Kombucha is a fermented sweetened tea that has been around for centuries. It has a tangy and sweet flavor and can be double fermented with fruit or juice to make a fizzy drink similar to soft drinks.
This ancient beverage has surged in popularity lately and it is now available in many grocery stores and health food stores. Store-bought kombucha often costs $3-5 a bottle, so making it at home is a great way to save a lot of money.
If you’re a fan of this probiotic and enzyme rich drink, try brewing it at home for just pennies a cup!
Benefits of Kombucha
Kombucha fans attribute a wide variety of benefits to kombucha and claim that it helps with everything from joint pain to cancer. These claims are largely unproven, as there are very few studies about kombucha, but we do know that it contains a variety of vitamins and beneficial acids.
In fact, it is considered a good source of antioxidants, b-vitamins, probiotics and glucaric acid.
Downsides of Kombucha
Kombucha is brewed from sweetened tea, and the recipe contains a cup of sugar per gallon of tea. Understandably, some people worry about the sugar content.
Too Much Sugar?
During the fermentation process, the beneficial colony of bacteria consumes most of the sugar, so it has minimal effect on blood sugar. The sugar is simply the food for these beneficial bacteria and the beneficial acids, enzymes and probiotics are a results of the fermentation.
Caffeine and Alcohol?
If caffeine is a concern, kombucha can be made with caffeinated or decaf tea, and even with green tea or herbal teas. To protect the culture, it is good to use at least 20% regular black tea though.
Note: Kombucha does contain very small amounts of alcohol, typically around 0.5% or similar to an over-ripe banana. Some store bought brands contain more alcohol and are typically sold in a different section of the store and require ID for purchase. The longer kombucha ferments, the more alcohol it has, so strong home brews may contain more than 0.5% alcohol. These small amounts are generally considered safe, but if alcohol is a concern, it may be better to stick to drinks like water kefir or foods like sauerkraut for the probiotics.
Why Make Raw Kombucha at Home
As I mentioned, it is significantly less expensive to may Kombucha at home. Some store brands are also pasteurized, killing many of the probiotics and enzymes present in raw kombucha. Here are some of the reason’s you may considering making kombucha at home:
Great Soda Alternative
While the health claims about Kombucha aren’t backed by research, there is no denying that it is a healthier and lower sugar drink than soda. It has natural carbonation and provides some B-vitamins and beneficial enzymes that aren’t present in soda as well.
Easy to Customize
My favorite part about making kombucha at home is how easy it is to customize and make different flavors. Add grape juice or apple juice for a slightly flavored version. Add some fresh or frozen strawberries for a super carbonated tangy taste. Or even add some raisins and a vanilla bean for a taste similar to a leading soda that starts with Dr. and ends with Pepper.
Save Money
Store bought kombucha is expensive. Homemade is not. You can make an entire gallon at home for less than the cost of a single bottle in stores. Since you control the brew time and flavors, you’ll probably also get a more flavorful and more nutrient dense brew at home too!
Important Caution
The one potential problem with making kombucha at home is the possibility of a harmful bacteria or mold growing in the kombucha. To avoid these problems, it is important to follow the correct procedures for brewing and to carefully sanitize any equipment. That said, I’ve personally been making kombucha for over five years and have never had a problem with it!
How to Get a SCOBY?
The Kombucha is brewed with a SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony of Yeast and Bacteria) that “eats” the sugars in the sweetened tea and creates an acidic, vitamin and probiotic rich beverage.
SCOBYs are living and thriving colonies of bacteria and unfortunately, you can’t just pick one up at your grocery store. There are several ways to acquire a SCOBY.
- If you know anyone who already brews Kombucha, ask them for an extra SCOBY and they will probably be glad to pass one on. the SCOBY has a “baby” every batch or two and this baby can then be used to brew Kombucha.
- You can order a SCOBY from an online source. Just make sure the source is reputable. I’ve seen SCOBYs on sites like ebay or amazon, but prefer a trusted site like my friends and affiliate partner: Kombucha Kamp.
- Grow your own. This can be done using a pre-made bottle of Kombucha that you can get from a health food store. Food Renegade has a good tutorial, and see my instructions below.
How to Grow a SCOBY at Home
You can easily grow a SCOBY at home with a little time and a little patience. To do this, you will need 1 quart of brewed black tea sweetened with 1/4 cup of sugar and cooled. You will also need 1 bottle of raw and unflavored pre-made kombucha. You can get this from a friend who makes kombucha or from a store bought (it just must be raw and unpasteurized).
For a few years, this method didn’t work with store bought kombucha because much of it was pasteurized. It is now possible to buy raw and unfiltered again so this method will work.
