Kombucha

You might be thinking, “What in the world is she talking about?”
Or, maybe you have heard of kombucha, perhaps tasted it, but it’s not your favorite beverage.
Possibly you are a seasoned professional reading this and will realize I am only an amateur when it comes to kombucha!
Whatever the case, I really enjoy making kombucha and thought I would share some information on this fermented drink.

Benefits:

There are a lot of people who start drinking kombucha thinking it will prevent or heal a disease. However, kombucha is not meant to fight ailments. Instead, it just gives us good bacteria and helps our bodies rebalance so they can function properly. Fermented food and drinks are easier for our gut to digest. It is not going to harm anything, even if it doesn’t specifically heal. It will help your gut be able to digest food and work properly, though.
Many people drink kombucha as an alternative to sugary carbonated drinks. It does have some sugar in, but in the fermenting process, the yeast and bacteria in the SCOBY use the sugar for nutrition. When we actually drink it, there is very little sugar left.
Kombucha is suitable for all ages and diets. My two year old brother has drank kombucha since he was a baby and he absolutely loves it! Anyone can add kombucha to his or her diet anytime and obtain a benefit.

There are several components of kombucha. It all starts with the SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast). If you are interested in making your own kombucha, you will want to be sure you get a good SCOBY. I recommend buying one from Kombucha Kamp. Next you want organic loose leaf tea. Black tea is the best, but you can also mix it with some green tea and fruit flavored teas. You will also need some basic things like sugar and water. Don’t forget brewing containers- I use a glass gallon jar for the first brew and then divide it into kombucha bottles. You can use pretty much any glass bottle, but I like these because they have a tight seal. Just be sure you don’t use any metal, it will harm the bacteria in your kombucha. And if you want to flavor your kombucha, you need fresh fruit or flavorings.

Brewing is easy. Boil about 12 oz. of water, and add a heaping tablespoon of tea. Let your tea steep for 10-15 minutes, and then pour it into your gallon jar. Dissolve 1 cup of sugar in the tea and then fill the jar with cold water, leaving enough space for your SCOBY and 1 cup of kombucha (this is your starter). If you don’t have kombucha around, you can buy a bottle from a grocery store to use as your starter. Add these two things and then cover the jar with a paper towel and let it sit in a warm location (75-85 degrees), out of direct sunlight for a week- ten days. Then take out the SCOBY and a cup of kombucha to use as a starter in your next batch, strain the rest of the kombucha and pour it into your individual jars. Add fruit or flavorings if you want and then let them sit for about 3 days. Refrigerate until cold and then enjoy your homemade fermented tea!

Please feel free to comment below if you have any questions on the method of making kombucha or just want to know more about it. I have barely even started on this subject! -Ginger