Kombucha – kom·bu·cha ( /kômˈbo͞oCHə/ )

Kombucha, the ‘elixir of life’ ! It may be the first time you are hearing about kombucha or like me you might have a slight addiction, which are both good news!

Thought to have originated in China 2000 years ago, Komucha is a fermented tea drink that boosts health benefits to support general health, improve digestive function, moods and even skin tone. These days it’s more of a trendy word amongst hipsters and bloggers alike –

So what does it taste like?

Think heaven in a jar, a delicious bubbly heaven in a jar. Kombucha can come in many MANY different flavours, really the flavour possibility are endless! My personal favourite is ginger and turmeric combo. Kombucha has a similar profile to a mild ginger beer, but oh so much better.

How is it made?

Making kombucha is a little process that requires sterilised jars and a whole lot of patience. You start with a sweet tea – a mixture of filtered water, organic sugar and organic black tea. Once your sweet mixture is cool you add your SCOBY and a little mother brew and let it sit and do its fermenting thing.

A SCOBY stands for Symbiotic Culture or Bacteria + Yeast – and it looks like one giant alien booger but it is the nutrient powerhouse that uses the sugar and caffeine (from the black tea) to ferment – because of this you are able to enjoy a drink ridiculously low in sugar and caffeine.

What are the health benefits?

There are so many health benefits of kombucha it kind of doesn’t seem real – but they are!

Enjoying a daily sip of kombucha has been found to:

–       support digestive health
–       improve immune (/balance immune function)
–       improve cognition
–       balance moods
–       improve overall skin tone
–       reduce inflammatory conditions such as eczema, arthritis etc

note: due to fermentation processes, kombucha may contain tiny amounts of alcohol – it is not an alcoholic beverage.

you can read more about the health benefits HERE

*always consult your health practitioner before starting a new health routine. Do not stop medications or supplements without the supervision of your practitioner.

Ok, I’m keen – how to make it

When starting to make your own kombucha I suggest reaching out to friends and family who are brewing their own and ask for a SCOBY and 1 cup of their mother brew. I first got my SCOBY from a wonderful lady through facebook! She even shared a cup of sugar – one ingredient missing from my Naturopathic Pantry!

I N G R E D I E N T S

2 L sterilised glass jar
1.5 L filtered water (chlorine free)
4 organic black tea bags
½ cup organic sugar
1 SCOBY
1 cup of mother liquid
muslin to cover

M E T H O D

1. Start by sterilising your jar. This can be done in boiling water – just be careful not to burn yourself – and set aside.

2. Boil 1.5L of water and add to glass jar. Add the sugar and tea and steep – pretty much you are making a giant tea! Stir with a clean wooden spoon to ensure all sugar has dissolved.

3. Set aside and allow to cool until room temperate.

4. Once cooled, remove tea bags and add your SCOBY and mother liquid.

5. Cover with your muslin and an elastic band to allow the tea to ferment but also keep bugs out. Leave in a warm dark place for 1 week until your SCOBY has doubled.

At this stage you should have two SCOBY’s this is fantastic! You are now able to double your brew or give one to a friend and repeat the process.

You are able to bottle your brew and enjoy it here or go for a second ferment, this is where you bottle and add different fruits, spices or ingredients. This is where the bubbling really starts to happen – so keep a close eye on it!

It can be a little bit tricky to start, but you will get the hang of it really REALLY quickly!

I suggest checking out your facebook, there are many groups with great advice and cleaver tips!

Happy fermenting!
Alyce x

*always consult your health practitioner before starting a new health routine. Do not stop medications or supplements without the supervision of your practitioner.