Kombucha

Sunday, September 21, 2014

So, today I decided to start a Kombucha brew. I was lucky enough to score a Scoby from the wonderful woman that runs the CSA that I belong to.  What is Kombucha, you ask?  For those of you that have not yet been introduce to Kombucha, it is a fizzy, effervescent tea loaded with beneficial bacteria for good gut health.  For some, it is an acquired taste…but I loved it from first sip.  It is slightly sweet, slightly vinegary (is that a word?) and utterly enjoyable.  This is the recipe that I usually use for a gallon of Kombucha.

1 cup sugar (good old white sugar works best here)

8 tea bags (again, good old fashioned Lipton tea works great…I usually use a combo of regular and decaf)

12 cups of water

1-2 cups of leftover Kombucha (you can use store bought…just be sure to use Raw Kombucha)

1 Scoby (Scoby stands for symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast. You can purchase this online, or if you are lucky enough, someone you know will share a Scoby with you).

Directions

Add teabags and sugar to 2 cups of boiling water and steep for about 10 minutes.

Add steeped tea to 10 cups of cold water in a large jar (make sure the jar can hold a gallon of liquid).

Add your leftover Kombucha and stir to combine.

Add your Scoby.

Cover with a paper towel secured with a rubber band (this is to keep the fruit flies away).

Set your tea in an area that does not received direct sunlight, but has good air flow and is around 70-80 degrees.

Wait 7 days and taste your Kombucha. If it is to your liking, you are ready to pour into bottle to refrigerate.  I like to use mason jars or bottle that I have saved from store bought Kombucha.