Beverages are a part of dinner, right? Right! Tonight, I’ll try to demystify the fizzy, funky, probiotic-rich fermented sweet tea called kombucha.
I first tasted kombucha a couple of years ago at a local brewpub. As a fan of sour flavors, it was love at first sip and I soon wanted it all the time. The problem with commercial kombucha is it’s really expensive, which is what motivated me to try making it myself.
Consider this more of a how it’s made diary vs a definitive guide. What follows is suitable for beginners, but does require supplies and ingredients most home cooks don’t have on hand and a commitment to brewing and bottling every couple of weeks. If you’re really into kombucha, it will pay for itself after a couple of batches. If not, you’ll understand why it ain’t cheap!
To brew kombucha, you will need some fermented starter tea and a SCOBY, which stands for Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast. It sounds gross and looks like a big booger, but it makes magic. You can grow your own but it takes 3-4 weeks and it was worth $14 to me for 4 day delivery from a reliable vendor.
A note on tea. Kombucha undergoes two fermentations, F1 and F2. F1 is not the time to get creative with flavors or herbal blends. I chose to start with plain black tea to keep it uncomplicated. Green and white tea may also be used, but the SCOBY requires caffeine and flavored teas may contain oils that risk mold growth. You can add flavors in F2.
Supplies
1 clean gallon glass jar
6 16oz clean flip top glass bottles
Tight weave cloth cover (cheesecloth, muslin, coffee filter)
Rubber band
pH test strips
Ingredients
14 c water (if using tap water, boil and cool first)
3-4 tbsp loose leaf black tea (or 4-6 tea bags)
1 c cane sugar (OK to sub white sugar)
1 SCOBY
2 cups starter tea (included with my purchased SCOBY, reserve some from each brew to start the next)
Instructions (First fermentation)
Boil 4c water. Remove from heat, add tea, let steep 15-20 minutes, and strain. Stir in sugar to dissolve, cover and set aside to cool. Place SCOBY and starter tea in the jar, add the cooled sweet tea and fill with water leaving about 2” headspace.
Place tight weave cloth cover over the jar and secure with a rubber band. Set aside in an area out of direct sunlight with temp in the 70-80F range and let ferment undisturbed for 7-10 days. A new SCOBY will form at the top of your brew. The original may float or sink; mine sank.
After 7-10 days, use a clean nonmetal spoon or straw to collect a sample without disturbing the new SCOBY. Taste it and check the pH with your test strips. If you like it and pH is 2.5-3.5 it’s ready to bottle. If it’s too sweet/pH is above 3.5, test every 2-3 days until it’s to your liking. This brew is 14 days in with a pleasant sourness and pH right at 3.0.
Instructions (Second fermentation)
The second fermentation involves bottling the kombucha with added sugar, which makes it fizzy.
Sanitize your hands with vinegar (not soap), gently lift the SCOBY out of the jar, and place in a bowl.
Pour the rest of the kombucha into another container, reserving 2 cups as starter tea. Rinse the jar, return the starter tea and SCOBY, cover, and set aside for the next brew.
There is no limit to the flavors you can add for F2. For simplicity, I used 2 tablespoons flavored simple syrup per 16oz bottle; ½ cup fruit purée also works. Using a funnel, add the fermented tea leaving at least 1” headspace. Flip the lids on and place in a warm place out of direct sunlight.
Start checking after 2-3 days and refrigerate when it’s to your taste.
What’s for dinner at your place?