Our banana pineapple kombucha recipe is here to deliver a glass of tropical paradise to you! This recipe is an excellent one for the summer, though it would be a delicious option for any time of the year. Banana pineapple kombucha is a sweeter recipe, and is likely to be a popular option with the kiddos!
As a child, my mother would get Pine-Orange-Banana juice for my brother and me every so often. It was always such a treat, and I never forgot the delicious flavor! Banana pineapple kombucha actually reminds me of this juice, which makes it even more special. It is also a much healthier option, making it an excellent choice for all members of the family. It truly has a tropical taste to it and would be an excellent poolside option this summer! 😉
If you are not a fan of sweet kombucha, you can still try this out! Simply let the second fermentation go a little longer—I would recommend you begin tasting the kombucha on day 4, refrigerating it once the flavor meets your preferences. You will still get the tropical flavor with a little more “zing” to it!
We have a few notes on using pineapple in your kombucha as well as scaling your batches below. If you are a kombucha expert, go ahead and skip down to the Banana Pineapple Kombucha recipe below! If you are a beginner, I would strongly recommend reading the notes below first!
Pineapple + kombucha = FIZZ
As you may know, pineapple is notorious for creating LOTS of fizz in second fermentation kombucha! Be cautious with this recipe—especially if you make it during the warm summer months. I would recommend briefly opening the lid on each bottle every 24-48 hours to let excess carbonation out. You can do this more or less depending on how much carbonation your kombucha seems to be accumulating.
We use a combination of fresh pineapple and fresh pineapple juice in this recipe, but you can use canned or dried pineapple/pineapple juice if preferred. I would recommend paying attention to any added sugars and adjusting the amount you add as you do not want excessive sugar to result in a kombucha explosion!
How do I know when to cut a fresh pineapple?
If you are using fresh pineapple and are unsure when to cut it, there are several cues you can look for to know when the time is right. A ripe pineapple will be letting off a strong, sweet aroma from the bottom of the pineapple. If it is extremely ripe, you will even be able to smell it as you walk by! Ripe pineapples often develop a small amount of fuzzy mold on the bottom of the pineapple—this is nothing to worry about. You will be slicing off and throwing out the exterior of the pineapple anyways. This is actually another cue many look for to tell whether the pineapple is ripe.
Primary Fermentation + Airtight Glass Bottles
FYI, this is a second fermentation kombucha recipe. That means you need to have kombucha that has already completed the initial fermentation process on hand. Both are truly very simple—waiting for your primary fermentation kombucha to work its own magic is the toughest part! If you don’t know where to begin with brewing kombucha, no worries! We offer a Kombucha Starter Kit with everything you need to brew your first batch! It also comes with very straightforward instructions.
This recipe also requires airtight glass bottles. These are a staple for kombucha home brewers. I recommend getting 16 oz swing-top bottles; our recipes are written for them, they are a convenient size for drinking directly from the bottle, and they work well with kombucha overall!
Scale to Your Batch
This recipe is written out for a single 16 oz bottle. If you are brewing kombucha by the gallon, you should end up with enough to make 6-7 16 oz bottles of this recipe. We generally multiply the recipe by the number of bottles we plan on using, slice and/or puree all of the ingredients at once, and split the ingredients evenly between the bottles afterwards. Do whatever is easiest for you!
Banana Pineapple Kombucha (Tropical Paradise Kombucha)
Our banana pineapple kombucha recipe is here to deliver a glass of tropical paradise to you! This short & sweet recipe is perfect for summertime and is sure to be a treat for adults and kids alike!
Ingredients
- 1/4 large Banana
- 3 tbsp Fresh Pineapple/ Pineapple juice Use 2 Tbsp if straight juice
- 12-14 ounces Fermented Kombucha Enough to top off the bottle, leaving approx. 1 inch of headspace
Instructions
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Slice banana in small pieces and place in bottle
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Slice pineapple in small pieces and place in bottle and/or add pineapple juice to bottle with a funnel
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Fill remainder of bottle with fermented kombucha, leaving approx. 1 inch of headspace at the top of the bottle.
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Seal bottles & allow kombucha to ferment in a dark, warm space for 2-3 days*. Then, begin tasting daily.
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Once kombucha meets your flavor preferences, refrigerate it and enjoy!**
Recipe Notes
*As noted, pineapple recipes are usually pretty fizzy- you will want to “burp” bottles (AKA lift lid slightly to release excess carbonation) on a daily basis. If there isn’t much pressure to be released after 24 hours, try every other day.
**Again, you may strain banana and pineapple pieces out of kombucha prior to drinking if preferred. It is fine (and tasty) to eat them as well!
That’s all there is to it! I hope you get the chance to enjoy this one poolside while soaking up the sun this summer! It has definite potential as a mixer in your favorite cocktails, too!
We would love to hear your questions and thoughts on this in the comments below– feel free to share. Enjoy!