Here’s what to do:
- Make sure all work surfaces are clean and sanitized. Thoroughly clean a gallon size glass jar. I rinse it with white vinegar to make sure all soap residue is removed.
- Make the tea and add the sugar. Cool to room temperature.
- Pour into the gallon size glass jar.
- Add the kombucha.
- Cover with a cheesecloth or coffee filter and rubber band and leave on the counter for 2-4 weeks out of direct sunlight. Around 70 degrees is best.
During that time, this is what you should see:
Nothing for the first couple of days. First, tiny bubbles will appear.
After that, a thin film will appear. Many people mistake this for mold or mildew. It shouldn’t be, but you’ll know for sure in a few more days.
The film will get thicker and thicker and eventually become an opaque layer that completely covers the surface of the brewing kombucha. When it gets to about 1/4 -1/2 inch thick, it is ready to go.
Use this new SCOBY and 1 cup of the liquid to start a batch of kombucha with the instructions below. Note that the first few batches may take a little longer to brew.
How to Make Raw Kombucha: Batch Method
Once you have a SCOBY, the actual process of making Kombucha is very easy!
Notes: Make sure all ingredients, materials and your hands are clean. If you already ferment other things (kefir, sauerkraut, pickles, etc.) in your kitchen, make sure all the jars are at least a few feet apart to prevent cross-contamination of the cultures.
Equipment & Ingredients Needed
- a gallon size glass jar- make sure its really clean!! I like to rinse with white vinegar to make sure.
- 1 gallon of brewed sweetened tea (ratio: 1 cup of sugar per gallon of tea) – I use regular black tea, though you can use up to 80% green tea or even certain herbal teas
- a SCOBY and 1/2 cup of liquid from a previous batch of Kombucha
- coffee filter or thin cloth and a rubber band
What to Do:
- gallon size glass jar (make sure its really clean!!)
- 1 gallon of brewed sweetened tea (ratio: 1 cup of sugar per gallon of tea) I use regular black tea, though I've heard of others using green or herbal teas
- a SCOBY and ½ cup of liquid from a previous batch of Kombucha (I bought my SCOBY here)
- coffee filter or thin cloth and a rubber band
- Prepare the sweet tea. I use 1 family size tea bag or 8-10 small bags per gallon of water. Add 1 cup of regular sugar (organic preferably). Do not use honey!
- Let tea cool to room temperature and make sure it is really cool! This step is very important as too hot of tea can kill your SCOBY.
- Once tea is completely cool, pour into glass jar, leaving just over an inch of room at the top. Pour in ½ cup liquid from a previous batch of Kombucha or if starting from a dehydrated SCOBY, pour in ½ cup from a store-bought bottle of Kombucha.
- With very clean hands, gently place the SCOBY at the top of the jar of tea. It should float, though if it doesn't just let it fall and don't stick your hands in the tea!
- Cover the jar with the coffee filter or cloth and rubber band tightly (flies love this stuff!)
- Put the jar in a warm (around 70-75 degrees is best) corner of the kitchen where it is at least a few feet away from any other fermenting products.
- Let sit to ferment for around 7 days, though the length of time may vary depending on your temperature. You can test the Kombucha by placing a straw in the jar carefully (slide under the SCOBY) and sipping. It should taste tart but still very slightly sweet also.
- At this point, Kombucha is ready for a second ferment. If you aren't doing the second ferment, just pour the kombucha into another jar or jars with airtight lids and seal until ready to drink.
-another gallon size jar or 5 quart sized jars
-about 1 quart of fruit juice- (we prefer grape or apple for this) or ½ cup frozen berries
If you’ve mastered regular batch method, you may also consider the continuous brew method, which can brew larger amounts more quickly.
How to Make Continuous Brew Kombucha
For years I had been brewing with the batch system for making kombucha and while I still really like that method. I’ve found that the continuous brew method is an easier alternative that removes a step. As the names suggest, the batch method is where kombucha is brewed in batches and re-started with each batch by using the SCOBY “baby” and some of the liquid from the previous batch.
The continuous brew kombucha method involves removing only some of the liquid each time and replacing with the same amount of fresh brewed sweetened tea. This yields a fresher brew (in my opinion), helps it brew faster (good when there are 6 people consuming it each day) and takes up less room on the counter. This article from the Weston A. Price foundation talks about the benefits of continuous brew:
Benefits include:
- There is less risk of mold and other contamination since once it is established, the liquid maintains a far more acidic environment. This means it is more hostile to outside invaders because of smaller amounts of free sugar and a greater population of good bacteria and yeast.
- Less overall work to produce more overall volume as some can be removed and more tea added without reducing the pH as much. It can also brew much more quickly depending on the kombucha/new tea ratio.
