Kombucha
- 12 cup filtered water (must be warm enough to dissolve sugar)
- 6 each black tea bags
- 1 1/2 cup organic evaporated cane sugar (can lessen to one cup)
- 1 each scoby in liquid
- Steep in water for about 20 minutes then remove tea.
- Add sugar and dissolve in tea.
- Allow the tea to cool to room temp and then pour into container you will store the kombucha.
- Add the scoby and all liquid.
- Cover with a kitchen towel or paper towel and seal with rubber band.
- Keep in a cool dark place for 10 to 14 days.
- Taste the kombucha to ferment to desired flavor.
- The liquid will lessen in sweetness and have a more (tangy)vinegar taste as it ferments.
- Use a straw to test to avoid introducing bacteria.
- The scoby should have brown strains.
- This means its healthy and should grow in size.
- The scoby will produce a "baby."
- You can easily separate from the "mother" by hand, wash and rinse hands with vinegar before handling.
- Remove the scoby and the "baby"/ new culture formed during the fermentation process.
- Reserve liquid for the cultures to be stored in airtight container until next batch.
- Your kombucha is ready to be consumed!
- Drink the kombucha plain, or add flavors with juice, fresh or dried fruit, ginger, chia seeds or herbs (1/2 tsp or more to taste 12oz to 16oz bottles).
- Second ferment for carbonation: Pour kombucha into glass container, add flavorings and seal with lid.
- Allow 2 to 4 days to carbonate at room temp, be sure to "burp"(open the lid to release pressure)and then store in the refrigerator.
- You can also start the next batch immediately rather than storing the scoby.
- Notes: Can use molasses instead of cane sugar, but takes longer to ferment.
- White tea works as well instead of black tea.
- Great resource for more kombucha adventures: http://www.kombuchakamp.com/
water, black tea bags, cane sugar
Taken from cookpad.com/us/recipes/362833-kombucha (may not work)