
What is Jun and why is it better than Kombucha?
Kombucha pales in comparison to it’s smoother, more effervescent cousin, Jun. Jun is so amazing that I no longer feel drawn to that sparkly rainbow Kombucha case where $5 bottles of carbonated tea beckon with their colorful labels. Now I spend around $5 making a whole gallon of Jun! Watch the video above (and see the recipe below) to learn how to make it yourself.
Jun is basically a specialized Kombucha-like SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony Of Bacteria & Yeast) that evolved to feed on honey and green tea INSTEAD of white sugar and black tea. This imparts more complex, floral flavors and aromas. All those bubbles are why Jun is often described as the Champagne of Kombuchas!
I avoid refined sugar most of the time. This always put me a little at odds with Kombucha because commercially it is often very sweet, which tells me it still contains a lot of sugar that the microbes haven’t eaten yet. The alternative was to make my own Kombucha, but that usually tasted like vinegar.
Isn’t honey high in sugar?!
Yes, honey is composed of mostly sugar, and you can easily eat too much. Especially if you’re dealing with any number of today’s sugar related blockbuster health issues. Honey is distinctly different than refined white table sugar though. I could get into the science of how honey has a more complex profile of monosacharides than sugar, but I don’t want to bore you to death. So just trust me when I say authentic raw, unfiltered honey is a superior, whole food form of natural sugars, when consumed in moderation.

The magic of truly raw honey
Honey has almost magical powers that may be attributed, in part, to the phytochemicals it contains. White sugar is stripped of everything except sucrose. Honey is flower nectar with traces of pollen, propolis and beeswax. It contains antioxidants, minerals and plant compounds dictated by the type of flowers the hive dines at. This is why honey from specific flower sources or various regions tastes so different. The nectar is then predigested and cultured with honey bee enzymes and ancient gut probiotics, before the beating of thousands of wings dries the nectar into honey. It is a complex food that we have a long evolutionary relationship with. Refined, white sugar, on the other hand, is new for our bodies and causes cellular confusion on many levels.
Michael, my fellow Jun brew master, says, “Commercial Kombucha relies so heavily on syrupy fruit flavors because most people don’t like the taste of just plain Kombucha. We like how Jun has abundant flavor notes from the honey and green tea. It’s perfect on its own. We do sometimes add ginger juice, turmeric, or even berries, but we really enjoy playing with different honey and green tea varieties, and the subtle complexity of flavors they produce.”
Where can I buy Jun commercially?
The few bottles of commercial Jun we found on our journeys in the Pacific Northwest paled in comparison to our home-brew using local raw honey. We aren’t sure if it’s our awesome SCOBY or the recipe we are sharing with you below. Fortunately, my friend Jason over at Anuenue Exquisite Tea in Kailua, Hawaii has perfected his Jun making skills. It’s so good I won’t be surprised when it becomes available on the mass market. He uses Anuenue’s amazing tea blends, like Summer Krush, to create unbelievably delicious Jun.

Jun Tea
Ingredients
- SCOBY the mushroom looking thing
- 1/2 cup starter liquid Jun from the last batch that the SCOBY is swimming in
- 1 cup raw local honey
- 10 green tea bags
- Enough water to fill the 1 gallon jar
Instructions
Making The Tea
- Make your green tea by heating about a quart of water. This will make it cool faster than heating whole gallon. After steeping remove the teabags and squeeze them. Let the tea cool a little or add some cool water. Then add your honey and stir until it dissolves. Let this sweet tea cool to room temperature. Then add your SCOBY, starter and enough water to fill up to the 1 gallon mark. Cover with a towel and seal around the jar with a rubber band so no tiny ants can get in.
Primary Fermentation
- Let your inoculated tea sit in a dark place on your counter for around 4-5 days. Taste it and when it has a subtle tang of fermentation, but is still fairly sweet, it's time to bottle it.
Secondary Fermentation
- You must seal your Jun in pressure rated bottles to trap the gas during this step. This is how the carbonation forms. Let your full bottles sit out on the counter for 1 to 2 days. Refrigerate before opening so they don't explode. The final product is shelf stable in the fridge for quite a while. Enjoy at your leisure.
Never really cared for Kombucha, but I began making Jun about 18 months ago. My husband was put off by the gruesome look of the SCOBY and what it stood for, and expressed disinterest in trying it. My first batch was a success, and I was instantly enamored by its flavor and effervescence, and didn’t mind not having to share. I admit, I did not go out of my way to dissuade him from his aversion. One day he tried it. His eyes lit up, and he exclaimed with awe and wonder “it’s champagne tea!” He was rapturous. There has been no turning back. He has joined me in brewing, and we usually do 4 gallons at a time, and watch our supply closely so that we don’t run out.
I like to think I may have a granddaughter of your SCOBY as I obtained my starter from a mutual friend. How sweet it all is. Jun always brings out the bliss in the moment.
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Skya, is this tea good in detoxifying any residual from the stone making kidneys?
Can you call me or email me I want to set an appointment thanks
Aloha Carla! It’s so good to hear from you. I would try Chanca Piedra tea, known as the stone breaker herb, for kidney stone issues. Of course, we also want to look at the microbiome and gut health because generally there is a relationship between our microbial gut ecosystem and our ability to digest and properly eliminate some of the molecules that can accumulate into stones in our kidneys.