How to Make Jun Tea
Please note that it is always best to start the fermentation process as soon as you receive your scoby but if you’re not planning to start your jun right away, go ahead an store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready. It can be stored in the original packaging for a few days OR remove it from the packaging and place it in a glass jar along with the starter tea and it can then be stored for a few weeks. Our jun scoby starter cultures are remarkably resilient and will live forever if taken care of properly.
What to do when your Jun Tea Scoby arrives.
Note: It’s always best to start the fermentation process as soon as you receive your Jun Tea Scoby BUT if you’re not planning to start your Jun Tea right away, go ahead an store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready. It can be stored in the original packaging for a few weeks OR remove it from the packaging and place it in a glass jar along with the starter tea and it can then be stored for a few months.
Our Jun Tea Scoby starter cultures are remarkably resilient and will live forever if taken care of properly.
What supplies will I need?
- Jun Tea starter (JUN SCOBY)
- 1L Glass Jar
- Coffee filter or muslin cloth to cover the jar
- Rubber band to secure cover in place
- Plastic or Wooden Spoon
- 60g honey (Organic raw works best. You can also use the very basic cheap honey supermarkets sell but for the very best tasting jun tea, organic raw honey should be used.)
- 900ml of water (non-chlorinated & non-fluoridated is best)
- 3 tea bags (green tea is best)
- Jun starter tea (this will be included in your starter pack)
*** Jun tea ferments best during the winter months!!
The temperature will play an important role in the brewing process. During the warmer summer months, a much shorter time is required to make jun tea (usually just 1-2 days). If the temperature gets above 26°C, you will usually find that Jun Tea Scoby can struggle to ferment well. You may also notice a decrease in the speed that a new scoby forms. Unfortunately, during the warmer months it can be very difficult to brew jun tea. You will need to be wait until temperatures cool down again but you should continue to feed your Jun Tea Scoby with fresh honey and green tea on a weekly basis to keep it healthy in order to avoid problems such as mould.
Instructions for making Jun Tea.
- Heat 500mls water (Filtered, free of chlorine) to almost boiling then add the tea bags and allow to steep for approx 15mins. Tip: Don’t over steep your tea as this will lead to a bitter tasting jun tea.
- Remove the tea bags. If using loose tea, always ensure you strain out the tea leaves as the tea leaves may go mouldy and can contaminate your jun tea.
- Add 400mls of room temperature or cooled water (again filtered) to bring the temperature down.
- Add 60g of honey and stir the mixture until completely dissolved. Again organic, raw honey works best.
- Add the Jun Tea Scoby and Jun starter tea liquid to the now cooled mixture. Remember: Do not add the Jun Tea Scoby to hot tea.
- Cover the jar with muslin cloth/coffee filter or similar. Avoid using an air tight lid as the Jun Tea needs to breathe.
- Jun tea prefers a slightly cooler temperature when compared to Kombucha. The optimum temperature for Jun tea is 15-20 degrees celsius.
- As with all live cultures, store out of direct sunlight to avoid unwanted bacteria and pathogens forming.
- After 3 days the Jun Tea will still be fairly sweet, at 5 it will have become more tart. Personally, we prefer our Jun Tea at around the 3 day mark. After a while you will find what works best for you which is the beauty (and fun!) of working with Jun Tea !
Bottling the Jun Tea.
Bottling the fermented Jun Tea in airtight bottles will help to increase the carbonation.
Step 1: Remove the Jun Tea Scoby
You will notice that you may now have two scobys! Your original scoby produced another scoby. This happens with every batch of Jun Tea you make.
Step 2: Add your Jun Tea to Clean Bottles
We highly recommend simply pouring your Jun Tea straight into swing top bottles, as it’s super easy.
These are our favourite bottles! They’re readily available, strong, and can be reused for years. Plus, they are less likely to explode because excessive pressure can push the rubber gasket to the side to vent pressure safely.
Note: Your Jun Tea may have little floaties in it. More so than regular kombucha. These are harmless and are simply strands of brown yeast floating about as the Jun Tea is a living culture and continues to ferment even when bottled. If this bothers you, strain your Jun Tea through a non-metal sieve into a glass before drinking.
Leave 1/2″ – 1″ of headspace at the top of your bottle, then close your bottle.
After your Jun Tea is bottled, you can place it straight into the refrigerator for consumption later!
How long can I store the Jun Tea in the refrigerator?
