If you haven’t heard of kombucha, then you’ve probably been living under a rock. The fermented beverage has been turning heads in the recent past. In fact, kombucha has undergone a form of renaissance and can be found everywhere from upscale supermarkets to gas stations. But there’s another gut-friendly tea that’s just as powerful for our microbiome but comparatively lesser-known – JUN. Jun, better known as the “Champagne of Kombucha”, is a similar probiotic tea making circle in the fermenting world.
The core difference:
The meticulous process of brewing Kombucha embodies a rare and regenerative Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast (SCOBY), black tea, and sugar to produce a strong, sparkling tea raved about for its benefits of detoxifying and energizing effects. Jun, on the other hand, includes all that goodness, but instead of sugar, the base is raw, wild and unprocessed honey – making it that much better for you. Fresh juices, spices, fruits and a myriad of other flavorings are often added to both kombucha and jun. These two aged teas share much for all intents and purpose, which may be why the two are gut-friendly refreshments are regularly lumped together.
Sugar vs. Honey
Kombucha is traditionally sweetened with cane sugar, but Jun is adapted to thrive on raw honey. While the ingredients may seem similar, the raw honey and green tea create a flavour that tends to be crispier on the tongue than kombucha. Moreover, with the addition of honey and zero sugars, Jun becomes a beverage that is both PRE and PRO biotic in nature. That’s literally double the goodness of Kombucha.
If you don’t know why we’re hyping up the pre and probiotics, allow us to break it down for you (so that you can join the hype). Prebiotics essentially nourish our microbiome and boost the growth of bacteria that are beneficial for our gut. Whereas, probiotics are edible sources that contain health-promoting microbes. These break down food and help boost our immune system. Through days of careful fermentation and conditioning of our cultures, Jun captures this pre and probiotics, facilitating a higher antioxidants count. That’s why we like to call Jun the dark horse of fermented beverages.
Taste
Jun is also, by and large, lighter and fizzier tastier in flavour, due to its unique microbial fermentation. With a range of gourmet flavours like Orange, Rose & Cacao and Blackberry & Rosemary, just to name a few, Jun shines as a flavorful, effervescent and invigorating beverage. One can pick up the slight notes of honey along with the infused herbs, spices and fresh fruits. The fewer the ingredients in the bottle, the more each one gets an opportunity to shine, resulting in a truly flavorful and nutrient-rich beverage such as Jun.
Liquid Content
The liquid content of Jun is for the most part higher than fermented tea. This might be because of the distinctions in the sugars used to culture the two drinks. Though natural sweetener contains half glucose and half fructose, honey just holds back 30% glucose, under 40% fructose, and around 20% of a blend of different sugars. This distinction, in the mix with the yeasts at play, delivers a higher liquid content.
Ageing Time
The fermentation time of Kombucha is much longer than that of Jun. Nevertheless, the meticulous brewing process of Jun takes about a week (depending on the strength of the culture).
About Local Ferment Co
Local Ferment Co is a Bangalore based microbrewery and gourmet kitchen revitalizing the art and science of fermentation using regenerative ingredients. They thoughtfully brew their beverages with locally sourced and handpicked fruits, herbs and spices. LFC is on a mission to bring forth a renaissance in the world of bartending and wellness, one concoction at a time. Their process embodies modern design with age-old fermentation techniques to create a truly sensory experience.