Kombucha

8 cups water1 cup loose tea leaves or 6 tea bags2 cups sugar*1 cup juice (optional)1 healthy Kombucha culture2 cups Kombucha

*I use organic turbinado sugar-can use 1/2 honey & 1/2 sugar, pure cane or brown

Materials:

• large pot for boiling water/brewing tea
• large glass jar
• cheesecloth for straining and to use as breathable lid (can also use clean towel or coffee filter as lid)
• elastic band or string

Everything must be clean. Glass jars should be run through the dishwasher if possible.  Even cheesecloth used for straining may be run through the dishwasher.

Instructions:

To brew kombucha, one must make a batch of weak to moderately-strong tea sweetened with sugar.

The tea is then placed in a large glass container and allowed to cool to room temperature.

At this point I add a cup of  juice, usually pomegranate or apple, to the tea - this is optional as juice may also be added to the final kombucha.

Next, place the kombucha culture in the tea and cover the container with an air permeable barrier such as cheese cloth or a coffee filter.

Within seven to 15 days, the kombucha organism will have converted the tea into a fluid that has a palatable balance between sweet and sour. The amount of sourness is directly related to the length of fermentation; the longer the tea ferments, the more sour and less sweet it will be.  Also the bigger the culture, the quicker it will ferment.

When fermentation has reached a satisfactory taste, the liquid is strained and bottled. At this point, various fruit additions or flavorings may be added to impart a desired flavor.

As with beer, the bottles are usually conditioned at room temperature for a week to allow yeast cells to produce carbonation. Most people will refrigerate kombucha prior to consumption giving the drink a refreshing sensation not unlike any other carbonated beverage.

At this point, the organism can be placed into a new batch of tea with a small amount of liquid from the previous batch, which helps to reduce contamination by keeping the pH low.

Each successive batch often produces a second membrane, referred to as a "Daughter". The mother and daughter may be separated which allows the possibility of creating a new kombucha colony.

Although frequently referred to as a mushroom, which it resembles, Kombucha is not a mushroom — it's a colony of bacteria and yeast. Kombucha tea is made by adding the colony to sugar and black or green tea and allowing the mix to ferment. The resulting liquid contains vinegar, B vitamins and a number of other chemical compounds. Kombucha tea is prepared by taking a starter sample from an existing culture and growing a new colony in a fresh jar. Health benefits attributed to Kombucha tea include stimulating the immune system, preventing cancer, and improving digestion and liver function. Kombucha contains many different cultures along with several organic acids, active enzymes, amino acids, and polyphenols. The Kombucha culture feeds on the sugar and, in exchange, produces other valuable substances which change into the drink: glucuronic acid, glucon acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, vitamins, amino acids, antibiotic substances, and other products. The Kombucha culture is, therefore, a real tiny biochemical factory. Glucuronic Acid useful for detoxing and boosting the immune system, Usinic Acid is useful in cases of Uria.

Kombucha, an ancient Chinese health elixir, is thought to have detoxifying properties. It is also believe to be a cure for hair loss, to contain cancer preventing agents and is used for high blood pressure relief. Green Tea has grown in popularity because of its high levels of antioxidants. When combined, green tea and Kombucha (pronounced: kom BOO cha) form a beverage that is packed full of health benefits.

Kombucha is a fermented food and the health benefits of daily intake of fermented foods are tremendous!

I always have mother starters available for making your own Kombucha -- please feel free to comment here or email me to get one!