End of May is for us this magical time of the year.
And that's because it is time to pick Elderflowers for our delicious cold-brewed Elderflower Jun Kombucha (Holunder in German).
Jun is a cousin of Kombucha and it's origin is veiled in a mystery.
Jun is traditionally made with honey and green tea. It also requires a different type of culture.
Because of honey, the fermentation time is much shorter than in the case of regular Kombucha. It requires only about 3 days.
But in this particular case, we make a cold brewed version without tea.
We just use Elderflowers, water and honey.
So, we start with freshly picked Elderflowers from the outskirts of Berlin.
We pick through them and then we gently rinse them.
Next, they go into our fermentation glass jars.
Next, we add some local, raw honey.
And our filtered and revitalized water. Then we add Jun cultures, and Jun starter liquid.
From this point, it takes three days for our Elderflower Jun Bärbucha to get ready.
During this time the color changes, and our Jun becomes quite bubbly.
Then it's bottling time!
The primary reason why we make it is its exquisite flavor. It is also very light, and very refreshing. Additional health benefits don't hurt.
Let's take a look at those properties. First, from EatHealthyLiveFit.com
WebMD lists this for Elderflowers:
“Elderflower is the flower of a tree. An extract of the flower is used to make medicine. Elderflower is used for swollen sinuses (sinusitis), colds, influenza (flu), swine flu, bronchitis, diabetes, and constipation. It is also used to increase urine production (as a diuretic), to increase sweating (as a diaphoretic), and to stop bleeding. Elderflower is also used as a gargle and mouthwash for coughs, colds, hoarseness (laryngitis), flu, and shortness of breath. It is used on the skin for joint pain (rheumatism), and pain and swelling (inflammation).”
Those who know German, can check out this article:
Ingredients: Filtered and Revitalized Water, Fresh Elderflowers, Jun Cultures, and Local Raw Honey
Disclaimer: All medical information in this post is merely information & not advise. If you need medical advice, please consult your doctor or other appropriate medical professional.