How to make Kombucha in 6 easy steps, even if you are not a domestic goddess
I have been drinking Kombucha in festivals and from health food stores over the years and always thought making it took being a domestic goddess or a mystical genius. The culture sounded foreign, the brewing sounded like it needed watching closely and the amount produced seemed like little payoff for the work involved. I was delighted when my little sister arrived in Cyprus with her scoby. Carried in a zip lock to Cyprus. Under her watchful eye I started my fermentation process. I have to say I am still blown away by how easy this is to make. In fact sharing its simplicity means I am going to lose some credibility in the kitchen.
Kombucha is a fermented beverage that’s used as a functional, probiotic food. It contains a colony of bacteria and yeast that are responsible for initiating the fermentation process once combined with sugar. After fermentation, kombucha becomes carbonated and contains vinegar, B vitamins, enzymes, probiotics and a high concentration of acid (acetic, gluconic and lactic). These bacteria are known as “cellulose-producing bacteria,” meaning they produce cellulose, which acts as a shield to cells.
How to make it in 6 easy steps
To begin you need a scoby pronounced sco be (not scuubi). Get one of these from a friend who has Kombucha happening already. “SCOBY” (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast)
1) dissolve 160 g of cheap sugar in 2 litres of boiling water
2) add 3 green tea bags and 3 black tea bags
3) turn off the heat and let them sit for 15-20 minutes
4) Remove tea bags and allow to cool naturally.
5) Pour into your awesome jar, cover with a tea towel held in place with an elastic band and leave for between 7-21 days in a dark place. Time will depend on the climate. In Cyprus it is currently fermenting in 7 days. In a cooler climate it will take longer. Taste test regularly to see if its ready. You want it to be sharp rather then sweet.
6) I then separate mine into smaller jars and add cherries to one, cinnamon, apple and tumeric to the next, pomegranate seeds to the next....using whatever I have available in the fridge. Open the lids every few days to burp them! Put them into the fridge when you want the fermentation process to stop.
Drink, get healthy and enjoy
