Homebrewing Kombucha Part 1 – Brewing Kombucha

I first heard about the benefits of kombucha after I saw a bottle at Whole Foods. Even though it was practically $5 for one bottle, I was really curious what all this hype was, and I really wanted to know what it tasted like. The bottle that we picked up was fizzy and flavored with tropical fruits. Syfy was ALL about it and he even thought that it was soda! It was easy to see why the world is fascinated with this beverage, with such a long history and many healing benefits.

What is kombucha?

Kombucha is a living health drink that has been brewed for thousands of years to boost the immune system and stimulate metabolism. The Kombucha culture looks like a white rubbery pancake. This “mushroom” culture is often called a “SCOBY” which is an acronym for ‘ symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts.' The scoby is placed in sweetened black or green tea (or a combination of the two) and it turns the tea into a sea of health-giving organic acids, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and nutrients. The scoby feeds on the sugar and, in turn, produces other valuable substances such as glucuronic acid, gluconic acid, lactic acid, vitamins, and amino acids. The finished product is a delicious fizzy soda-like beverage that also happens to give your body all kinds of healing benefits, and based on the changes you make to your recipe, you can even boost certain healing properties that you are looking for, such as weight loss and immunities.

Kombucha has been sipped for health for thousands of years

The first recorded use of kombucha was in 221 B.C. during the Chinese empire of the Tsin-Dynasty. It was called “The remedy for immortality” or the “divine tische”, and was used for many different healing benefits. Later, in 414 AD it was brought from Korea to Japan, by a doctor brought in to heal the Japanese Emperor. After this, the many benefits were hailed far and wide going to Russia, India, Europe, and finally to the rest of the world. Today its many health benefits are being realized by many and shared across the globe.

Top 10 benefits of drinking kombucha

1. Kombucha improves digestion –  it provides a plethora of healthy digestive flora that are alkalizing to the body.
2. Kombucha helps you lose weight – a healthy gut means that your body can properly take in and evacuate excess weight.
3. Reduces your stress levels – being made with tea, which contains the constituent theanine, which promotes alpha wave production in the brain as well as increases serotonin levels.
4. Kombucha gives you more energy – Not only does a healthy gut mean a healthy everything else, but kombucha is made with tea so it still contains a small amount of caffeine in it.
5. Kombucha increases your immune system – once again good gut health leads to a healthy immune system. The number one natural remedy for the cold or flu is probiotics. Especially for sick children!
6. Relieves constipation
7. Cures your hangover – Kombucha gives you a boost of glucose and electrolytes that help cleanse your live and feeds your dehydration.
8. Cleanses your liver – Kombucha contains gluconic acid which continues to break down to caprylic acid, a potent anti-fungal and can immensely help those suffering from candida.
9. Makes your skin look younger & heals eczema – Your internal health is reflected in your face. When your body is toxin-free and running in proper working order, your skin too will look beautiful. Not only can you use this internally for radiant skin, I have read numerous accounts of people using it as they would apple cider vinegar, on their skin! I have read some pretty awesome stories of it's external healing benefits to the skin.
10. Kombucha strengthens and restores the color of your hair – this, just like the skin is done both internally and externally.

 Homebrewing Kombucha

YIELDS 1 GALLON

INGREDIENTS

• 1 scoby + starter tea
• 1 cup of organic cane sugar
• 4-6 tsp loose leaf tea (or 6 tea bags)
• Approximately 1 gallon of water
• A breathable cover (a paper towel or piece of cotton fabric) & a rubber band
• A stainless steel pot
• A 1-2 gallon brewing vessel

DIRECTIONS

1. Boil 4 cups of water, add in the tea and let it steep for 10 minutes.
2. Stir in 1 cup of sugar and add the remaining of the cold water, which should cool the tea
3. Pour your sweet tea into your brewing vessel and then gently mix in your SCOBY and starter tea then cover with the cloth and secure with a rubber band.
4. Allow your kombucha to brew for 5-10 days. On day 5, take a taste of your kombucha by inserting a straw underneath the SCOBY and taking a sip. When your kombucha tastes just right to your personal palette, strain it and bottle your kombucha, saving 10% of your tea as well as your SCOBY, for your next batch. AND REPEAT as many times as you want!

Flavoring your kombucha

The great thing about kombucha is there are many different ways that you can flavor your kombucha! The next step in the process of brewing kombucha is called secondary fermentation. This is where you add flavor to your kombucha and ferment it with sugar (or fruit) to help it develop carbonation! You can learn more about secondary fermentation and flavoring your kombucha in Homebrewing Kombucha Part 2: Bottling & Flavoring Your Kombucha!