Ferments: DIY Kombucha

Who loves kombucha?  I do! I do!  I remember my very first sip of the sparkley, fizzy, tangy goodness of fermented tea.  My sister had accidentally left a few bottles in my fridge back in 2009 and I quickly fell in love.  One was GT's Trilogy, and the other Cosmic Cranberry.  I loved the  names, the bottles, the words on the bottle, the mystical magical healing claims.  It spurred a faint memory of my grandmother's "mushroom tea" that she would share with her friends at the senior apartment.    I never tried her homemade version as a teenager, but man, oh man what I would do to sit with Grandma Lynn and chat over a couple of mason jars full of her kombucha tea (KT) ...or  now, mine.  <3

After months of weekly trips to Whole Foods, and buying several cases of GT's brand, I  did get sick of the high  "Whole Paycheck" price tag. I started price-shopping and found it to be much cheaper at Nutri-Foods, a local health food store.  At that point, my partner says: "You should make your own!"  I laughed.  And scoffed.  "Brew my own?" I asked. "Get real!"  But, a couple of years ago, after becoming self-employed and having the luxury of more free time for hobbies like cooking, gardening and DIY projects, his words echoed back.  I researched "making homemade kombucha", and shortly after, made my last trip back to the health foods store for a bottle of KT's, some organic sugar and organic tea.  The rest is history.   So, first I'll explain what kombucha is and why it is good for you....then I'll explain my process. Who knows?  Maybe someone finds inspiration in this blog and realizes how darn easy it is to make at home. 

WHAT IS KOMBUCHA TEA?

Kombucha is an effervescent fermentation of sweetened tea that is used as a functional food. Technically speaking though, calling the process "fermentation" is a misnomer.  It's "cultured", as fermentation, by definition, requires anaerobic conditions.  Continuing on...The SCOBY or the mother, is a symbiotic culture of yeast and bacteria (the good kind) which form a zoogleal mat.  It feeds on the sugar in sweetened tea and is fermented in an aerobic process, meaning that it requires air.  The high level of acetic acid protects from intrusive microbes.  Some key components include:

Acetic acid - mildly antibacterial

Butyric acid - could have a preventative effect in colon cancer

B-vitamins - help your body get energy from the food you eat, especially important for our veggie friends

Glucaric acid - detoxifying to the liver and is being researched as a cancer-prevention; found in fruits and veggies

Ethanol - trace amounts - can give you a tiny little buzz.  This is still considered a non-alcoholic beverage. ;)

So some people believe that Kombucha is the ultimate health tonic.  While I'm not ready to make that claim, the natural probiotics are great for digestion and I think it tastes great, is fun to brew...and DOES make me feel super energized.  As someone who drinks mainly water, having a delicious, healthy drink around the house is a life saver. 

On to making the tea....

Step 1: Purchase Materials:  

• Organic Green, Black or Roobios Tea
• Organic white or cane sugar
• 1 bottle Kombucha Tea (make sure it's raw and ORIGINAL flavor)
• Jar (Pint or Quart will do)
• Cheesecloth

Step 2: Set up starter jar and grow your SCOBY culture

Make sure your jar is clean, but don't use any antimicrobial soap in the process, as it can kill the living organism. Rinsing with hot water and Apple Cider Vinegar works just fine.  Pour about 1 cup of the store bought Kombucha (with as many of the floaties or "yeasties" as possible) in with 1 cup room temperature tea sweetened with a tablespoon of sugar.  Cover with cheesecloth or a thinly woven kitchen or tea towel and secure with a rubber band or some string.  Let sit for 3 weeks in a cupboard or a counter away from direct sunlight.  The result:

SCOBY: Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast

So, once the thin film of your new mother SCOBY is about 1/4 - 1/3 inch thick, which takes about 3 weeks in the winter, or less in the summer, you're ready to brew a batch!

Step 4: Start your batch of Kombucha Tea

I use a large sun tea container and brew a gallon or so of tea at a time.  The ratio is 1 gallon of tea, 8-10 tea bags and 1 cup sugar.  Easy enough, right?  Bring a gallon of water to a boil and add your tea bags.  Turn off the heat and remove from flame or burner. Stir in the cup of sugar until dissolved.  Let cool COMPLETELY to room temperature. Too much heat is not a good thing for your SCOBY.

In this particular batch (not my first), I played around and used hibiscus tea, which gave a gorgeous pink color. 

Pour the cooled sweet tea into your large fermentation vessel and with very clean hands, pour the kombucha starter in and lay the SCOBY on the top. It is normal for it to float around, sink some, but in my experience it always comes back up to the top.  Sometimes, in the summer with warm temps, the KT actually builds up so much carbonation that the SCOBY starts crawling up the side of the glass.  Crazy! Cover the top with several layers of cheesecloth (please note, the picture below is TOO THIN, as fruit flies can get in.  I learned that the hard way. I now use a thin cloth napkin.  This is aerobic fermentation, meaning it must be able to breathe and let oxygen in, so do not use a lid.

Step 5:  Patiently wait for a full batch to ferment

It's ALIVEEEE! After about a week, the SCOBY has started to grow.  

Now, the SCOBY is going to essentially eat the sugar in your tea and ferment it.  Here's where it's going to take a keen nose and taste buds to determine when your KT is ready.   The first full batch generally takes a couple of weeks to ferment, of course, depending on the temp.  Warmer = faster.   Right now, in a January winter here in Michigan, EVEN THOUGH my home is kept at around 72 degrees, it is taking a full two weeks.  In the summer, it was brewing at 4-6 days.   So, you're going to sniff the top and taste it every few days until it gets that tangy delicious flavor.  It should taste kind of like apple cider vinegar mixed with slightly sweetened tea. 

Step 6 (optional): Do a second fermentation with fruit or herbs!

2nd ferment with ginger root (see white objects on bottom)

My favorite way to store and 2nd ferment KT is in glass beer growlers.  They're perfect size and shape and have great pourability.  It's kind of awesome because you have a party in the summer, friends bring you beer in growler form.  You drink the beer, and keep the glassware. ;)   Anyway, find a glass vessel with a tight closing lid.  This step requires an airtight lid to build up carbonation.  Using a funnel, carefully pour KT into smaller vessels.   Add a couple of tablespoons of fruit, herbs, etc.  Close tight and "burp", let a bit of air out, each day for 2-4 days.  This step builds the flavor profile and adds carbonation!  My favorite add ins:

Blueberries + Ginger
Apples + Ginger with cloves stuck in + Cinnamon Stick
Lemon + blueberry
Buddah's Hand (yes, I went there)
Strawberries (Mmmm...summertime)

This is about the thickness I like to keep my scoby - about 1 inch. 

Step 7: Start brewing process over! 

Make more tea and add it into your brewing vessel.  The SCOBY gets bigger and thicker as you go.  It forms in layers, which as it gets too thick, can be separated and stored in a glass jar "hotel" with a little liquid and a cloth covering to top.

Hotel SCOBY! Currently pink from my hibiscus tea.  You can see another little baby that grew on the top. Keep well hydrated with tea and you'll be able to give away to friends or have extras in case yours goes bad. 

Kombucha is then stored in the fridge with a top on in my fancy beer growlers.  It never lasts very long. ;)

QUESTIONS?  Please ask!  Comments?  Love them!

Food Renegade