Blackberry Sage Kombucha

Healthy and packed with flavor, this Blackberry Sage Kombucha will have your body roaring to get moving. 1. Heat blackberries in a saucepan, covered, over medium heat. As the blackberries heat up and begin to bubble and soften, mash them with a fork. 2. Once a pulpy juice forms add the sugar and sage and bring to a gentle boil. 3. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the saucepan, and allow the flavors to cook together, about 15 to 20 minutes. Do not allow mixture to boil or cook for too long, or else it will become very thick. 4. Leave bottles in a warm, dark place for two to four days to allow kombucha to go through secondary fermentation. 5. In a large pot or pitcher, combine the kombucha and blackberry sage mixture. Mix together well and then pour the blackberry sage kombucha into sealable bottles, including the sage leaves and blackberry pulp. Seal the bottles. Allow the kombucha to go through its secondary fermentation by allowing it to sit in a warm, dark place for two to three days. Note that the longer the kombucha sits, the more sugar will be eaten by the probiotics, which will result in a less sweet and more fizzy beverage. 6. Refrigerate for twenty-four hours after the secondary fermentation is complete. This slows the secondary fermentation, but the kombucha will continue to ferment and get fizzier the longer it sits in the refrigerator. When you're ready to drink the kombucha, use a small fine strainer to strain out the sage leaves, blackberry pulp, and whatever small SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) has formed during the secondary fermentation. Discard all of the pulp and enjoy.