Jun Kombucha is a lightly fermented, honey-based tea that shares structural similarities with Kombucha but behaves as a distinct ferment with its own preferences. Often described as Kombucha’s raw-honey-and-green-tea cousin, Jun is prized for its lighter body, floral aroma, and naturally high carbonation.
While Jun forms a cellulose culture that looks like a Kombucha SCOBY, a true Jun culture is adapted to ferment raw honey and green tea, resulting in a smoother, more delicate profile. Because honey contains readily available sugars and micronutrients, Jun often ferments faster and can become notably fizzy, earning it the nickname “the Champagne of Kombucha.”
Jun has almost as many pronunciations as origin stories! We say “Jun rhymes with fun.” That’s our favorite way and the easiest to say. Some people say “June” like the month. Others say “Xun” or “Jhoon.” The word “Jun” 菌 in Chinese literally means “bacteria.”
Jun and Kombucha share a similar fermentation architecture, but they diverge in ingredients, fermentation behavior, and flavor outcome.
Jun uses a distinct symbiotic culture that thrives in raw honey rather than sucrose. While both ferments rely on acetic-acid-producing bacteria (primarily from the Acetobacter family) and yeast working together, Jun cultures appear to be adapted to the antimicrobial and enzymatic environment created by raw honey.
Claims that Jun contains “no yeast” are inaccurate. Yeasts are ubiquitous in fermentation ecosystems, and Jun relies on yeast activity to initiate fermentation just as Kombucha does.
Feature | Jun Kombucha | Kombucha |
Primary Sweetener | Raw, unpasteurized honey | Cane sugar (or other refined sugars) |
Tea Base | Green tea only | Black tea or black/green blends |
Culture Type | Jun-adapted symbiotic culture | Kombucha SCOBY |
Fermentation Speed | Faster (4–7 days per gallon) | Slower (7–10+ days per gallon) |
Flavor Profile | Light, floral, smooth, often champagne-like | Tart, robust, vinegar-forward over time |
Carbonation | Naturally very fizzy | Moderate to high with bottling |
Ideal Temperature | 70–80°F (21–27°C) | 75–85°F (24–29°C) |
Color | Pale, golden | Amber to dark brown |
SCOBY Appearance | Often thinner, lighter in color | Thicker, opaque |
Best For | Honey lovers, lighter ferments, faster cycles | Traditional brewers, bold flavors |
Continuous Brew Friendly | Yes | Yes |
Raw honey contains enzymes, organic acids, trace minerals, and antimicrobial compounds that support Jun’s microbial balance. Substituting sugar in a Jun brew commonly results in stressed yeast, off-odors, or mold.
Likewise, brewing Kombucha with raw honey often leads to stalled fermentation or contamination. Each culture performs best with its preferred sugar source.
Note: You can use honey as a second fermentation flavoring if you’d like to make honey-flavored Kombucha. You can find instructions for that in our Complete Guide to Second Fermentation.
Jun is traditionally brewed with green tea only, whereas Kombucha commonly uses black tea or blends of black and green.
Green tea contains:
This contributes to Jun’s paler color, smoother flavor, and lighter mouthfeel. Jun cultures themselves often appear whiter or more translucent as a result.
Jun generally ferments faster than Kombucha, most commonly reaching balance within 4–7 days per gallon.
Why?
Taste remains the best indicator of readiness. pH confirms safety, but sweetness and acidity should guide harvest timing.
Jun performs best at slightly cooler temperatures than Kombucha:
Lower temperatures help preserve Jun’s floral character and prevent overly sharp acidity. Brewing below 65°F (18°C) increases the risk of mold, just as with Kombucha.
👉 This makes Jun an excellent candidate for homes that struggle to keep Kombucha warm without heaters. Learn more about Fermentation Temperature.
Yes. Like all fermentation cultures, Jun reproduces.
New culture layers may form more slowly or remain thinner than Kombucha SCOBYs, likely due to:
Thin layers can be stacked and maintained in a Jun SCOBY Hotel, where undisturbed conditions often allow thicker cultures to develop over time. It is always a great idea to have at least one SCOBY Hotel on hand in the event that something happens to your culture.
The easiest way to brew Jun is to follow a standard Kombucha recipe, with two substitutions:
Begin tasting earlier than you would with Kombucha. Bottling and flavoring methods are the same, but Jun carbonates quickly, so use caution.
👉 How to Make Kombucha at Home (Step-By-Step)
Jun adapts exceptionally well to Continuous Brew (CB) systems. (What is the difference between Batch Brew and Continuous Brew?)
Because it matures quickly, a Jun CB provides:
All standard CB principles apply: airflow, vessel choice, starter volume, and culture care are identical to Kombucha.
