Monday, September 10, 2012

do you ever... drink kombucha?


this summer,
i learned to love
:: kombucha ::
i also learned how to make it.

kombucha is a fermented, 
naturally carbonated, 
probiotic drink
that starts out as tea.
you can buy it at the store for $4.00 a bottle,
{i love this kind}
or you can make it for almost nothing.

the taste is very distinct.
mildly sweet and vinegar-y... in a good way.
very cleansing & refreshing.

watch this video to see folks have their first taste
{their faces tell the story}
so...
first, learn to like it.
then, learn to make it.

to make it, you will need
a few things that are easy to find:
1. jar
1 gallon clear glass jar
plus a clean towel & a rubber band to cover the jar
2. tea
4 tea bags {or bulk equivalent & muslin tea bag} 
unflavored tea, can be black, green, white,
but just pure tea {camellia sinensis}
and clean boiling water
3. sugar
1 cup of pure unrefined sugar
{in bulk at most health food groceries}

& one thing that can be tricky to find:
1. scoby
{rhymes with Toby}
s.c.o.b.y. stands for:
symbiotic culture of bacteria & yeast,
but i like to call it the
mysterious magical alien jellyfish mushroom.
here is some scoby math for you:
it takes ONE scoby to start a batch of kombucha,
but you will have TWO scobys
when your batch has finished brewing.
the one you start with is the mother.
the one that is created is the daughter.
{the daughter forms at the top of the jar}
most often,
you can acquire a scoby from someone you know.
like me : )
mine was given to me by a fellow earthly delights csa member.
they can also be ordered online from reputable sources.

what you do:
1. make tea
{remove tea bags}
2. add sugar
3. allow to cool
4. add scoby
5. add one cup of kombucha
{that the scoby was resting in}
6. cover with a clean cloth
{rubberband it securely}
7. place in a warm, safe spot
8. wait 10 days - 2 weeks
the baby scoby should be at least 1/8 inch thick
and the kombucha should taste "done"

i'm still experimenting
with secondary bottle fermentation
to enhance taste and carbonation.
i'm basically bottling the kombucha,
then letting it ferment in the bottles
before i store it in the fridge.
i recommend ez-cap bottles like these.

a couple informative videos for you
{the background music is awesome}



8 comments:

Emily said...

Yes, I love Kombucha!
The making method reminds me of friendship bread.
I have tried several brands, and sometimes when I get it home and open a bottle it is flat! Yes, flat!
I am so bummed by this!
The fizz is what makes it taste so good, and I'm sure if it is flat, the "good" stuff is not working. I also buy it at my whole foods from a local maker. Too intimated to make my own! I'm impressed you are trying to make it Catie.

catie said...

emily, have you tried the kind i have a link for? it's made by GT's, and it is SO fizzy & it is sold everywhere. when i was in california, i even bought it at safeway. the trilogy flavor is my fave. lotsa bubbles for you ♥

Dawn said...

everytime I go to grocery store, I think I am going to try it and then I always leave forgetting it! I have hears so many people say they love this!

Angie said...

Very interesting. I've heard a lot about it, but have yet to try it. I do know that fermented foods are soooo good for you though! Someday I might have to get a scoby from you! ;-)

Unknown said...

I have NEVER heard of this... It sounds um, intriguing?

I'll definitely have to put it on the "to try" list.

catie said...

michele ~ yes! give it a try.

everyone ~ i just found this article which has good info & good photos: http://aniafieldsphotoart.com/blog/tag/kombucha-recipe/ ♥

Dawn said...

i am really amazed at this whole process...bought a bottle of the raspberry chia today..it is so good..bennett LOVED it too!

Pam said...

love kombucha! i used to buy it at whole foods...not really seeing it over here in paris. :)

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