Kombucha 101

Kombucha 101

Presented by

Heather Brown, LMT/Health Coach &

 Ally McPhee, Holistic Health Coach

515.689.2001

Ingredients and items needed:

·         Kombucha SCOBY (make or buy on AMAZON or get from a friend)

         SCOBY= Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria & Yeast

·         1 gallon glass jar or large beverage dispenser (use glass not plastic)

·         14 cups of water total

·         5-8 black or green tea bags (or loose tea plus a tea infuser or pouch for loose tea)

·         1 cup of white sugar (need a Jun Tea SCOBY if you want to use honey)

·         Rubber band

·         Bandana or old t-shirt cut into a 5-6” square

Optional--in a few weeks you will need:

·         6-12 fermentation bottles (AKA Swing top bottles) for 2^nd fermentation process

·         Fresh fruit or fresh juice for flavoring process

Instructions (watch kombucha demos on YouTube, if needed or see link below):

1. Make kombucha SCOBY, if needed. See this link for recipe and video:

                                                                           https://ifoodreal.com/kombucha-recipe/

2. In a large pot, bring ALL or HALF of water to boil and turn off heat. Add tea and sugar, stir and let cool completely: place in a sink filled with cold water to speed things up, or let sit overnight.
3. In a glass beverage dispenser or gallon jar, add kombucha SCOBY and 2 cups of previously made kombucha, if you have it. Strain the cooled tea (plus plain water if you only boiled 7 cups of water vs 14) using a mesh strainer into the gallon jar or dispenser.
4. Cover jar opening with the bandanna or old t-shirt securing with a rubber band and put in a place with temperatures above 21C or 70F (I leave mine on a kitchen counter) to ferment for 7-10 days. It is OK if SCOBY isn’t floating at the top (it will later).
5. After 7 days (less in summer) start tasting kombucha via a straw. If it isn’t sweet, has a tangy taste, fizzes as you pour and SCOBY is floating at the top, then your kombucha is ready.
6. Pour using a funnel into airtight fermentation bottles and enjoy.
7. To make next batch of kombucha, start with step 2.

Store: Keep at room temperature for up to a few weeks. Longer in the fridge (kombucha is less fizzy when refrigerated).

A “mother”, also known by the acronym SCOBY, is a Symbiotic Culture of Yeast and Bacteria. ... This “mother” is responsible for the miraculous fermentation that takes place, turning ordinary tea into sparkling, tart kombucha. If you're an old hand with the SCOBY, you know all about it.