liquid that it was stored with (if you order it online from the Happy Herbalist, it will come in some liquid as well, don't throw it out!). . . cover with a clean dishtowel, secured with a rubber band and set aside in a cool, dark place where it will be undisturbed (important that it doesn't get jostled around at all) for 2-4 weeks.  There's no limit to how long it can stay fermenting. . . but it usually won't be ready (potently effervescent) for at least several weeks and closer to a month.

When it's ready, the mother will have separated into two cultures, the second one being the new "baby" and you can start two new batches, store one and start one, or start one and give the other away to share the kombucha love!

(When you store one, be sure to include a bit of the liquid with it, around a half cup or enough to cover the culture and keep in the fridge until ready to use or share)

So you now have an amazingly healthy "champagne" that can be poured into flutes, topped off with fresh squeezed orange juice (or experiment with other yummy fresh juices for different flavors, even a sparkling apple "cider") and toast to the holidays and to your vibrant health.

Cheers and Happy Winter!

Jenny Nelson

Related Post: Brew Your Own Kombucha Click Here