How To: Brew Your Own Kombucha (Fermented Tea)

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

After going through a few cycles of kombucha-making after the workshop, I've finally got containers large enough and a system worked out. Although (grumble grumble), me and 2nd fermentation carbonation are still having issues. I'll update all this nonsense when I've got it figured out. Otherwise, it's a pretty simple process and way cheaper than purchasing store-bought kombucha. It just takes lots of waiting time.

I've had some luck with lavender kombucha, as well as ginger and lemon. Mint is...interesting. WholeLifestyleNutrition has a collection of recipes for flavoring and uses of kombucha.

Kombucha is a fermented tea, with all the standard benefits of consuming microbiotic cultures that live in the SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony Of Bacteria and Yeast). The SCOBY is like a thick, wet piece of bologna. It's gross, but you don't have to touch it...just transfer it around some. Kombucha is a tiny bit of an acquired taste, although with a flavored second fermentation, it's a lot easier.

Materials
Adjust proportions as necessary. 1 gallon (clean!) container (preferably wider than it is tall, although you could also use some wide-mouth quart-sized mason jars), 1 cup of sugar, 8 black tea bags (or green tea, just nothing with oils, no earl grey), 1 kombucha SCOBY (get one from a friend or grow your own, 2 cups previously fermented kombucha, an airtight bottle, and (optional) 1c/L sweetened flavored tea, chopped fruit, ginger, or other flavoring agents.

Instructions

1. Brew tea. Boil 4 quarts water, add 8 tea bags and sugar, then turn off heat. You may remove the tea bags after ~15 minutes, to prevent the brew from becoming too butter. Wait until cool. This may take hours. Remove tea bags before proceeding.
2. Mix. Pour tea into a sterile container, preferably wider than it is deep. Add 2 cups previously fermented kombucha and SCOBY to the tea. Cover with a breathable fabric and a rubber band. Keep out of sunlight.
   
3. Complete 1st Fermentation. Leave tea for 7 days and taste. If it’s still sweet, wait another day before tasting again. A new SCOBY film should appear after a few days. Do not touch with metal.
   
4. Transfer. Pour all but the two SCOBYs and 2 cups of kombucha into an airtight bottle. Start from Step 1 and begin the process anew. You’ve got a new SCOBY to share, or toss, your choice.
   
5. Transfer. Pour all but the two SCOBYs and 2 cups of kombucha into an airtight bottle. Start from Step 1 and begin the process anew. You’ve got a new SCOBY to share, or toss, your choice.
6. Finish. Filter kombucha through cheesecloth to remove remaining SCOBY bits. Refrigerate airtight bottle with kombucha and enjoy!
   
   Lemon, Mint, Ginger, and Lavender Kombucha

In my digging around for information, I've dug up some additional resources and amusing illustrations that are helpful:
From the Homegrown Collective

KQED's How to Make Kombucha: An Illustrated Mother/Daughter Tale

EatLifeWhole: What is Kombucha?

• TheKitchn: How To Make Your Own Kombucha & SCOBY
• TheKitchn's My Spring Project - Homemade Kombucha
• WholeLifestyleNutrition 50 Kombucha Recipes
• Recipes for Kombucha Mustard and Medicinal Kombucha
• CulturesForHealth: Uses for an extra kombucha SCOBY
• SCOBY Hotel Maintenence
• 'Wild Fermentation' by Sandor Ellix Katz