- More consistent supply of kombucha (a few bottles every day or every few days rather than having a large batch all at once).
- A broader array of bacteria and other beneficial compounds in the final product.
Setting Up a Continuous Brew System
The main difference in the methods is that continuous brew uses a container with a spigot so some of the brewed kombucha can be removed without disturbing the rest of the brew. The most important thing you will need for this method is a continuous brew vessel.
Look for a vessel that can hold 1-5 gallons. It should be made of a safe material like glass, stoneware, porcelain, or wood.
It will also need to have a spigot near the bottom so that kombucha can be removed without disturbing the SCOBY or the rest of the brew. Avoid most metal spigots. A small amount of plastic here is ok. Make sure to test the spigot for leaks before using.
A continuous brew vessel should also have a breathable cover so air can escape. It should cover the entire top of the vessel and be sealed tightly so that insects can’t get in. Some vessels come with a cover, but a cheesecloth, clean towel or coffee filter and a rubber band work well too.
There are a variety of high quality continuous brew vessels available here.
Really any glass or ceramic jar with a spigot works as long as the spigot isn’t metal though you can also replace the spigot with a plastic version to make any jar work.
How to Make Continuous Brew Kombucha
Follow these easy printable instructions for continuous brew:
- One kombucha SCOBY (rehydrate first if you order a dehydrated one online)
- Tea (I order in bulk here)
- Sugar
- Starter tea from a previous batch of Kombucha or vinegar (distilled white vinegar or pasteurized apple cider vinegar)
- Filtered water (preferably free of chlorine, chloramines, and fluoride- we use a Berkey Filter to filter the contaminants but keep the minerals)
- Prepare the sweet tea. I use 2 tablespoons of loose tea, 2 family size tea bags or 8-10 small bags per gallon of water. Add 1 cup of regular sugar per gallon (organic preferably) Do not use honey!
- Let tea cool to room temperature and make sure it is really cool! This step is very important as too hot of tea can kill your SCOBY.
- Once tea is completely cool, pour into glass jar, leaving about 20% of the room at the top. Pour in the correct amount of liquid from a previous batch of Kombucha or if starting from a dehydrated SCOBY, pour in ½ cup from a store-bought bottle of Kombucha. If you don't have starter liquid, vinegar can be used instead.
- With very clean hands, gently place the SCOBY at the top of the jar of tea. It should float, though if it doesn’t just let it fall and don’t stick your hands in the tea!
- Cover the jar with the coffee filter or cloth and rubber band tightly (flies love this stuff!)
- Put the jar in a warm (around 70-75 degrees is best) corner of the kitchen where it is at least a few feet away from any other fermenting products.
- Let sit to ferment for around 7 days, though the length of time may vary depending on your temperature. You can taste test the Kombucha to see if it is done. It should taste tart but still very slightly sweet also.
- At this point, Kombucha is ready for a second ferment. If you aren’t doing the second ferment, just pour the kombucha into another jar or jars with airtight lids and seal until ready to drink.
- For continuous brew, we dispense in to several quart size mason jars with plastic storage caps (don't use metal!), leaving about 20% of the room on top.
If you want a fizzy and flavored final product like the kind in stores, you’ll also want to do a second ferment:
How to Do a Second Ferment (How to Make Soda!)
Just as with water kefir, using fruit juice can make Kombucha carbonated and slightly sweeter, which is often more appealing to kids. It is an easy second step too!
- Get another very clean gallon sized jar or 5 quart sized glass jars (I prefer this!)
- Pour 1 quart of juice of your choice (not citrus or pineapple though!) into the big jar or divide between smaller jars, filling each jar about 1/5 full
- Pour the finished Kombucha into the smaller jars until about 1 inch from the top. Make sure to leave about 1/2 cup brewed Kombucha in the jar with the SCOBY
- Once the Kombucha is poured off, pour the SCOBY and remaining juice into a clean bowl.
- Repeat the steps above for the first fermentation to start another batch of Kombucha
- Tightly cap the smaller jars with the fruit juice added and leave at room temperature for another 2-7 days until carbonated to your taste.
- Refrigerate before drinking or pour over ice.
- Enjoy!!
My favorite add-ins:
- Minced ginger root and blueberries
- 1/2 organic lemon (quartered) and 1/2 tsp grated ginger (tastes like Sprite)
- Minced ginger root and citrus
- 1/4 cup fresh or frozen berries
- Mango
- prunes and vanilla (Dr. Pepper/Cream soda type taste)
Ever brewed Kombucha or other fermented drink? What’s your favorite?
Continue Reading...How to Make Kombucha Tea- Recipe and Tutorial
from
http://wellnessmama.com/2673/kombucha-recipe/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=kombucha-recipe