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kombucha tea

I get a bottle of this every time I go to the grocery store.
http://synergydrinks.com/index.php/...ned-kombucha-organic-raw-kombucha-multi-green

Each bottle lasts me for about 3 days. I drink some before I go to work and again if I'm going out for the evening.

The kombucha itself settles to the bottom of the bottle, so shake it up before you pour out a serving. The first time, open it over the sink because it may fizz over the top. Keep it cold. If you haven't finished the bottle after 3 days open, throw the rest out.

I can't really explain how it works. Its got all that good stuff ... probiotics ... antioxidants ... B-complex ... etc. I know I feel a lot better since I started using it regularly about 6 months ago.

You have to keep it up. A one-time dose doesn't really stay with you very long, so get some and drink it every day. Twice a day if you want. You can't overdose on this stuff, but I think it does reach a self-titrating point where if you do more than your normal dose it won't really have any extra effect.

The taste is sparkly and bright ... you can get other flavors like citrus and strawberry, but I prefer the Multi-Green.

I pay $3.19 a bottle, and I buy 2 a week. You can get them in a 12-pack for $29.99 and save some money and always have some on-hand.

A
 
I'm not well-versed in kombucha, but my daughter is a big fan. Always seems to have a bottle in her hand, and swears by the stuff.
 
There is a micro brewery in Portland Maine where I get mine. Doesn't help if you are not local, but I swear by kombucha in general. It has a nice tang, and is refreshing and energizing.
 
Maybe it is an acquired taste that I have not acquired. I tried a bit everyday for a week and all I seemed to get was a nasty taste. Like drinking vinegar.
 
This stuff is great. I make my own as well. I made my starter culture from a locally brewed brand called Buchi. They have an unflavored version that is great for making a starter culture.

I followed this set of instructions on how to make a SCOBY. The same site also has instructions (basically the correct ratio) for making the sweet tea once your SCOBY is ready.

I make it in one of those glass jars that has a spigot at the bottom. It makes bottling a breeze, and you don't get some of the danglies. I don't do a continuous brew, but you certainly could with this method.


As far as specific health benefits, I'm not sure. Some sites will claim it will cure cancer. I’m not sure if I buy all that bs. I think in general, our society today eats way too much “dead” food. As in not enough fermented foods. Our ancestors fermented a lot of foods as a way of preservation. Just about every culture has some sort of fermented preserved food associated with it. I think the things (I won’t go so far as to specifically say probiotis) in fermented foods can contribute to our health, along with eating whole foods and exercise.
 
I enjoy making it. You can make it as vinegar-y as you like by stoping the fermentation. I like to add a herbal or flavoured tea after fermentation is complete and that adds a nice flavour.
 
For anyone who makes their own kombucha, I'd be interested in seeing your set-ups. I buy it at a natural foods store near my house, but at $4.00 a pop it's a bit much for me to justify drinking every day.

When I lived in Denver, the local farmers market had a kombucha vendor. Some very tasty recipes, including a blueberry sage brew that was incredibly refreshing.
 

OkieStubble

Dirty Donuts are so Good.
Probably a lot cheaper, too.

Where did she get the starter culture?

And what kind of recipes does she use it in?

I'm not sure where she got her first baby scoby. She also makes her own milk and water kefir and got those cultures off ebay.

She keeps two continuous kombucha vats going. She used to use the big glass vats with the pour spigots, but baby scoby's would form in the spigots and clog them up. Now she uses several glass jars that are used for making sun tea. She keeps them in a warm dark place with towels wrapped around them to prevent light.

She uses only glass, and keeps the glass clean using only vinegar to clean them with, as soap or any other kind of cleaner will make the scoby's sick no matter how well you rinse.

She keeps one batch for short fermentation maybe 7 days. She uses different fruit juices to flavor this, strawberry-kiwi, apple- white grape, black cherry and others. Then she puts chia seeds in them. These are not that tart and taste better than any you could buy from whole foods for $4 a bottle. In fact, she uses the glass bottles from the store brand kombucha's to pour hers into.

The second batch she keeps going, she allows the fermentation process go for 12 -14 days. These are more vinegary, and are really fizzy like pop. She makes Ginger-ale, Cherry Lime aid, Dr. Pepper and Root beer flavors with these. These are more healthy and beneficial to the drinker. Much more pro biotics and antioxidants per serving.

Her milk kefir is to die for. Very satisfying using it in place of and instead of having a dessert. She makes a strawberry banana, pina colada and peach-mango affair. Thick, rich, smooth & satisfying. :) It's like the best drinkable yoghurt money could buy.
 
Do a search on craigslist. Thats where I got both my water and milk kefir grains. I've seen scobys listed as well.
 
Thanks for the tip, that place looks interesting.

I might take up Kombucha farming when I retire ... it looks simple enough, and it sure beats paying $3.19 for a 16oz. bottle.

I'm glad to see they carry Sourdough starter as well. Breadmaking is another hobby I might take up when I retire, and if I do, it will be Sourdough all the way.
 
I've been brewing Kombucha for about two months. I don't do secondary ferments at all. I ferment for 2 weeks in half gallon jars. I brew the tea with :

3-1/2 quarts of Wholefoods 365 brand water

2 - 3 Tablespoons loose organic black tea

1 cup to 1-1/4 cup of sugar

1 oz distilled white vinegar

Each half gallon jar gets a cup of starter kombucha and one SCOBY. I use coffee filters held in place with rubber bands to keep out contaminants and gnats/flies.

The white vinegar is just to acidify the nutrient tea a bit but not too much to affect the taste. It seems to jump start the formation of a new SCOBY on the surface. The tea comes out tart and very slightly effervescent but I like it that way. If I drink about 12 ounces of my home brewed Kombucha real fast I get a peppy mild buzz for about 20 minutes.
 
Brewed my 5th batch of kombucha. Did a 10 day fermentation. Used Organic black and Jasmine Tea with organic cane sugar. Added blueberries, strawberries and mint after the brew.
I brew in a ceramic water kettle with spout using a heating blanket on low under the kettle.

I've left the SCOBY in a mason jar filled with kombucha for months and removed the day prior to reach room temp. Works great.

Doing a continuous batch. Next batch Red Rooibos, organic black and Jasmine tea. Brown and organic cane sugar.

Going to flavour with some mulling spices.
 
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Great reminder. I need to make up another batch. My last batch is in the cabinet, and has probably gone to vinegar.

also, if anyone needs a SCOBY, I can probably cut off part of mine. Its a monster. I'd just have to figure out how to ship it. PM me if you are interested. You would just need to pay for shipping.
 

TexLaw

Fussy Evil Genius
I'm glad to see this come up. Kombucha has interested me for quite some time, but I've never gone about making any. It might be about time.
 
Kombucha tea ? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kombucha


I'm on my 6th batch and make this every so often. Mostly use organic black tea but sometimes add some Darjeeling or Jasmine. Have also experimented with Rooibos and adding some Yerba Mate.
Post brew I add different fruits and sometime herbs/spices.


Here is my latest batch black tea\Rooibos post brew in glass containers with the addition of mulling spices and chunks of mango and peach.
The Rooibos addition makes for a milder less acidic flavoured result. Previous batch I added strawberries and blueberries which made for a red coloured tea that tasted a lot like cranberry juice concentrate.


 

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