Activating My Kombucha Scoby
My master bedroom progress will be on hold for the next several weeks as other areas of life take over. 🙂 Many big events will be happening in the next month here at the ranch and I’ve got to be organized and ready for it which means grocery lists, to-do lists, cleaning, shopping and cooking.
I started my first ever batch of kombucha this past week. I purchased a scoby or “mushroom” from Cultures for Health and after I make my kombucha, I’m going to attempt to drink it since that is the point of the whole thing.
Maybe you haven’t heard of it so let me tell you a little about it. It’s basically a fermented tea drink that is supposed to be good for a variety of things in your body:
- liver detoxifier
- aid in digestion
- builds immune system
- increases energy
- fights against cancer and other degenerative diseases
Sally Fallon talks about it Kombucha in her book Nourishing Traditions and also includes a recipe.
Since I am starting from the beginning with my own “mushroom”, I followed the instructions included with my scoby (mushroom) that I purchased from Cultures for Health.
1. I combined 3 cups hot water and 1/4 cup sugar in a Mason jar and stirred until it was dissolved.
2. I then added 2 tea bags of English Breakfast Tea and steeped it overnight. (I could have proceeded to step 3 a lot sooner – when tea cools to 68°-85°F- but it was time for bed and I was tired!)
3. Removed the tea bags.
4. I then added 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar to the cooled tea.
5. Added my dehydrated scoby to the tea mixture.
6. I then covered the jar with a napkin and secured it with a rubber band.
And the fermentation process begins! I have to let it set for 30 days. Technically this stage is activating the scoby. After this I will be able to actually make my first batch of kombucha and I will be able to drink it anywhere from the 7th day up until the 30th day.
The taste of kombucha is an acquired taste but they tell me once you get used to it you actually start to crave it. I’m not too sure if I’ll reach that stage. I have to get past the initial taste first. 🙂
Have you ever heard of Kombucha?
14 Comments
Mary
Interesting…never heard of it!
fellow kombucha lover
😀 I became addicted this past winter when I was staying with the Petersons. I brought home my SCOBY and some starter liquid via a recycled 3 ounce jar. (I was so excited when it passed security! They did give it some rather questioning glances though, as it didn’t really look like “sun dried tomato’s”) I started my first batch the night I got home.
I usually let mine sit for 30 days as I’ve heard that it gives it’s maximum benefit after then. I also prefer the more sour taste! For my tea, I usually use Lipton tea and English Breakfast, but I’ve also tried Chinese Oolong. I like to flavor mine (after I take the mushroom out). My favorite flavors are Lemon Berry and Strawberry Lime 🙂
So far I haven’t been able to convert the family over, but I’m working on it! My Papa kind of questions it (I told him that it has a .05% alcohol content). Mom has tried it, but she only likes it to sit for a couple days. None of the siblings like it. But I think I might be able to get Lincoln drinking it after awhile! (shh!) I don’t know if that’s good or bad though, I don’t really want to share my coveted Kombucha! My friends think that it smells funny, and when I take it to work my boss calls it beer (oh boy!).
Basically the long and short of it, is that you either love it, hate it or don’t even want to smell it!
Best wishes on your Kombucha!
~ Zoe
P.S. I think that’s the longest comment ever!
Elisabeth
Hmmm, beer? Maybe you better not take it in that wine bottle next time. haha jk
Lucille
I always wanted to do this…someday. I love the stuff!
Elisabeth
Some fellow kombucha lovers were here this past weekend and I got to try it. It was actually quite tasty in my opinion.
Chris W.
I have wanted to do this for several years. I have bought Kombucha at the health food store and it is extremely expensive.
Chris W.
I also wonder about the alcohol level. I have read it is different each batch or something like that. They actually made Whole Foods stop carrying it for a while b/c the alcohol content was too high. That was several years ago. I would love to learn more about this and how to control the percentages.
Elisabeth
I read what little I could on the subject of alcohol levels and what I saw was there is the potential for the fermentation to continue if it is not pasteurized when you use the same mother over and over. So, I guess if you wanted to be sure fermentation had stopped you could pasteurize your kombucha.
Chris W.
Elisabeth, thank you for taking the time to answer.
Barb Milligan
So how’s the Kombucha making coming along? I also got a SCOBY from Cultures for Health and they have been very helpful in answering my questions and doing all they can to help me resolve my problems. I will be successful and hope you are too!
Elisabeth
Barb,
A very nice thing about Kombucha is that it doesn’t spoil when neglected. Mine has sat for a little over a month and I finally decided to test it with the ph strips that came with my Scoby. All was well and so we decided to taste it. It was sweet but a little bit fiery going down. 🙂 I would like to flavor mine with some fruit but I have to do some research on exactly what to do. Thanks for taking the time to comment. I would love to hear how your Kombucha tastes when it’s all done.
Barbara steinke
Hey Elisabeth, this was interesting. Is the kombucha like the water kefir? I’m making the water kefir and seems like I read where they were similar. I heat it is about 1% alcohol. The recipe I use is 1/4 cup water kefir grains, 1/4 cup organic cane sugar and about 4 unsulfured, organic figs and 2 quarts spring water or filtered water. It’s good and suppose to be very healthy for your gut, etc. if you know if they are similar let me know. Sis barbara
Elisabeth
Sis. Barbara, I’ve never made water kefir so I read about it at this link where they compare the two – kombucha and water kefir. http://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/kombucha/water-kefir-vs-kombucha/
They seem somewhat similar to me.
Barbara steinke
Thank you Elisabeth, that was a good read on water kefir. I figured you would know. Been enjoying my water kefir.