Making Jun Tea: Kombucha's Honey-Based Cousin

If you love kombucha, there's a good chance you'll love Jun tea. Sometimes called the "champagne of fermented teas," Jun swaps sugar for honey and black tea for green — producing a lighter, more delicate, and subtly floral brew.

What Is Jun Tea?

Jun (rhymes with "fun") is a fermented tea made with a Jun-specific SCOBY, green tea, and raw honey. The process is very similar to kombucha, but the ingredients and culture are different.

	Kombucha	Jun
Tea	Black (typically)	Green
Sweetener	White sugar	Raw honey
SCOBY	Kombucha SCOBY	Jun SCOBY
Fermentation temp	75–85°F (24–29°C)	68–78°F (20–26°C)
F1 duration	7–14 days	5–7 days
Flavor	Bold, tangy, robust	Light, floral, mildly sweet
Carbonation	Moderate to strong	Often naturally fizzier

Do You Need a Special SCOBY?

Yes — and this is important. A Jun SCOBY has adapted to ferment honey, which has antimicrobial properties that can stress or kill a standard kombucha SCOBY. You need a SCOBY specifically cultured for Jun.

That said, some homebrewers have successfully transitioned a kombucha SCOBY to Jun by gradually shifting from sugar to honey over several batches (25% honey the first batch, 50% the next, and so on). This process takes patience and doesn't always work.

The safest approach is to start with an authentic Jun SCOBY from a reputable source.

How to Brew Jun Tea

Ingredients (1 Gallon)

• 1 gallon filtered water
• 4–5 green tea bags (or 4–5 tsp loose leaf)
• 1 cup raw honey
• 1 Jun SCOBY
• 1 cup Jun starter liquid

Steps

Step 1: Brew the Green Tea

Heat water to 175°F (80°C) — not boiling. Green tea becomes bitter when over-extracted. Steep for 3–5 minutes, then remove the tea bags or leaves.

Step 2: Add the Honey

Let the tea cool to about 100°F (38°C) before adding honey. Raw honey contains beneficial enzymes that are destroyed by high heat. Stir until fully dissolved, then let the sweetened tea cool completely to room temperature.

Step 3: Add SCOBY and Starter

Pour the cooled sweetened tea into a glass jar. Add the Jun SCOBY and starter liquid. Cover with a cloth and secure with a rubber band.

Step 4: First Fermentation

Place in a spot at 68–78°F (20–26°C) — slightly cooler than kombucha. Jun ferments faster than kombucha, so start tasting at day 3. Most Jun is ready in 5–7 days.

Step 5: Second Fermentation

Bottle and flavor just like kombucha. Jun tends to carbonate quickly due to the honey sugars, so check bottles daily.

Flavor Pairings for Jun

Jun's delicate flavor calls for equally subtle pairings:

• Lemon + lavender — floral on floral
• Pear + ginger — sweet and warming
• Raspberry + rose — romantic and complex
• Cucumber + mint — cool and clean
• Chamomile + honey — double the calm

Avoid heavy, bold flavors (jalapeño, dark spices) — they tend to overpower Jun's subtlety.

Common Jun Mistakes

• Using pasteurized honey — raw honey has enzymes the Jun SCOBY relies on. Pasteurized honey works but produces a less complex brew
• Brewing too hot — Jun prefers cooler temperatures than kombucha. Over 78°F can produce off-flavors
• Over-fermenting — Jun goes sour faster than kombucha. Taste frequently, especially in the first few batches
• Adding honey to hot tea — the enzymes in raw honey are heat-sensitive. Cool below 100°F first

Is Jun Healthier Than Kombucha?

Both are probiotic-rich fermented teas. Jun's potential advantages:

• Raw honey brings its own antimicrobial and enzymatic properties
• Green tea base provides more L-theanine and less caffeine than black tea
• The lighter flavor may appeal to people who find kombucha too vinegary

However, both drinks are similar nutritionally. Choose the one you enjoy brewing and drinking most.

Track Your Jun Brews

Jun's shorter fermentation window and sensitivity to temperature make tracking especially valuable. Log each batch's honey type, steeping temperature, and fermentation days with Booch — so you can refine your Jun recipe as quickly as your kombucha.