kombucha 101

ALEiens March 2013 Meeting

how to make

KOMBUCHA

Talking Kombucha

1What Is Kombucha?

2Benefits of

Kombucha

3How to Make

Kombucha

What is Kombucha?1

Kombucha is an effervescent fermentation of sweetened tea that is used as a functional food.

Kombucha is brewed with 3 major ingredients.• Tea• Sugar• Water

The sweet tea is then fermented by a Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast

Better known as a SCOBY

What Makes Up Kombucha

S.C.O.B.Y. – What’s In a SCOBY

Saccharomyces (yeast)produces alcohol

Acetobacter (bacteria)produces acetic acid & gluconic acid & cellulose

Brettanomyces (yeast)produces acetic acid and alcohol

Pediococcus (bacteria)produces lactic acid

Lactobacillus (bacteria)Produces lactic acid

Plus dozens of other beneficial bacteria, enzymes, and yeast.

A Sip of Kombucha Contains

Organic Compounds:• Acetic acid• Butyric acid• B-vitamins• Ethanol• Gluconic acid• Lactic acid• Malic acid• Oxalic acid• Usnic acid

Probiotic Live Cultures:• Acetobacter• Brettanomyces• Pediococcus• Lactobacillus • Saccharomyces• Candida• Schizosaccharomyces• Torulaspora • Zygosaccharomyces

What Does Kombucha Taste Like?

Depends a lot on time, ingredients, and cultures• Sweet to Sour• Vinegary• Fruity• Herbal• Funky• Fizzy

History of Kombucha

• Originated in North East China in 221 B.C.– Chinese called it “Remedy for Immortality”

• 414 A.D., Dr. Kombu from Korea brought Kombucha to Japan to treat the Japanese Emperor Inkyo.

• The spread through Russia, Europe, and India

2 Benefits of Kombucha

First, A Warning

The health benefits of Kombucha have not be researched fully. Many people claim it is a wonder drink, while others feel it may cause harm.

I fall in the middle. I don’t believe it is harmful unless ingested in extreme amounts, but I also don’t believe it is a drink that will cure all disease.

What Are Some Claimed Benefits • Boosts Energy

• Improves Digestion • Strengthens at a Cellular level • Prevents Acid Reflux • Assists With Weight Loss • Improves Sleep • Relieves Constipation • Strengthens and restores hair • Beautifies the skin • Improves Circulation • Removes toxicity from the body • Improves eyesight • Eases the pain of arthritis

Kombucha contains beneficial bacteria in the form of Lactobacillus Acidophilus, as well as dozens of other probiotic strains. By ingesting Kombucha, we can increase the amounts of good bacteria to maintain a healthy digestive tract. Kombucha has been known to possess anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal components which make it an powerful addition to the health conscious individual.

What Are Some Claimed Negatives • Allergic and Toxic reactions

• Bacterial Illness• Liver Damage • Lead Poisoning• Contains Alcohol (up to 2%)• Stomach Ulcers

3 How to Make Kombucha

First You Need a SCOBY

• A SCOBY is easy to grow from a bottle of Raw Kombucha

• Many internet sites sell Kombucha Kits with a SCOBY. Even many on eBay.

• Find someone local with a SCOBY. (Craigslist)

How to Grow Your Own SCOBY

• Brew a gallon of tea• Add a cup of sugar• Let cool to room temperature• Add 2 bottles of GT’s Original

Organic Raw Kombucha• Cover container with tight

cloth• Keep warm – 70F to 80F

How to Grow Your Own SCOBY

• In about a week or two, a young SCOBY will be forming.

• Wait about a month for it to get about ¼ to ½ inch thick.

• You now have a SCOBY.

Warning: don’t drink the SCOBY starter tea. It will be very vinegary.

Making Kombucha – The Tea’s

Good for Kombucha• Black Tea• Oolong Tea• Green Tea• Red Tea (when mixed)

• White Tea (when mixed)

Bad for Kombucha• Tea’s with Oils –

Earl Grey, Chai Tea, Flavored Ceylon

• Herbal Teas

Making Kombucha – The Sugar

Good for Kombucha• Plain Table Sugar• Evaporated Cane

Crystals• Pasteurized Honey

•

Bad for Kombucha• Sugars that contain

Molasses– Brown Sugar,

Rapadura, Sucanat, Turbinado, Raw Sugar, Molasses.

• Agave• Corn Syrup

Equipment for Kombucha

A Fermentation Vessel

Fermentation Process

Traditional Batch• Every batch is drained

and sweet tea added.• This is like most home

brewers.• Can change tea/sugar

combo any time.

Continuous Brewing• Only 25% of Kombucha

is removed and replaced with sweet tea.

• This is more like a Solara Method is home brewing.

• More complex flavors and nutritious.

Fermentation Tips

• Temperatures can range between 70F and 85F. Different flavor profiles can be achieved with temp.

• Use a clean towel on top of opening to allow oxygen to help ferment, but leave dirt and dust behind. Secure with rubber band.

• A new SCOBY will form with every brew. Store old SCOBYs in a SCOBY Hotel. A separate vessel full of just aging SCOBYs.

• Be clean and sanitary.

Adding Flavors and Bottling

• I add fruit juices and flavors at bottling, using the sugars from the juice to help with bottle conditioning and carbonating.

• Use fresh juice when possible. • Avoid juice with preservatives.• Can add different combos and amounts of juice and

herbs to individual bottles for easy experiments and recipe creation

• Test bottles after 3-4 days for carbonation levels until level is achieved. Then refrigerate to stop the process.

Sample Plain Kombucha Recipe

- 3 Quarts of Water- 1 Cup Organic White Sugar- 5 Organic Black Tea Bags- ½ Cup of Kombucha from a

previous batch- 1 Kombucha SCOBY

Find Out More About Kombucha

• www.kombuchakamp.com• www.culturesforhealth.com• shop.kombuchabrooklyn.com

THANK YOUThat’s All Folks