A goddess’ shared kombucha tea

So I havent blogged in a while and I apologize.  With work and getting married, this past year has been a whirlwind.  No matter how busy I get, cooking is always the way that I calm down and relax.  Cooking in the kitchen is definately my safe place.  If you follow me on instagram, (sarahandrews6), you'll see my weekly creations.  I promise to be better about blogging some of these creations starting this Summer.

For now, I really just want to talk to you about fermenting.  2015 has been a year of fermenting for me so far.  I've started an attempt to make sour dough bread and also have started making my own kombucha.  I have to say, the second has been much more successful.  So today, I'll talk about that.

What is kombuhca? Wiki says, Kombucha is a lightly effervescent fermented drink of sweetened black or green tea that is produced by fermenting tea using bacteria or yeast, also reffered to as a scoby.  Kombucha has been used for decades around the world as a overall health and wellness drink.  I personally have spent up to $100 a month at Whole Foods buying pre-made kombucha, so I was so excited when a good friend and I made a commitment to learn to make our own in 2015.

It started in March.  I was passed down a scoby (or mother) for kombucha by one of my dear friends, Elena.  Elena had recieved her original scoby from one of her dear friends as well.  Each of these ladies are goddesses- as all women should be!  They love making organic, natural products that are good for overall health and well-being.  I am lucky enough to know Elena, and to benefit from their love for health.  

I'm sharing this goddess recipe for kombuhca tea with you and I welcome your comments and feedback.  I have been using this recipe for 4 batches now and it has worked great.  The tea is amazing and I love making it myself.  If you're local and want a scoby starter, let me know!  I have plenty!! They multiple quickly.

A goddess’ kombucha tea

This is a basic recipe for making 2 quarts of Kombucha, passed down from the goddess tribe.

What you’ll need:

·         1 Scoby (or Mother, as it is sometimes called)

·         4 tea bags- organic black or oolong tea is best

·         1 cup Kombucha starter tea from last batch

·         ½ cup organic sugar

·         Filtered water

Preparation:  Place the 4 tea bags and the sugar in about 2 cups of hot (near boling) water.  Stir the sugar until it dissolves, and let the tea brew until it has cooled.  Put the cooled tea and sugar mixture, 1 cup of Komucha, and the Scoby in a wide mouth 2 quart jar and then fill the jar to about 1 inch from the top.  Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon (never expose the Scoby or the finished culture to metal).  The wider mouth jar you use, the faster the fermentation process.

Storage:  Cover the jar with a cloth napkin or coffee filter and secure it with an elastic band.  (the cloth is to keep bugs out while letting air in, cheesecloth will not work)  Place the jar away from direct sunlight and away from different cultures you might have fermenting (which can cause cross-contamination and weaken the scoby) in a place where it wont have to be disturbed often and allow it to ferment to your taste preference.  (to taste, dip a drinking straw into the Kombucha into your mouth) 

Fermentation:  Room temperature and the size of the opening on the container you are fermenting in will influence how long it takes to brew.  In the winter, when the house is around 68 degrees, it can take up to two weeks for the Kombucha to finish.  In the summer, when the room temperature is higher, in the high 70s, it may only take a week to complete fermentation. 

After you’ve completed fermentation…its time to make your drinking kombucha!

What you’ll need:

·         2 quarts kombucha

·         1 ½ to 2 cups organic fruit juice

·         Flip-top style bottles (I bought mine off Amazon)

Preparation:  Strain scoby from fermented kombucha tea, reserve 1 cup of the kombucha for the starter in your next batch.  Mix the remaining kombucha with your fruit juice of choice.  Pour into your flip-top brewing bottles.  Fill only to the part of the bottle where the neck starts.  This allows your kombucha to gain carbonation.  Close bottles and allow to culture for 72 hours at room temperature.  After 72 hrs, refrigerate and enjoy!! 

Helpful tips in no particular order:  Never touch metal to the scoby! The wider mouth jar, the faster the fermentation.  If you chilled kombucha does not seem to have a lot of fizz, allow to culture longer after bottling.  Always use caffeinated tea to make you kombucha tea- this helps aid fermentation.  Change up the juice!  I’ve found tart cherry and apple to be my favorites!