KOMBUCHA KRAZY

2 posts in one day? You must think I'm krazy. Well, I am krazy for one thing... and that's Kombucha. Not many of you may know about Kombucha tea but for those of you do, I hope you share the same passion that I have for this awesome concoction. Kombucha is basically a double fermentation of sweetened tea that can has many health benefits like detoxing. It's produced by fermenting sweetened tea with a bacteria culture called a scoby. It may sound weird but it all makes sense after a bit of explaining.



So, why Kombucha?
Kombucha culture is a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. Along with that, there's organic acids, active enzymes, amino acids, and polyphenols. There is a lot of acetic, and lactic acid which are very beneficial towards your colon. It is said that Kombucha is a great detoxifier and the best hangover cure (which i don't need but that's cool anyways). The Glucaric acid produced by Kombucha helps to eliminate glucoronic acid produced by the liver making it more efficient. Kombucha is rich in antioxidants which help combat free radicals and boost your immune system. It also contains glucosamine which aids in joint care because it helps to build tissue around joints. It has been said to help prevent cancer but that has not been scientifically proven.
I like to drink Kombucha because it's very beneficial to my health but also because... it tastes pretty damn good. It was first introduced to me by Whole living, which is Martha Stewarts "wellness" magazine. I went to the store and bought a bottle of Synergy Raw Kombucha and I thought it was alright. After a while though, I started to really like the taste and my interest grew. Although I love this stuff, it gets really pricey being $5.00 a bottle so, I decided to make my own.

How to produce a scoby
Kombucha is made by taking sweetened tea and placing a Kombucha culture called scoby in it. Overtime, the scoby feeds on all that good sugar and ferments the tea like the picture above. Scobies can cost around 10-15$ and me being a 15 year old decided to make my own because money doesn't grow on trees no more. For people making their own Kombucha, you can make your own scoby, or buy one from a local health food store, or order it online. For me, I'm going to show you how to make one!

I read a tutorial on http://www.picklesnhoney.com/2012/04/09/how-to-make-kombucha-growing-a-scoby/ and it worked for him so hopefully it works for me. Anyways, onto the "how to."


Kombucha Scoby

What you'll need:
-1 bottle of Raw, Kombucha (GT synergy)
-1 large round GLASS Jar
-Rubber Bands
-Cheesecoth or paper towels
-2 Tablespoons of sugar
-Pot
-1 cup of filtered water
-1 Tea bag of green, or black tea.

Instructions
1. Try to purchase a bottle of Raw Komucha with a lot of particles at the bottom because this will help your chances of growing a scoby. This can be found at Whole Foods and most health food stores.
2. In your pot, bring the 1 cup of water to a boil. Add the two tablespoons of sugar and stir to dissolve.
3. Turn the stove off and add your bag of tea and let steep.
4. Cover the pot to prevent evaporation and let it come to room temperature. This may take a while but be patient. If the tea is hot, it can kill the good bacteria that is needed to produce a scoby.
5. Once the mixture has been cooled to room temperature, pour the tea and purchased Kombucha into your jar.
6. Cover the jar with a cheesecloth or 2 layers of paper towels and secure with a rubber band.
7. Place your jar in a dark, room temperature area where it won't be bothered. It's like a baby! Wait around a week to check. If there is a thin, cloudy film growing, you have a baby scoby!
Please read the text below to tend to your new baby scoby. You now need to feed it more sugared tea so it can grow!

Feeding your baby scoby:

Ingredients:
-4 cups of filtered water
-1/3 cup of sugar
- a Pot
-2 bags of green or black tea
-your new baby scoby mixture

Instructions:
1. Basically you need to make the sweetened tea concoction in a larger amount so boil the 4 cups of water and add 1/3 cup of sugar.
2. Stir the mixture until the sugar has dissolved and turn the stove off. Add your two tea bags and let steep.
3. Cover the pot and let it cool to room temperature.
4. Once it's cooled, you can pour it into your jar with the original mixture and baby scoby. Re-cover your jar with a cheesecloth or paper towels and secure with a rubber band.
5. Return your jar to that dark room temperature spot for another week to two weeks. The scoby will grow and once it's 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick, you can start a real batch of Kombucha!

Things to watchout for:
If there is ever mold growing in your mixture, toss it. It has compromised your tea because of a lack of acidity. Make sure you get raw Kombucha so there's a high concentration of acid.

I will be posting the production of my homemade Kombucha tea overtime! Make sure to keep reading!