Kombucha Kamp Continuous Brew Kits can be ordered as Jun-specific kits, with:
Kombucha has a number of ancient origin stories, mostly without written proof. Somehow, the legends around Jun are even more fantastical. Some people claim that a true Jun culture will never reproduce. Others say Jun was cultivated by Buddhist monks in Tibet or that only the holiest of Daoists were permitted to have a culture. But a precious number of Jun were smuggled out and delivered to a chosen few people in the west. Only they can make true Jun! (With stolen property, apparently? How enlightened!)
As thrilling as these stories can be, there is no written evidence to support them. These kinds of legends are sometimes also attributed to other cultures such as milk kefir grains.
Most importantly, these legends don’t make sense when we think about the history of fermenting. Cultures like Kombucha SCOBYs, water kefir grains, yogurt, cheese and others require specific conditions and care, but by nature they are hardy and reproductive. It’s how they survive with us lazy and dirty humans for so long!
So where did Jun really come from? Nobody knows for sure, but a Jun culture could have occurred randomly on a cup of sweet tea or in a vat of honey wine, such as in the Kombucha origin story here. The important thing is that it ferments well with raw honey and tea to make a flavor you enjoy!
Fermentation cultures survive precisely because they are adaptable, resilient, and reproducible. Jun is no exception.
From a fermentation standpoint, Jun likely emerged the same way many cultures did:
First of course, we are not doctors and this is not for diagnosing or treating anything. Jun is a food, nothing more. None of these statements have been evaluated by the FDA. Since Jun seems to be a relative newcomer to the fermentation scene, it has not been the subject of research. We can only speculate on potential benefits.
We know that the same organisms that make vinegar and Kombucha are present due to the culture formation, so the digestive benefits of those other beverages are likely the same for Jun Kombucha.
Like Kombucha, it’s tea based and tea (camellia sinensis) has its own host of benefits: anti-cancer, weight loss and so on. Honey itself has been studied to have potentially antioxidant, antibacterial and memory-improving characteristics among others. Fermentation can increase vitamin, nutrient, and healthy organic acid content while reducing glycemic effects. (Ref: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10426908/)
These are all theoretical benefits. Our philosophy is Trust YOUR gut – so if you enjoy drinking Jun and your feedback loop is giving you the green light, then go for it!
👉 Learn More about the Health Benefits of Kombucha (Without the Hype)
Raw honey has not been heat-treated or pasteurized, preserving:
Many commercial honeys are filtered or heated despite “raw” labeling. Sourcing from a local beekeeper or trusted supplier is ideal. Plus, you will be supporting your local bee populations and the beekeepers whose life’s work it is to preserve the incredible insects! It’s a win/win!
Jun pairs especially well with floral, herbal, and fruit-forward flavors. Use standard Kombucha flavoring ratios, but burp bottles early. Experiment seasonally. Jun shines when paired with what’s fresh.
Per 16 oz bottle:
Jun Kombucha is a fermented tea made with raw honey and green tea, using a culture adapted specifically to those ingredients. While it looks similar to Kombucha, Jun ferments faster, tastes lighter, and behaves differently during brewing.
No. Jun and Kombucha are related but distinct ferments. Kombucha is traditionally brewed with sugar and black or green tea, while Jun requires raw honey and green tea. Using the wrong sugar source often leads to poor fermentation or mold.
You can, but it’s not recommended for consistent results. Kombucha cultures are adapted to sucrose, not raw honey. For best flavor, stability, and long-term health of the ferment, use a true Jun culture.
Raw honey contains simpler sugars and additional micronutrients that are easier for yeast and bacteria to access. This allows Jun to reach balance in 4–7 days, compared to 7–10 days for most Kombucha brews.
Yes. Jun is brewed with green tea, so it naturally contains caffeine. However, fermentation reduces caffeine content, and many people experience Jun as gentler and less stimulating than coffee or unfermented tea.
Not necessarily, but it can carbonate more aggressively. Faster fermentation and honey sugars can increase CO₂ production, so careful bottling and pressure management are important. Alcohol levels are typically comparable to Kombucha when brewed properly.
Jun prefers slightly cooler temperatures than Kombucha:
Brewing too cold increases mold risk, while too warm can create harsh acidity.
Yes. Jun cultures reproduce, though new layers are often thinner and slower to form. Thin layers can be stacked and maintained in a Jun SCOBY Hotel to encourage thicker growth over time.
There’s no clinical evidence proving Jun is “better.” Both are fermented foods with organic acids and fermentation byproducts. Jun’s honey base and lighter profile may suit some people better. The best choice is the one your body responds to positively.
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