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Brewing Your Own Kombucha: A Fizzy Adventure

Brewing Your Own Kombucha: A Fizzy Adventure

Have you ever sipped on a bottle of kombucha and thought, "I wonder if I could make this at home?" Well, good news, fellow fermentation enthusiast! With a SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) and a bit of patience, you can indeed create your own fizzy, probiotic-rich kombucha right in your kitchen. Let's take a look at the world of home kombucha brewing and unlock the secrets to crafting this tangy, effervescent elixir.

What's the Buzz About Kombucha?

Before we roll up our sleeves and get brewing, let's chat about what makes kombucha so special. This fermented tea beverage has been around for centuries and originated in Northeast China. It's praised for its potential health benefits, including improved digestion, enhanced immune function, and a possible boost to overall well-being. Plus, it's a delicious alternative to sugary soft drinks!

The star of the kombucha show is the SCOBY, a rubbery, pancake-like culture that transforms sweet tea into tangy beverage. Unlike fermented alcoholic beverages, kombucha ferments in the presence of air. This change means that the SCOBY will predominantly produce food acids, which gives the beverage its sour flavour. With a SCOBY, consider it as adopting a very low-maintenance pet that produces an almost endless amount of delicious drinks!

 

Gathering Your Kombucha-Making Arsenal

Before we begin, let's make sure you've got all the necessary tools and ingredients:

  1. A healthy SCOBY
  2. 1L jar for the starter tea
  3. Black or green tea 
  4. White sugar or dextrose 
  5. Carbon filtered water (non-chlorinated)
  6. Fermentation vessel
  7. A tightly woven cloth or coffee filter
  8. Optional: pH strips for testing

Now that we're geared up, let's get into the brewing process!

Step-by-Step Kombucha Brewing: Your Path to Probiotic Perfection

  1. Make a Starter Tea

Using steps 1-7, make a 750ml starter tea for your SCOBY the day before you plan to make your large batch. This helps to start your kombucha and protect it from other microorganisms.

  1. Brew Your Tea Base

Start by brewing a strong tea. For every litre you want to make, use about 2-3 teaspoons of loose tea or 2-3 tea bags per litre. Steep the tea in hot water for about 5-7 minutes, then remove the tea leaves or bags.

  1. Sweeten the Deal

While the tea is still hot, stir in about 1/4 cup of sugar per litre of tea. The sugar is food for your SCOBY, not for you, so don't skimp! Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.

  1. Cool It Down

Allow your sweet tea to cool to room temperature. This is crucial - if the tea is too hot, it could harm your SCOBY. 

  1. Prepare Your Brewing Vessel

Pour the cooled sweet tea into your cleaned and sanitised fermenter. Add about 1/2 cup of starter tea per litre of fresh tea. This acidifies the mixture, creating a happy environment for your SCOBY.

  1. Add Your SCOBY

Gently place your purchased SCOBY into the jar. Don't worry if it sinks or floats - it'll do its job either way! If adding to your large kombucha batch, add the whole jar of contents. Trying not to make too much of a splash

  1. Cover and Wait

Cover the jar with a tightly woven cloth or coffee filter and secure it with a rubber band. This allows airflow while keeping out unwanted visitors like fruit flies. 

  1. Ferment with Patience

Place your jar in a warm, dark place where it won't be disturbed. The ideal temperature is between 20-30°C. Now comes the hard part - waiting! The first fermentation usually takes 7-10 days, but this can vary based on your taste preference and the temperature.

  1. Taste Test

After a week, start tasting it daily using a straw. When it reaches a balance of sweetness and tartness that you like, it's ready for the next step!

  1. Bottle It Up

Remove the SCOBY and about 300ml of liquid if you've made a small batch or 2 cups of liquid if you made a large batch(this will be your starter tea for the next batch). Transfer the rest of the kombucha into bottles, leaving some head space.

  1. Second Fermentation (Optional but Recommended)

If you want your beverage fizzy? Add a carbonation drop or table sugar to each bottle depending on the bottle size, seal tightly, and let them sit at room temperature for 1-3 days. This creates carbonation.

  1. Chill and Enjoy

Once it reaches your desired level of fizz, refrigerate the bottles to slow down fermentation. Then, pop one open and enjoy your homemade probiotic beverage!

Troubleshooting Your Brew: When The Beverage Gets Quirky

Even with a purchased SCOBY, you might encounter some challenges. Here are some common issues and how to address them:

  1. Mould: If you see fuzzy patches on top of your SCOBY, that's mould. Unfortunately, you'll need to discard everything and start over. Prevention is key - always use clean and sanitised equipment and maintain proper acidity. See our range of cleaners and sanitisers, here.
  2. Too Sweet: Your brew might need more time to ferment. Let it go a few more days and taste it again.
  3. Too Sour: You've let it ferment too long. Reduce fermentation time in future batches.
  4. No Carbonation: Ensure you leave enough sugar for the second fermentation. You might also need to let it sit longer or in a warmer spot. For more information on how to do this accurately, see the article on hydrometers, here.
  5. SCOBY Sinking: Don't worry! This is normal and doesn't affect the brewing process.

Flavour Experiments: Unleash Your Inner Kombucha Artist

Once you've mastered the basic brew, why not get creative with flavours? Here are some exciting combinations to try in your second fermentation:

  1. Berry Burst: Add a handful of mixed berries for a fruity punch.
  2. Ginger Zing: Grate some fresh ginger for a spicy kick.
  3. Tropical Twist: Try pineapple chunks and a sprig of mint.
  4. Apple Pie: Combine apple juice with a cinnamon stick.
  5. Lavender Lemon: Add a slice of lemon and a few dried lavender buds.

Remember, the only limit is your imagination!

Nurturing Your SCOBY

Your purchased SCOBY is the heart of your kombucha operation. Here's how to keep it healthy:

  1. Always handle your SCOBY with cleaned and sanitised hands or utensils.
  2. Store extra SCOBYs in a SCOBY hotel - a jar of sweet tea, covered like your fermenter.
  3. If your SCOBY develops brown stringy bits, don't panic. These are yeast strands and are perfectly normal.
  4. Your SCOBY will grow and produce "babies" over time. You can share these with friends or use them to start additional batches.

The Lifestyle: More Than Just a Drink

Brewing kombucha at home is more than just creating a tasty beverage - it's about connecting with an ancient tradition, understanding the power of fermentation, and taking control of what goes into your body. It's a journey of patience, experimentation, and discovery.

Plus, there's something deeply satisfying about sharing a glass of your homemade kombucha with friends and family. It's a conversation starter, a healthy treat, and a testament to your DIY skills, all rolled into one fizzy package.

So, are you ready to join the ranks of home kombucha brewers? Check out our range of fermenters, here, and SCOBY, here.

With your SCOBY in hand, you're all set to begin this effervescent adventure. Remember, every batch is a learning experience, so don't be discouraged if your first try isn't perfect. Keep experimenting, keep tasting, and most importantly, enjoy the process.

MYO Drinks
Helping you to make your own Great Batch from Scratch

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