How to make Kombucha
Kombucha is a living health drink made by fermenting green, white or black tea and sugar with the kombucha culture. Most of the sugar will be remade into organic acids that blunt the blood sugar response so it is very low glycemic and non-inflammatory. The sugar-tea solution is fermented by bacteria and yeast commonly known as a scoby (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast).
History
Known as the “Immortal Health Elixir” by the Chinese and originating in the Far East around 2,000 years ago, kombucha is a beverage with tremendous health benefits.
Kombucha’s most popular origin story stretches back over 2000 years to China and it has been the subject of many 100’s studies over the last century. This Eastern Tea was referred to as the Remedy for Immortality or the Tea of Immortality. With the extension of trade routes, it spread to India and Russia through travelers and traders. Kombucha resurfaced in Japan between the Wars after a Japanese visitor to Kargasok (Russia) found this fermented tea drink responsible for their astonishing health, longevity, and well-being. It may have been introduced to Japan by a Korean physician by the name of Kombu around 415 AD. Today the tea – once routinely used by Samurai – is widely used again in Japan. Kombucha appeared in Germany about the turn of the century from Russia. This fermented tea drink became quite popular across Europe until World War II with the shortage of tea and sugar.
Wherever this tea originated from it is now known throughout the world. Kombucha tea has been known by many names in many cultures. In the 18th century in Russia, it was known as Cajnyj Kvas, in China as Cha Gu, in Germany as Heldenpilz.
Properties
Kombucha contains a colony of bacteria and yeast that are responsible for initiating the fermentation process once combined with sugar. After being fermented, kombucha becomes carbonated and contains vinegar, b-vitamins, enzymes, probiotics, and a high concentration of acid (acetic, gluconic, and lactic).
Benefits
An article published in the journal Food Microbiology established that the following probiotics make up this health elixir:
- Gluconacetobacter (>85 percent in most samples)
- Acetobacter (<2 percent)
- Lactobacillus (up to 30 percent in some samples)
- Zygosaccharomyces (>95 percent)
Ultimately, this cocktail of good bacteria interacts together in a unique way to produce some unbelievable health benefits for those who drink it.
In research published in the Journal of Medicinal Food 2014, researchers from the University of Latvia say the following about the health benefits of kombucha:
It is shown that [kombucha] can efficiently act in health preservation and recovery due to four main properties: detoxification, anti-oxidation, energizing potencies, and promotion of boosting immunity.
How to make kombucha
Heat 1 liter of water, add 3-4 bags of tea or 3-4 TBSP of loose tea (black, green or white). Once cooled, add 70-100g of sugar, 200ml of kombucha, and the scoby. Cover with a cloth and leave it on the counter for 7 days. A new scoby will form. Take the scoby out and again 200ml of kombucha for the next batch. Put the remaining kombucha in a bottle.
Second fermentation
For a second fermentation and flavoring, you can add fresh ginger and half of a lime or grape juice or any other flavor. Close it and leave it on the counter for 8-10 hours and then put it in the fridge and enjoy it cold.
A second fermentation period allows the flavors to meld and achieve a deeper and more complex flavor profile. Additionally, if bottled in an airtight container, the carbon dioxide produced during fermentation will remain, giving the kombucha the fizzy texture it is often known for.
Kombucha hotel
The SCOBY and starter liquid for future batches should never be refrigerated as there is no advantage and storing the cultures at such a low temperature for an extended time puts the culture into a deep sleep, which leads to inferior tasting Kombucha and oftentimes, mold.
Start a SCOBY hotel with your extra cultures and mature Kombucha, then store it at room temperature. A SCOBY hotel is a way to safely store all your extra SCOBYs so that if something goes wrong, you will always have a backup, and therefore a lifetime supply. For long-term storage of a SCOBY Hotel, add sweet tea from time to time to compensate for evaporation. The Hotel may also act as a source of extra-strong starter liquid.
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