Homemade Kombucha
I used to think making kombucha at home was really hard and scary so I continued to spend lots money (~$4+/ 16 oz bottle) puchasing pre-made kombucha from the store. Well I’m here to tell you that homemade kombucha is SO EASY to make and will save you tons of money. I’ll even teach you how to make your own scoby!
But first, let’s talk about what is kombucha and why is it good for you?
Kombucha is a fermented tea (usually, black tea) that contains healthy probiotics, enzymes, and B vitamins. In China is was known as the “Tea of Immortality” but is also used medicinally all around the world. It uses a scoby which stands for “symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast” as the fermentation culture.
Kombucha usually has a fizzy, carbonated texture and a slight vinegar flavor. With the addition of different flavors, this healthy beverage takes on a delightful flavor. Many use kombucha as an alternative to soda! This low sugar and calorie beverage makes a great option for those trying to lose weight too which is why I incorporate kombucha into my Balanced Weight Management program.
Other benefits include:
Disease prevention- kombucha contains antioxidants that help detox the body and decrease inflammation.
Supports gut health- promotes healthy digestive enzymes, natural probiotic increases healthy gut microbiome, can prevent candida.
May improve the gut brain connection- B vitamins help improve cognitive function, healthy gut microbiome promotes balanced mental health, some studies have shown that probiotics help with depression, OCD, and anxiety.
Benefits a healthy liver- in traditional chinese medicine (TCM) sour, vinegar flavor supports the TCM liver, antioxidants in kombucha help protect the liver against oxidative stress and damaged caused by acetaminophen overdose.
How to make a Scoby
Ingredients
2 grams Black Tea (2 tea bags)
16 oz Filtered Water
1/2 cup Organic Cane Sugar
1 jar Original Kombutcha (no flavor!!)
Preparations
Boil water.
Add tea and steep for 15 minutes.
Remove tea and add sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
Let sweetened tea cool until it is below 90 degrees.
Once cooled, transfer tea to a glass jar, such as a large mason jar.
Add the whole jar of original kombucha to the sweet tea.
Cover jar with a wash cloth or towel and secure with a rubber band.
Place jar in a warm dark place (out of direct sunlight) for 2 weeks.
After two weeks a scoby mass should have formed. It may be very thin and may or may not be connected in one large piece. It doesn’t matter what size- you can use it. The more you use your scoby the larger it will become. In fact, after a few batches of kombucha you will have multiple scoby's available.
Make sure to keep at least 1 cup of the liquid that the scoby grew in to use in your first batch of kombucha. This helps kick start the pH and fermentation process of the batch of kombucha.
How to make Kombucha
Ingredients
8 grams Black Tea (8 tea bags)
16 cups of Filtered Water
1 cup Organic Cane Sugar
1 Scoby
1 Glass Gallon Jar
Preparation
In a large pot or electric kettle, bring 6 cups of water to a boil.
Add tea and let steep for 15 minutes.
Remove tea and stir in sugar.
Add in remaining cups of water. This will help cool the sweet tea. (If you are in a hurry, you can add a few ice cubes to speed up the process).
Let sweet tea cool below 90 degrees. This is very important otherwise you will kill the scoby!
Once cooled, pour sweet tea into a glass gallon jar.
With clean hands, add the scoby to the glass jar.
Cover jar with a clean cloth and secure with a rubber band.
Place jar in a warm, dark place (out of direct sunlight). I put mine on a closet shelf. Let it sit for 7-10 days.
Taste kombucha after 7 days. If it tastes good, go ahead and place in the fridge to slow the fermentation process. You can also bottle it with different fruit or flavors and do a second fermentation to produce a carbonated drink.
Second fermentation
Ingredients
4 oz (1/2 cup) 100% Juice, fresh, or frozen fruit
12 oz (1 1/2 cup) Kombucha
Preparation
Add juice or fruit to the bottom of a 16 oz jar.
Add 12 ounces of kombucha and secure lid tightly.
Let bottle of kombucha sit at room temperature for 2-3 days.
After 2-3 days, carefully open bottle to test for carbonation. If fully carbonated- to the point of a shaken up can of soda!- put in the fridge. This will help the carbonation to settle.
Winter Flavor Ideas!
Apple Cider
Pomegranate and Cinnamon
Elderberry Tea and Ginger
