I had been gifted my initial Jun tea culture in recent several weeks from the friend who explained he appeared to digest it also much better than the fermented drink referred to as kombucha.
I had been excited to understand of the ferment created using honey and eco-friendly tea rather of black tea and sugar, that is that which you use when creating kombucha .
In 2001, soon after When i first started brewing kombucha, a Chinese friend who found dinner explained her mother had designed a much the same drink when she would be a child becoming an adult in Guangdong Province. The main difference? Her mother made the ferment with eco-friendly tea and honey.
Since that night, I’ve been intrigued with this mysterious ferment. Now we all know it had been most likely Jun tea.
A Brief History of Jun Tea
Jun is broadly found today in western Tibet (the main put on my bucket list to go to at some point) even though it’s actual history is shrouded in rumor and mystery.
Some Jun dealers declare that the first writings about Jun tea go as far back to 600 B.C. in Northeast China in which the elixir was priced at being able to open energy (chi) in your body while increasing circulation. Regrettably, no source of these &"earliest writings&" is really given.
Jun cultures are precious along with a bit difficult to find as you would expect. &"Heirloom&" Jun cultures are apparently so rare, actually, that there has been robberies of Jun cultures as stated by niche fermentation dealers recently with distribution of daughter cultures from the stolen originals selecting Hawaii in Colorado.
Jun Tea versus Kombucha
To state that i'm deeply in love with this lighter, faster brewing cousin of kombucha could be an understatement! Let’s examine a few of the similarities and variations between these cousin ferments.
Jun tea uses slightly less tea and sweetener than kombucha
In which a full gallon of kombucha typically uses 4-5 teaspoons of black tea and 1-1.5 cups sugar, a gallon of Jun requires 4 teaspoons of eco-friendly tea and 1 cup of honey, ideally in your area sourced and raw.
Which means that Jun tea could be free from any potential disaccharide residues in the white-colored sugar and therefore friendly to individuals around the GAPS Diet.
Steeping and brewing occasions are shorter for Jun tea
The (loose) eco-friendly tea accustomed to make Jun is steeped for just two minutes, whereas for kombucha, steeping time is generally ten minutes. Brew time can also be shorter for Jun 6 days versus seven days minimum for kombucha.
This produces a lower caffeine final brew (or no remains whatsoever) with lower potential fluoride content too if lower quality and/or nonorganic teas are employed for budget reasons.
Jun brews better at cooler temperatures
Based on my buddies at Kombucha Kamp, the perfect brewing temperature for Jun teas are between 68-77 F (20-25 C). For kombucha, the high temperature range for optimal brewing is 78-85 F (25.5-29 C).
Consequently, with respect to the temperature of your house, either Jun tea or kombucha may be preferable with respect to the periodic effect.
Budget Alert: Jun is much more costly to create
Around the downside, brewing Jun teas are considerably more costly than kombucha. However, it's still far less expensive than buying canned kombucha in the store.
As I brew kombucha for approximately 25 cents per quart, the price of a quart of home made Jun teas are about $2.50, 10 occasions just as much!
The main difference on price is mainly because of the greater cost of quality honey than the cane sugar accustomed to make kombucha.
Jun teas are more alcoholic than kombucha
Additionally towards the elevated cost, Jun teas are more alcoholic (around 2%), with kombucha clocking in at .5% for any typical batch.
The elevated alcohol content makes Jun tea inappropriate for kids. Additionally, it's not advisable for consumption while pregnant and breastfeeding. Kombucha, however, is really a ferment I enjoyed all through pregnancy and lactation and permitted the kids to sip in a small amount beginning around age 2.
In The Event You Try Jun Tea?
For those who have never made kombucha or any other home ferments before, It is best to begin with kombucha because it is much less costly to create and failure of the batch or two won’t set you back much.
However, if you're experienced in your own home ferments, give Jun tea, the champagne of kombucha, a go!
You never know? You may finish up a Jun -kie!
How to locate a Jun Tea Culture and Starter
Regrettably, not too many people brew Jun tea yet, so it's difficult to find someone in your neighborhood who are able to share a culture and a few starter along with you. This case will probably improve in in the future, until then, I recommend buying a geniune Jun culture and starter from Kombucha Kamp. My buddies Hannah and Alex will require good proper care of you and also guarantee a complete potency culture that's always fresh, never dehydrated or frozen. This is when my culture comes from.
Here is a 3 minute video which overviews the Jun Tea making process combined with the written recipe. Enjoy!
Steps to make Jun Tea (Kombucha Champagne)
1 gallon filtered spring water
1 cup honey, preferably raw and in your area sourced (I personally use this brand if local honey isn't available)
4 teaspoon loose, organic eco-friendly tea (I personally use this brand)
1 cup Jun tea starter (from the previous batch or get it here )
Heat water to 165 F/74 C inside a large pot. Make use of a frying or chocolate thermometer to determine the water isn't hot (I personally use that one).
Hint: Don't boil water like when creating kombucha.
Take away the pot in the heat.
Place 4 teaspoon loose tea in a stainless-steel tea mesh (I personally use that one) and hook aside from the pot.
Let steep for just two minutes.
Remove tea mesh and pour herbal tea into fermentation vessel (I personally use these) .
Stir in honey and let mixture arrived at 70 degrees.
Stir in starter and stir to combine. Place Jun tea culture on the top. Cover having a clean, white-colored tea towel or floursack cloth (such as these) and secure having a large rubberband.
Devote a basic room (the top of the a bureau inside a guest bed room or the top of the personal files cabinet in the home office are great. Ideally, not the top refrigerator or any other appliances because the EMFs will weaken the Jun culture with time).
Leave for several-6 days.
Harvest after three days if you want to bottle the Jun tea for several more days for further fizziness (check this out video for that how-to) or leave for six full days should you don’t plan to bottle.
Place Jun cultures inside a glass jar or bowl with plenty of made Jun tea to pay for and reserve within the refrigerator for your forthcoming batch.
Canned Jun tea ought to be continually be cold and opened up within the sink to avoid accidental fizzing over to the counter and floors.
Finished Jun tea ought to be kept in the refrigerator in obvious glass only. No plastic, no enamel, no colored glass.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Sources and much more Information
