Home Brewed Kombucha

by TAG Editor

Kombucha is a part of the probiotic family of "foods" such as yogurt, kimchee, and saurkrat that aid digestion. The flavor can vary widely, though, it is usually based on black tea and maybe some sugar. It might be slightly alcoholic and also carbonated.*

Ingredients:
Enough tea (Green Tea, Earl Grey, Assam, English Breakfast...) leaves to make a quart of tea
1 quart of distilled water
4 tablespoons organic sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice
1 bottle "Synergy" Brand Kombucha (these can be bought at Whole Foods, Wild Oats, and most food co-ops)
Lid or cheesecloth with rubberband or string to cover

Make sure all equipment is sanitary when fermenting to keep wild bacteria and yeast at bay. Brew fresh tea by pouring hot water into heat proof quart jar containing ball of loose tea leaves or 4 satchels of tea. Let steep for 5 minutes and remove the tea leaves. Add sugar and vinegar or lemon juice (the acid from the lemon juice keeps the pH lower to control the fermenting environment.

Cover with lid (make sure Kombucha can breath) or cheesecloth and tie and put in a warm place, ideally around 80 degrees for a week and up to two weeks.

You can buy Kombucha Mother/Starters:

The best and easiest way to get started
Synergy's Kombucha comes in single servings of 20 oz. You can use this as a starter (they always have a bit of mother in them, too - string or mat of culture) and add to your tea.

Major Kombucha Power:
Happy Herbalist
Kombucha.org

*Results cannot be guaranteed. Please perform due diligence in regards to the process and outcomes of probiotic foods before attempting to make them at home.