Today I started my own kombucha. My roommate has had a jar of it brewing for some time. We’ve tried some here and there and I like it. It really helps with my stomach. If I have an unhappy stomach from eating poorly I’ll take a drink of kombucha and feel much better. Kombucha has many supposed health benefits but nothing tested by the FDA. I like it for the probiotics. While my roommate has been home we’ve taken to the feeding of it. I’m surprised how easy it all is. So I’ve decided to take a mother and start my own. You’ll find tons of information about kombucha online but this is a good starter.
Kombucha is a fermented tea. The mother is the thick calamari like disk that forms on top. The mother is the bacterium that ferments your sweet tea into an acidic version of your tea. You can use any kind of tea you like. I used chai tea here. Next time I think I’ll try earl grey.
You brew about a gallon of tea then add 1.5 cups of sugar. When the tea cools off you add it to a glass container and then add your mother on top. Make sure to reserve a bit of the original kombucha each time you re-brew. The acidity helps keep out unwanted bacteria.
After about 2-3 weeks the mother will have eaten all the sugar and your kombucha is good to drink. You need to make sure not to seal the kombucha while it brews because it does produce gas that needs to be released during the process. You can use a paper towel and a rubber band like my roommate did.
When your container is loosely covered place your kombucha in a cabinet or closet. It will smell like vinegar after awhile, so if this smell bothers you might not want it directly in the kitchen. The little brownish strings are the cultures from the mother. They are the good stuff that makes a happy belly. Don’t be afraid of them.
If the taste is too acidic for you try mixing it with some juice or water. I like to put a scoop of orange concentrate into my glass.
Have you ever made kombucha? How was your experience?
leetsstreet 