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Have you have been presented with something that sparked your curiosity, but didn’t pan out? Then literally spend the next decade wondering “what it?” For nearly ten years I have wondered how to make kombucha, after signing up for a class back in college and moving before taking it.
Kombucha has literally haunted me since then. I love to drink it, but every time I pass the fermented tea in the refrigerated drink section I would ask myself, “how do I make this? Can I just do it myself?” I wanted nothing more than to learn the art of kombucha, and fully benefit from all of it’s holistic (and delicious) beauty.
What is Kombucha?
Kombucha is a fermented tea which is believed to have medicinal qualities, by restoring the natural gut flora. Our bodies maintain a natural balance of bacteria within our digestive tracks, but that balance is impacted by our foods, environment, and antibiotics. Some folks choose to take a probiotic in capsule form, but fermented food (and drinks) can balance the gut flora quicker and easier, without daily supplements.
Shopping for Supplies
The shopping list was simple enough: a 1 gallon glass jug, cotton or muslin cloth, nylon strainer, and a rubber band.
Finding a gallon glass jug is actually not that simple. Sassy and I went to multiple stores before finally settling with a decorative glass jug with a valve. Turns out the valve, since it is plastic, will eventually eat away and begin to leak.
I had no idea what cloth to get. I looked for something in the food section, and pondered if I should get fabric cut to order. So I finally just decided on a pre-fold cloth diaper insert (that was never used, obviously) because I had it on hand.
How to Make Kombucha (Simply Put)
- Acquire a SCOBY. The SCOBY, or Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast, is where the magic happens. It is a home for the bacteria that causes the sweet tea to ferment, resulting in kombucha. Each batch of kombucha tea will make a new scoby, so there are plenty to share. You just need to find one.
- Brew some sweet tea. Any tea will work- black, green, herbal, roobios, oolong. Choose your favorite! Sweeten it with organic cane sugar. Technically processed white sugar will work, but if you’re looking into gut health you should be detoxing from white sugar anyway.
- Starter Tea. Always start with a cup of starter tea. This is kombucha from the last batch. It will give the brew a fresh start.
- Match made in heaven. Pour the tea in a glass jar and add the scoby. Cover with a cotton cloth and secure with a rubber band. You don’t want fruit flies to get in, so avoid cheese cloth or other thin woven cloths.
- Sit and be patient. Let the jar hang out in a cool, dim place. Don’t go lifting her skirt, just let her do the magic. The scoby will get to work transforming the tea into a sweet, fermented drink. It takes at least 7-10 days for the fermentation process, however it could take longer the first batch while the scoby adjusts to your home’s bacteria.
- Test the tea. A new scoby will form at the top of the tea. Using a straw to sneak inside, withdraw a sample of the tea. Don’t drink directly from the stray, but instead use your thumb to capture a small bit. If it is very sweet, it isn’t done. If it tastes like vinegar, it has gone too far.
- Enjoy! Well, you will want to strain it first. Use a nylon strainer, not metal.
Proper Scoby Care
Always use clean hands or gloves when handling a scoby. Yes, it is a physical lump of bacteria. But it is good bacteria, not the germs found on our hands. You don’t want to taint an entire batch. Hygiene is essential.
If you choose to keep your bonus scoby (the new baby that forms on top of your batch of kombucha), you may choose to set up a scoby hotel.
Alternatives could be to dehydrate and consume the scoby. Or, you can feed it to your pets for a boost of nutrients. Some use them in their compost piles or worm farms.
And there you have it!
Kombucha is so simple, and costs pennies on the gallon. Step outside of your comfort zone and start making kombucha today! Let me know if you try it!
Next Step, flavoring the kombucha during the second ferment. Hang tight, buchies.
This is something I have always wanted to try. Thank you for the inspiration!
It was actually very easy to set up a class. I reached out to my local holistic chiropractor and asked her if she would host it in her office. She found the instructor and managed the payments and everything!