Kombucha brewing for beginners
I have been brewing kombucha for about 10 months now, and can honestly tell you… anyone can do it! It’s so simple, low cost, and definitely low maintenance.
I was fortunate enough to have a friend walk me through my very first home brew. She gave me her tried and true recipe and even brought me a scoby. I am going to share with you that same recipe, as it’s the one I use most frequently.
Things you’ll need in advance
-11 Green or Black tea bags
-2 1/4 Cups of organic or white sugar
-Large two gallon container, glass or porcelain
-Stainless steal spout (optional)
-Living scoby
-24 Cups of water
Start by brewing your tea bags in your 24 cups of distilled water. I slowly bring my water to a boil and let the tea steep until it cools to room temperature. I remove the tea bags and add in my 2 1/4 cups of sugar, stir until completely dissolved. Then add in your live scoby. It is important to the health of your scoby to be added to cooled tea. High temps can damage the life of your scoby.
If you are unable to obtain a scoby you can grow your own. The process takes a few weeks. I can share that process in a later post if anyone is interested in that.
The Fermentation Process
The fermentation process takes about 2 weeks. I find that using a container that has a spout on it makes brewing to your particular taste much easier. Most spouts are made of plastic, I swapped my spout out to this stainless steal spout.
As your tea goes from drab to fab, your scoby will actually grow. This is such a cool process to watch. You can see in both the above and below the change. A thin layer will start to form on the very top. You may also see some dark stringy looking things, that is normal and nothing to be alarmed by. It is also called “The mother”. If you prefer, you can strain that out at the time of bottling.
Once you are ready to bottle your kombucha, you will need to remove your original scoby and the new new scoby that has formed. You will also want to take 1-2 cups of the brewed batch to pour over your scoby. This ensures your scoby stays healthy and alive. I would love to hear if you give this a try!
Why Kombucha?
Kombucha is a fermented tea that has been around for centuries. There are so many health benefits to it, it is know as “The immortal Health Elixir” among the Chinese. Like many other fermented foods and beverages, it is loaded with a natural bacteria called probiotics. Probiotics aid in your overall gut health. Studies show that a healthy gut leads to more than just a great digestion system, it is proved to boost mood, energy, and your immunities. All good things in my book! In addition to your healthy guts, it also improves your liver functionality and aids in preventing diseases.
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