Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Kombucha-cha!

I am so lucky to have such an amazing sister who is the 'Queen'bucha of Kombucha! The lovely and healthy drink that is filled with antioxidents, probiotics, enzymes and fizzy goodness is much easier to make then you may think. Lucky for you, I am passing on the fermented knowledge and wisdom of Kombucha!


Materials & Ingredients:


1 sauce pan

1 gallon GLASS jar
(never use plastic)

1 gallon of water

1 cup of organic sugar

4 bags of organic black tea

1 "mushroom"

Let the Fermentation Begin!

  1. Pour 3 cups of water and your sugar into a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat. 
  2. Steep your tea in the hot sugar water for 5-10 minutes (read back of tea box)
  3. Fill your glass gallon jar 3/4 of the way with room temperature water, leaving space for the tea
  4. Remove the teabags from the tea and pour the mixture into your glass gallon jar. If you still have more space for additional water, add more until almost full
  5. Your water should now be warm, not too hot
  6. Now you will add either your "scobe", fluids and all, into the mixture or you can add a "mother" from a different Kombucha batch. If you add a mother also add about 1/2 cup of its Kombucha batch to this mixture.
  7. Cover your glass jar with 2 paper towels or cheesecloth and place a rubber band around it. Make sure no fruit flies can get through your protective layer!
  8. You did it!! Its important to store your Kombucha in a warm safe place for 3 weeks if you are starting from a scobe and 2 weeks if you are starting from a mother



Now What?

The revealing of your Kombucha! You will notice that your mushroom has grown and actually cloned itself! Remove these two lovely mothers and pull them apart, storing them in glass jars in your refridgerator. Be sure to add enough of your Kombucha batch to cover the mushroom in its jar, this is the mixture you would use if you were to make a second batch! If you dont want to keep it, see if any friends would like to try and make some and give it away :)

It's important to now keep your Kombucha cold, this will make the ferementation process come to an end. You could store the entire gallon jar, with a lid, in your fridge or pour some or all of your mixture into bottles for "on the go." This is also nice if you want to try to make different flavors! Feel free to play around and add fresh fruits, jams, ginger or chia to your bottled Kombucha! 

Namaste.


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