Kombucha is a healthful traditional beverage made from fermenting black sweet tea. It is fermented by a colony of pro-biotic organisms called a mother.
In order to make kombucha you will need a starter that contains a mother or a dehydrated mother often ordered online and mailed to you. A live mother in culture is much better than a dehydrated one and will provide more predictable results far more quickly.
You will need:
- One gallon container, preferably glass, non reactive material
- 8-10 tea bags depending on brand and type. 1/2, if not all, should be black tea
- 1 cup of white sugar (I recommend organic)
- Kombucha starter with mother
- Cheesecloth and string or rubber band
Directions:
- Heat water and fill the gallon container when hot enough to make tea.
- Add tea bags and sugar then stir.
- Let cool to room temperature.
- Add the starter with your new mother to the cooled sweet tea.
- Place the jar at room temperature with a cheesecloth covering the opening so it can breathe.
- Let sit for 1 1/2 to 3 weeks.
- When it reaches the desired strength then pull out the mother and a reserve of liquid. Place the kombucha in the fridge or use for a secondary fermentation. It is now ready to drink.
Make a new batch of tea in your gallon container. When cooled, place the mother into the new sweet tea and put her back on the shelf to make a new batch of kombucha.
Enjoy your kombucha straight or with juice and flavorings.
Secondary fermentations come from adding fruits and placing it at a cool temperature. This allows the live culture in the finished kombucha to work on the fruit sugars which generates carbonation and unique flavors.
