What is Kombucha Tea ?
SCOBY - means symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast.
Kombucha is a sugary tea, that turns into a fermentation. The ''SCOBY'' is the culture of bacteria and yeast. The SCOBY eats the sugar, transforming it into a refreshingly fizzy , slightly sour fermented tea. There is no more than 1 % is alcoholic in it.
The SCOBY is a rubbery, slippery, brown thing with brown stringy bits hanging off it. It is weird but amazing.
Why do we drink it ?
Kombucha tea is a fermented drink which is a probiotic, that puts good bacteria into your gut. This helps with your immune system. It is a liver cleanser and will assist your liver by removing toxins that have built up. It also relieves water retention that builds up if you under stress or have a heavy toxic load.
It is a refreshing drink. When you add berries or lemon slices and mint and pour from a large jug for your guest in summer, they will love it.
Kombucha Tea Recipe
You can double or triple this recipe, your scoby can handle it.
1 piece of muslin and string to tie around the top of the jar
1 large jar - with a wide top. Use only glass, ceramic or porcelain. Never use metal. Clean really well, never use chemicals or vinegar. Rinse well with really hot water.
1 scoby and 1 cup of a starter - your kombucha bug and the liquid that comes with it.
2 litres pure filtered
4 tea bags - black or green
2/3 cup raw cane sugar - the scoby finds this easy to digest. Don't use honey.
Note -
Never use metal with the scoby
Alway's wash your hands well when making it. Hygiene is really important.
If your scoby goes black throw away.(mine never has)
Your scoby is alive, look after it. It will grow and produce other scoby's. They can be split and given away. When giving away, give 1 cup of the liquid with the scoby. This is done at the end of the 5 - 10 days.
Method
1 - In the evening heat 6 1/2 cups filtered water with raw sugar, stir until dissolved.
2 - Drop in the tea bags and cool. I leave overnight with a lid on.
3 - The next day remove the tea bags. Pour the liquid into the cleaned, large jar. Add the scoby and 1 cup of the starter.
4 - Cover with a piece of muslin and tie a piece of string around the lip. The scoby needs to breathe.
- place in a warm place 20 - 26 deg and away from direct sunlight.
- leave undisturbed for 5 days. It is now kombucha.
- you can leave it up to 3 weeks. The shorter the fermentation the sweeter the brew. I usually leave it for 10 days.
- Once ready pour your kombucha LEAVING 1 CUP WITH THE SCOBY into cleaned jars with a sealed lid. You can now add herbs, ginger or fruit. (never add this to the main brew with the scoby) Leave on the bench for 2 - 5 days and it will start to go fizzy.
- Once fizzy place in the fridge, ready to drink.
5 - Now you just start again to make the next batch.
- once your scoby splits (you may need to peel it apart ) you can pass it on to someone else with 1 cup of the starter.