Kombucha, also known as tea mushroom, tea fungus or Manchurian mushroom (when referring to microbiological culture), is a fermented and sweetened black or green tea commonly drank for health benefits. Many consumers also like to use kombucha as an alternative to soda as it has the same fizz as soda but without all the excessive sugar. Kombucha was discovered over 2000 years ago by the ancient Chinese and started to become popular in the United States back in 90s. To date, there are many variations of Kombucha such as citrus flavoured, raspberry, pomegranate and more. The downside to Kombucha is that it can be pricey. Therefore, this article will not only teach you something new but save cost at the same time.
Store Bought Kombucha
You will need to get store bought, plain, not flavoured kombucha. Make sure to avoid the plain kombuchas that are too sterile and filtered, instead get the plain kombucha that is light brown in colour with or without clear strands. This is one of the key ingredients to make SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) which is the core of kombucha. SCOBY takes about 2 to 4 weeks to grow.
Tea Leaves
Make sure to stick to true tea leaves such as black tea leaves and green tea leaves, this is important as it doesn’t possess chemical compounds like herbal tea leaves (like peppermint, spearmint, chamomile and etc.) or organic tea leaves that will harm and even kill the SCOBY. Moreover, black and green tea leaves are known to provide the kombucha with the cleanest flavour. Depending on preference, black tea will provide a darker colour whereas green tea will provide a lighter colour.
White Sugar
White sugar is the best choice for making kombucha as it is the easiest for the SCOBY to consume. Brown sugar is harder for SCOBY to break down and the flavour may change significantly, whereas agave needs to be combined with another type of sugar that contains glucose and may even turn the brew sour. The main purpose of the sugar, and you will need a lot, 1 cup of sugar per gallon, is to feed the SCOBY and allow it to ferment and grow. The sugar will be brewed along with the tea.
Large Glass Jar/Glass Beverage Dispenser
If you’re an avid kombucha consumer, most likely you’ll be making a big batch of kombucha. Therefore, you need a large airtight glass jar or a glass beverage dispenser (you can get on Amazon). If the glass jar doesn’t have a lid, simply put a few layers of clean napkins or tea towels and tie tightly with a rubber band. Make sure to stay away from plastic jars and especially metal jars as it can affect the flavour of the kombucha and weaken the SCOBY during the fermentation process. Make sure to also ferment it at room temperature, and make sure to keep it away from direct sunlight.
Airtight Bottles
Fermentation takes at least 7 days, this is when you can start to taste your kombucha. It should be tangy and fizzy and a little bit sweet. That’s when you strain and transfer your kombucha into airtight bottles, otherwise it will continue to ferment with the SCOBY and if fermented too long, it tastes like vinegar. You can store your freshly transferred kombucha at room temperature for up to a week before refrigerating, or you can refridgerate immediately if you don’t mind the kombucha losing the fizz more quickly. Make sure to let the air out from the bottle at least once a day, to release the carbon dioxide built up. This is important because if the carbon dioxide sits in there for too long, it might explode.
Additional Flavouring
This is optional. If you like flavour with your kombucha, there’s absolutely nothing wrong and it’s always fun to experiment. Popular flavourings are ginger for those who are ginger ale fans, raspberries as well as orange for that perfect balance of sweet and sour balance, you can even add dried fruits such as cranberries and apricots. The sugars in the dried fruit will also make the remaining yeast in the kombucha fizzy again if they happen to lose their fizz. The options are endless.