Kombucha is a cultured tea that used to be the domain of hippies and ‘old Russian babas’.
Or so I’ve been told.
It’s been a fixture in our home for several years now.
I love it because it’s SO easy to make, and even simpler to care for.
It’s a drink I couldn’t possibly do without. Particulary after experiencing its health benefits first-hand.
And really, kombucha is just downright delicious. Something inside me does a little happy dance every time I drink it…
Kombucha’s star has been rising in the past few years and today you can actually buy a decent bottle of raw kombucha in most health food stores.
Nonetheless, there are two reasons I prefer to make it myself:
1. Just like a home cooked meal, it tastes better than storebought and I know exactly what’s in it!
2. Commercial kombucha is quite expensive. At about $3.50 to $4 a bottle, it’s a treat. And I prefer to be able to drink it whenever I want (which is practically every day!)
Making kombucha at home costs only pennies a glass and can be done quite easily once you obtain a good quality kombucha culture (SCOBY) from someone in your community or online.
When comparing how easy it is to make and care for (versus other probiotic drinks like water kefir), I prefer kombucha because the brew time is longer – up to 14 days vs 48 hours for water kefir. Personally, that makes it easier for me to manage.
I like to say it’s similar to an African violet- the less you fuss over it, the more it seems to thrive…and that’s just about perfect right now.
NOTE: It’s important to brew your Kombucha in a glass jar and not plastic or metal. Kombucha is acidic and erodes metal (including mason jar lids) and if brewed in plastic, harmful chemicals would be leached into the kombucha.
Step 1: Make a tea infusion by putting 5 tea bags in your jar along with 1 cup of organic, refined cane sugar. Add a kettle full of boiling water. The exact amount of water doesn’t really matter. (p.s. your SCOBY is sitting off the side for this part in another container).
Step 2: Let mixture sit with the lid on for 1-4 hours. Step 3: Allow to cool down (test on the inside of your wrist). Add enough water to fill jar just 1/2 inch below where jar starts to narrow again.
Step 4: Scoop out tea bags, add your SCOBY and about 1cup of leftover Kombucha liquid from a previous batch.
Step 5: Cover the jar opening with a tea towel or piece of tight weave cloth. Secure with an elastic. This will keep fruit flies out.
Step 6: Store in a warm dark place from 4-14 days depending on the temperature of your home (taste test periodically). I find when it is plus 30 degrees it can brew in as little as 4 days, whereas when it is -30 celsius and my house is cold, it can take as much as 12-14 days. You will eventually just get a ‘feel’ for when it is done.
Step 7: Bottle your kombucha (Grolsch-type beer bottles work great) and then brew another batch.
NOTES: Kombucha that is ready should taste fizzy and tart. Try your first batch of kombucha at a few different stages so you know how it tastes as the fermentation proceeds. The longer the fermentation process, the less sugar that will be left.
That’s it. Easy peasy. When you bottle your finished kombucha tea you can flavour it by adding a splash of juice, fruit or something like ginger root. A Grolsch-type beer bottle works great for bottling!
*For more information about kombucha, see Part 1 of this series: 3 reasons I drink something my mom thought would make me sick
Filed under:Nourished Pantry, Traditional Wisdom Modern Kitchen || Tagged under: cultured drinks, cultures, fermentation, fermentsgtw, kombucha, kombucha tea
Author: Adrienne Percy
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12 comments
[…] good quality raw kombucha from the store but in this post I give you step-by-step instructions for how to make it yourself- at a fraction of the […]
20 March, 2013 12:54 ||
Yeah, I’ve heard of that happening. I haven’t had that preolbm, but I might soon if I don’t get on it for another batch. One of the bottles from my last batch sprayed the entire kitchen when my wife opened it. Needless to say, I wasted probably half of it onto the floor little sticky in places still
30 August, 2014 15:11 ||
that airflow is imoartpnt, but that a plastic lid could be used. Am I confusing the type of lid needed for the brewing KT with the type of lid needed for a hotel? And 2)All of the crocks I’ve seen online (and, the one I have) have a slanted lip that a rubber band will not stay around. What’s a girl to do to keep a cloth cover in place? I noticed that some websites offer a ceramic lid in the $16.00 range. Would that work? I don’t want to spend money unnecessarily!
03 September, 2014 12:45 ||
this is great! i just found this blog a few weeks ago and i love it! it’s so nice to stumble across local bloggers! my mom is from poplarfield and went to high school in fraserwood! it’s a joy to read these posts!
21 March, 2013 17:10 ||
Oh SUPER. I’m glad you like it. It’s such a small world isn’t it?
21 March, 2013 21:41 ||
[…] you’ve learned how to make kombucha tea, you might wonder what else you can make with the […]
12 July, 2013 23:53 ||
We have been doing this for a while now .but I am pretty sure mine is vigenar by now! All of the carbonation actually lifted the scoby up out of the jar! With all of the business of garden harvest, we kind of forgot about our last batch!
30 August, 2014 17:38 ||
Hannah I’m new to KT brewing, and my frneid is SCOBY-sitting until my supplies roll in. Anyway, I’ve was told that a ceramic (and therefore, dark), lead-free crock is the way to go but then I see your SCOBY hotel in a clear glass jar. What’s up? If I cover the sides of my 3 gallon clear glass jar with a towel, will that be dark enough to brew? Thanks love your site and your energy. KT-generated, no doubt?
03 September, 2014 12:52 ||
[…] you’ve learned how to make kombucha tea, you might wonder if there is anything else you can brew with the […]
19 September, 2013 21:09 ||
Play infotmarive for me, Mr. internet writer.
30 August, 2014 12:51 ||
[…] good quality raw kombucha from the store but in this post I give you step-by-step instructions for how to make it yourself- at a fraction of the […]
19 September, 2013 21:26 ||
H! I am wondering if you use your well water? I’ve read conflicting info, so I bought distilled, an when I came to check here you advise not to use distilled! I’m thinking I may use 1/2 distilled and 1/2 well water this time round. Any advice?
27 April, 2014 11:00 ||