Kombucha is a healthy probiotic beverage that is both refreshing and easy to make!
Kombucha is a fermented, probiotic, naturally carbonated tea, combining sweetened tea with a “mushroom” consisting of active cultures of yeast and bacteria. This mushroom is better known as a SCOBY or Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast. You can purchase a kombucha kit, obtain a SCOBY from a friend or grow your own SCOBY. (See How to Grow Your Own SCOBY.)
This method is the Batch Brew Method. You may prefer the Continuous Brew Method. If I had enough counter space I would keep the brew going. (See Continuous Brew Kombucha.)
Once you have a SCOBY and some starter liquid you're ready to brew!
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Ingredients
- 7 cups filtered water
- 3-4 tea bags* (or 1 tablespoon loose leaf tea)
- 1/2 cup sugar**
- 1 SCOBY
- 1 cup starter liquid
Instructions
- Boil water.
- Pour over tea bags or loose leaf tea (A metal strainer is fine.)
- Stir.
- Add sugar.
- Stir.
- Allow mixture to cool to room temperature.
- Remove tea. (You may remove tea sooner if you prefer weaker tea.)
- Add starter liquid.
- Add SCOBY.
- Cover with towel or cloth and secure with rubber band.
- Place on shelf and allow the brew to ferment until desired taste. (7-15 days.)
- Pour out most of the liquid to consume.
- Save the SCOBY and 1 cup starter liquid for the next batch.
- The liquid may be combined with fruits, spices and other enticing flavorings for a second ferment.
- For the second ferment, bottle the blend of kombucha and flavorings with a tight cap and allow to ferment for 24-48 hours.
*What type of tea and what type of sugar?
Any refined organic white sugar will work. Unlike water kefir which thrives on the minerals contained in unrefined sugar, kombucha does better with refined sugar. All fermented foods need a substrate, and white sugar works great for kombucha. As for tea? Black or green tea work well, but herbal teas can hinder the process. I like Pure Puer Tea.
If you cannot tolerate caffeine choose a high quality decaffeinated tea.
How do I know it’s done?
The ideal pH for kombucha is approximately 2.6 to optimize the gluconic and acetic acids present in kombucha. I use pH strips to know for certain.
The brew on the left has been going for 10 days. The brew on the right for 4 days. The longer brew is approaching a 2.6 pH.
How will I know if something is wrong?
If you notice mold growing on the SCOBY or the brew smells “off” trust your instincts and toss it.
What if the kombucha gets too sour?
No worries! There are plenty of uses for sour kombucha. See 10 Uses for Sour Kombucha.
How do I store my extra SCOBYs?
If you want to take a break or keep your extras, simply place them in a glass jar or bowl and pour some of your reserved kombucha over the SCOBY(s). They will keep fine in a cool dark spot in your kitchen.
Kombucha is not a cure-all or fix-it for chronic health issues. Those with histamine or yeast issues may have difficulty with kombucha. For most, however, kombucha offers a nice probiotic boost to the immune system and a delicious alternative to conventional soda!
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I used to drink this stuff courtesy of a friend who was into the ‘health food’ craze. It takes getting used to but I don’t know that there are any major health benefits to this stuff. The medical community says that there are not actual health benefits to this stuff. Ironically, the friend who made me drink this stuff eventually developed cervical cancer and passed away at age 42.
I’m sorry to hear this, John. I agree this is not cure or fix. For many, however the beneficial microbes along with the type of acids found in this drink help detoxify and boost the immune system. It’s an overall lifestyle that helps, rather than one product.
Andrea, where do you purchase your starter liquid and SCONY for the Kombucha?
You can grow your own SCOBY from store-bought kombucha, Julia. Safeway and Kroger are now selling kombucha! I also sell them through my Just So site. (You can message me directly about that: justsoproducts@gmail.com)
Here’s the post on growing your own SCOBY
http://it-takes-time.com/2014/06/grow-scoby-andrea-fabry.html
Thanks Andrea! I can read your posts for hours on end! Thank you for empowering your readers!
Andrea, so what brand of organic white sugar do you use? Couldn’t distinguish the difference between organic evaporated cane juice and cane sugar?
Hi julia! Thank you so much for your encouraging words. I like Florida Crystals. But honestly any white organic sugar will work. http://www.amazon.com/Florida-Crystals-Natural-Sugar/dp/B004SI6DYW/ref=sr_1_6?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1439218219&sr=1-6&keywords=organic+white+sugar+florida+crystals
For kombucha, I’m not sure it matters. All I know is that the whiter the sugar, in any form, the better the fermentation.
Hi!
I’ve just run into your page and it’s lovely! It’s my second attempt at the Gaps thing and I’m excited all over again. I just discovered kombucha. I’m going to keep reading and trying to understand but what does “Those with histamine or yeast issues may have difficulty with kombucha”? Die off symptoms? Like the ones kefir gives you? I just broke my jar of kefir grains I’ve had for years and I was so sad, but maybe it’s time to learn new things! kombucha!!!
From what I understand, Dora some people will have a hard time tolerating the fermented beverages and foods at first. This is why it’s important to start small ( a few teaspoons at first). It took me awhile to build up tolerance. Some people who have histamine or overly active immune systems will have big reactions to fermented foods. I always try to include something about the uniqueness of each individual.
My husband has non hodgkens lymphoma and we try to boost his immune system as much as possible. He had a blood test that said he should not eat yeast items. He doesn’t know of any symptoms from the yeast. He eats kimchi, sauerkraut, and other fermented items with not symptoms that he knows of. What would he be looking for as a reaction?
I would think kimchi and sauerkraut would be fine since they are bacterial ferments predominantly. Kombucha has more yeast microbes, but they are the beneficial yeasts. This is all so intuitive. If he feels a certain food is beneficial then I might trust that.
Hi Andrea; what is “starter liquid”?
It’s kombucha that is already made. Save a little from the prior batch.