Our Pink Alcohol Free Probiotic Champagne Recipe

Our Pink Alcohol Free Probiotic Champagne Recipe

Summer is here, and with it comes the need for new, refreshing, bubbly drinks.

But for those looking to enjoy a refreshing beverage without the alcohol, options can feel limited.

Our Pink Strawberry Kombucha Champagne is the perfect choice.

This naturally carbonated, non-alcoholic drink is not only delicious but also a healthier alternative to the usual overly sweet alcohol free options usually on offer.

Let’s get into how to make this delightful Pink Strawberry Kombucha Champagne and why it’s the ideal healthy & delicious summer beverage.

Why Pink Strawberry Kombucha Champagne?

Non-Alcoholic and Refreshing:

  • Perfect for those who want to enjoy a bubbly drink that's alcohol free
  • Ideal for summer parties, picnics, and casual gatherings

Healthy and Nutritious:

  • Rich in probiotics from the Kombucha fermentation process
  • Contains natural antioxidants from Strawberries and Basil

Easy to Make:

  • A simple and straightforward process that requires minimal effort, time or fancy equipment
  • Great recipe for beginners to Kombucha brewing, or experienced home brewers (everyone loves a new recipe)

Versatile:

  • The combination of Strawberries and Basil creates a sweet, unique & very refreshing flavour
  • Can be enjoyed on its own, as a mixer for spirits, or topped with soda water and fruity garnish

Making the Kombucha Base

Otherwise known as the first fermentation. This stage take between 7 - 10 days, and is essentially just preparing a 'plain' Kombucha ready to be infused with flavours later on.

We are famous for providing Kombucha Starter Kits that make this initial step super easy, always delicious, and fun. Check out our current range of Kombucha Starter Kits here.

We have a more detailed Beginners Guide to Brewing Perfect Kombucha here, but here is an outline of the basic steps.

The steps below will work for anyone interested in just making a single batch of Kombucha, but for anyone who's interested in making a delicious, healthy & sustainable new hobby out of this recipe, we always recommend setting up a continuous Kombucha brew.

Ingredients for 1 litre of Kombucha

  • SCOBY with 200ml strong starter liquid
  • 60 grams of sugar
  • 6 grams loose green tea
  • 1 litre of water

Instructions

  1. Boil the Water
  2. Pour water over the tea and sugar in a jug or saucepan, and stir until all the sugar is dissolved
  3. Let the sweetened tea cool to room temperature and remove tea bags / all loose tea
  4. Add your SCOBY and starter liquid into a large glass jar and then pour in your cool tea
  5. Cover the jar with a breathable lid / cloth and secure it with a rubber band
  6. Let it ferment at room temperature for 7-14 days, tasting small samples from day 5 until it reaches a balance of tart vs sweet that you like, and it doesn't taste like tea anymore

If you fancy taking this recipe to the next level of deliciousness, we recommend using our Elderflower Kombucha Brew Bag to brew the Kombucha you will use for this recipe.

This will add a deeper layer of floral summer notes to the Kombucha and is an absolute must try!

Now the fun part ...

Turning Your Kombucha into Pink Champagne

So now you've made a delicious batch of Kombucha (congrats), adding natural flavours to it is easy! 

Check out Our Kombucha Recipe Club for endless, natural & delicious recipe inspiration.

Now let's turn your Kombucha, into pink champagne!

You'll need:

Optional extras

Instructions:

  1. Remove the stalks and slice & dice strawberries
  2. Add them, with your basil (tear leaves if using fresh) to the bottle with the screw cap (best if this bottle has a wide neck for getting the chunks out after)
  3. Fill bottle with fresh, homemade green tea Kombucha
  4. Leave this bottle at room temperature for 48 hours
  5. The liquid should turn a beautiful pink colour, and leave the chunks of strawberry looking white in patches
  6. Option to put this in the fridge and enjoy as Strawberry & Basil Kombucha, or follow on for a few extra steps to add a champagne twist

Adding the Champagne Twist

The next few steps (often called the second fermentation of your Kombucha) will add a level of natural carbonation to your Kombucha, although this can also be achieved with a soda stream type appliance, or by mixing half a glass of Kombucha, with half a glass of soda or tonic water too.

This stage does come with a couple of risks.

Exploding bottles

Leaving a live product (your natural Kombucha) in a glass bottle at room temperature means that it will continue to ferment, especially when mixed with another sugar source, i.e. if you opt to use the grape or apple juice.

When it ferments, the live bacteria produce CO2 (a gas) which is what will give your Kombucha its natural fizz. Because we are doing the next stage in a bottle with a flip top lid, or a cork, once your liquid is saturated with CO2, it will have no where to go. In extreme cases, this could lead to a glass bottle explosion. 

Our tips to avoid any harm;

  1. Do not forget about your bottle of Kombucha (set reminders on your phone to check it)
  2. Leave this bottle to ferment inside a box / outside / even in a bag of some kind (makes any mess easier to clean up)
  3. If you're not sure on how carbonated it might be, you could slowly pop the top off and let some gas out (this is called burping)
  4. When you open the bottle, either to serve or burp, open it very slowly and be ready to push your hand over the mouth of the bottle should the liquid shoot out

Higher than the normal 'trace levels' of alcohol

This second fermentation, particularly if you are adding the grape or apple juice, can lead to higher levels of alcohol than Kombucha straight from the first fermentation (which tends to be under the 0.5% and is classed as non-alcoholic).

All authentically fermented foods and drinks have trace levels of alcohol due to ethanol being produced as a bi-product. This is totally natural, and can be similar levels to the alcohol found in a ripe fruit. 

Instructions

  1. Use your funnel sieve to remove the fresh ingredients from your pink, infused Kombucha and pour from your wide neck bottle, into your air tight bottles (clip top bottle or bottles with corks). It doesn't matter if some tiny basil leaves or strawberries slip through.
  2. Option to add 50ml apple or grape juice into clip top bottles here
  3. Close air tight seal on bottle, and leave at room temperature (see above tips on exploding bottles). 
  4. After 24 - 48 hours, check the bottle for bubbles
  5. When bubbles appear in the liquid, put the bottle in the fridge for a few hours, before serving up. This will calm the carbonation down so when you do pop the top off, it (hopefully) doesn't explode everywhere

Our Extra Tips:

  • Flavour Intensity: The longer you let the Kombucha infuse with the fruit, the more intense the colour, as well as the Strawberry and Basil flavours will be
  • Carbonation Level: The grape juice or apple juice will provide extra fuel in the form of extra sugars to increase the natural carbonation of the Kombucha, but you will also achieve a light fizz if you do not add any juice, as there will be residual sugar in the Kombucha anyway, it might just take a little longer. You may find adding soda or tonic water is a better option if you like fizz
  • Storage: Keep your Kombucha in the refrigerator to maintain its fizz and flavour. Consume within 7 days for best. 

This beautiful Pink Strawberry Kombucha Champagne is the perfect non-alcoholic drink for summer.

It’s refreshing, healthy, and easy to make. Whether you’re hosting a summer BBQ or just looking for a delicious and bubbly drink to enjoy on your own, this homemade Kombucha is the way to go.

If you're looking for a Kombucha Starter Kit to get you going with your first batch, then check out our famous, 5 star rated, and beginner friendly selection here.

Happy brewing and enjoy your Pink Strawberry Kombucha Champagne!

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