We recommend no longer than 5 days in the refrigerator as you will usually find the Jun Tea begins to turn into vinegar from there on out. Not really pleasant to drink but again, this can always be used as a starter tea if required!
How can I take a break from Jun Tea ?
If you need to take a break for a few weeks for an upcoming holiday etc.. and you’re worried about what to do with your Jun Tea scoby, then follow the steps below:
Simply go ahead and place the scoby in a fresh mixture of tea, sugar and water. Now cover the jar, just like you always do and place it in the refrigerator. Cold temperatures greatly slow the culturing process, so the refrigerator is a good place to store the scoby when a break is necessary.
The Jun Tea scoby will be absolutely fine for up to 5 weeks, although we don’t recommend drinking the Jun Tea when you return as the Jun Tea will be more like vinegar at this point. However, you can still use it as a starter tea if you like.
Troubleshooting & FAQs
If you experience any problems with your Jun Tea please contact us immediately as refunds/replacements will only be issued if you have contacted us within the first three days of receiving your live cultures.
It’s been a few days now and my Jun Tea Scoby has not arrived. Will it be ok?
We are the Ireland’s biggest supplier of live cultures and have spent years investing in and testing the safest and best delivery methods. Unfortunately delays within the postal service can and do happen from time to time BUT we absolutely guarantee our cultures will arrive safely and in top condition. In the rare event there is a problem, please be assured we will look after you fully with a replacement.
If I am making more than one cultured food types (kefir, kombucha, sourdough, etc.), how far apart should I keep the live cultures?
We recommend a minimum distance of 5 feet between the cultures. However when your cultures are being stored in the refrigerator and secured with tight-fitting lids, there is no requirement to keep distance between them.
Do your Jun Tea cultures contain dairy, animal products or gluten?
No, our Jun Tea cultures are grown with only organic green tea, organic raw honey, and filtered water.
What tea can be used for Jun Tea?
Jun Tea will almost always taste best with green tea. Green tea is the most common tea used for making Jun Tea.
What type of honey is best for Jun Tea?
Organic raw honey works best. You can also use the very basic cheap honey supermarkets sell but for the very best tasting jun tea, organic raw honey should be used.
What are the signs that indicate the Jun Tea is culturing properly?
Some good signs to look out for are the development of strands of brown yeast floating about in the mixture (more so than regular kombucha) and the development of a new Jun Tea scoby (baby scoby) close to the top of the jar but this will depend on the length of the fermentation.
How do I know when my Jun Tea is ready?
After 3 days the Jun Tea will still be fairly sweet, at 5 it will have become more tart. Personally, we prefer our Jun Tea at around the 3 day mark. After a while you will find what works best for you which is the beauty (and fun!) of working with Jun Tea!
My Jun Tea Scoby sank to the bottom of my jar, is in the middle, sideways, or has risen to the top of the jar. Is this normal?
Jun Tea Scobys can either sink, be somewhere in the middle or rise to the top. It really doesn’t matter as long as it’s not moldy and otherwise looks healthy.
How can I get more fizz in my tea?
Bottling the fermented Jun Tea in airtight bottles for 1-2 days will help to increase the carbonation (a second fermentation).
Will my Jun Tea Scoby multiply?
Jun Tea cultures do in fact multiply. Each time you brew a batch of Jun Tea a new starter culture will form. The original starter culture (aka “the mother”) and the new starter culture (aka “the baby”) can each be used to brew a new batch of Jun Tea.
What should I do if there is mold on my Jun Tea Scoby?
Do not drink the tea! Throw it out and start your next batch with a new culture and follow the directions carefully.
Are the Jun Tea cultures reusable?
Yes, with proper care our Jun Tea cultures can be reused many times to create Jun Tea.
There you go!
Remember, like most live cultures, Jun Tea Scobys can be temperamental and will take a while to master. These instructions should only serve as a guide and are a reflection of what works for us. After a while you are likely to find your own way and methods which is the beauty (and fun!) of working with Jun Tea.
Note: As with all cultures always start with a small amount each day (1-2 tablespoons max) and work your way up as your body adjusts to the beneficial bacteria.
When fermenting more than one live culture at home, we suggest a distance of at least 4 feet between the cultures at all times. This is to help stop cross contamination of the different cultures and is of particular importance when culturing dairy products. The only exception to this is when cultures are being stored in the refrigerator with tight-fitting lids.
