Much ado about Kombucha!

Most of us heard about the sparkling chilled health tea by now, and still probably wondering what all the hype is about.

Let's take a look.

We all would love to be a tiny bit more healthy with really not that much effort, right?

I certainly would prefer buying freshly pressed health juices, rather than going through the whole "making-it-myself-and-then-cleaning-it-up" process.

So, of course, it goes for Kombucha as well. There are many different makes and flavours readily available on the market and online. But… at quite a hefty price and usually, the taste leaves much to be desired.

So again, I am at the make-it-at-home option.

I have been making Kombucha for the best of 7 years.

Experience has taught me two valuable lessons:

Firstly, it is super-super easy to make (many of the internet recipes seem... well ... a bit overwhelming) with almost no cleaning up to do (yay).

And secondly, the health benefits are unsurpassed!

Also making it at home gives you the added benefit of feeling a sense of accomplishment.

So why drink Kombucha?

If you like fizzy drinks and want to wean yourself off that toxic sugary drinks, this is one of the best ways to do it!

Here are just a few of the health benefits:

A super source of probiotics: You do not need to take a supplement if you make your own Kombucha.
Contains Antioxidants: We can all do with these - anti-ageing and all that, and of course, reduces liver toxicity (hello afterparty!)
Kills harmful bacteria: Especially infection-causing bacteria and candida yeast (girls - your new best friend!)
Reduces the risk of heart disease: It lowers bad cholesterol.
Help with the management of Type 2 Diabetes: Kombucha slows down the digestion of carbs, which in turn reduces blood sugar levels!
It can even help to protect you against Cancer: Kombucha is high in tea polyphenols and antioxidants, and these are known to block gene mutation and growth of cancer cells, and promotes the death of cancer cells.

All the health benefits of green-, red-, white-, black tea / ginger / tumeric / dragon fruit /berries: You can "flavour" Kombucha with any herb you can think of and really make it, in my opinion, with any tea that you like and flavour it, to customise your own health needs. (Please read more about these researched facts in my references.)

So how does it work?

Tea, hot water, a SCOBY, sugar, time and voila!

The first question you might ask: Sugar?

How can it be healthy if it is made with sugar?

Well, the fermentation process needs energy (think energy drink before running), and that energy comes from sugar. In the fermentation process, all the sugar is used to make all the good, healthy stuff. So by the end of your fermentation process, there is no sugar left in Kombucha.

Second question: SCOBY what? The SCOBY is the alien-looking plant you see floating in this picture. It is an acronym for "Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast."

I call it a plant because it is alive, just like your sourdough starter. The living organism in the SCOBY is what makes for the fermenting process.

Where do I find a SCOBY?

My first SCOBY was a gift from my friend Antonia (https://antonias.co.za), and after all these years, I still use that very same SCOBY. I also bought a SCOBY from Crafty Cultures! I love their online shop. You can get all the equipment you need from them. Check out their shop at https://craftycultures.co.za/Shop/.

Third question: What about alcohol content?

Yes! Kombucha can be fermented over a longer period, and the alcohol content will rise. If you leave it for even longer, it becomes pure, beautiful vinegar, with some of the same health benefits as Apple cider vinegar. But just don't do it! Yet … (at least until you have more experience)

Basic recipe:

3 ½ Liters of boiling water

1 cup of sugar

8 bags of tea (white- / black- / rooibos tea; basically any natural tea you like - do not use flavoured teas)

2 cups of kombucha starter tea (either from your last batch or storebought)

1 SCOBY

Instructions:

Do not use any metal utensils! (Because of Kombucha acidic composition, it can leach toxins from metal.)
Stir the water, sugar and tea in a plastic container.
Let your tea steep in the boiling water for a few minutes.
Strain the tea leaves and let it cool down.
Once cooled, add your starter kombucha (storebought or from your previous batch).

When you like the taste (the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness) and see little bubbles, your Kombucha is ready to bottle.
Remove the SCOBY, into a glass jar along with enough starter tea for the next batch.
Bottle your Kombucha in glass bottles. Please remember that it is still fermenting, so there will be some gas build-up.
You can now flavour your Kombucha, if so desired.
If you like it the way it is, you can refrigerate it.
If you desire a bit more fizz leave the bottles out for a day or two, while you flavour it (open the bottles every day to release some gas).

How easy was that?

Want to take a break from making Kombucha?

Just refrigerate your SCOBY in a fair amount of starter tea in a glass container with a lid. The SCOBY needs food, just like your sourdough starter. Feed it with a pinch of bicarb and a bit of sugar. And don't wait too long for your next brew!

How to flavour your Kombucha:

Add any of the following:

Up to 2 cups of chopped fruit (I love berries),

Up to 3 cups of fruit juice

¼ cup of honey,

Any amount of herbs you like (I love fresh tumeric for its health benefits)

Ginger and lemon are one of my favourites.

Note: I sometimes leave my Kombucha for months in the refrigerator, to me, it becomes better over time, more fizzy, less tarty and much more flavourful.

Troubleshooting guide:

I loved the article by Susan Grey since it really touches on everything you could possibly encounter or worry about. If you are unsure about something, please read it:

https://growyourpantry.com/blogs/kombucha/kombucha-troubleshooting-guide-every-problem-every-solution