Homemade Kombucha |
Prep time
Total time
Kombucha is a fermented green or black tea, is a great form of probiotics, a great source of antioxidants and has many other health benefits. It's actually really easy to make once you learn the process, it just requires a bit of time and some initial requirements to get set up - but it's so worth it and we all love my homemade kombucha. I enjoy one most evenings, with ice and half soda, half kombucha. Please note, this recipe is for a 2 litre sized vessel, mine is a 5 L vessel so I make 2 and a ½ times this recipe.
Author: Wick Nixon
Ingredients
- To make 2 litres, you'll need:
- 1 heaped T loose tea or 4 tea bags* (I use Dilmah tea bags but you can experiment with green tea bags as well)
- ½ c raw sugar
- 1 SCOBY and 1 c starter liquid (from a live cultured bought kombucha or from whoever you get your scoby from)
- 6 ½ c filtered water
Double or triple this recipe if you want to make larger batches - your scoby can handle it!
- Your materials:
- 1 large glass* kombucha vessel (where your scoby lives)
- 1 piece of muslin or other breathable cloth and rubber band to cover
- If you are using loose leaf tea, you'll need a muslin or strainer
- Airtight bottles for storage
Instructions
- To make your kombucha, a few hours before, or the night before, in a pot, add filtered water and bring to the boil. Turn off and add the sugar, stir to dissolve (with a wooden spoon, not stainless steel). Add the teabags, stir and then set aside to cool to room temperature (I leave this overnight).
- When the sugar tea is cool, remove the teabags. Pour into your clean brewing vessel (if you are using loose tea, pass it through a strainer or muslin cloth and make sure no flakes enter the the brewing vessel., along with the starter liquid (simply kombucha from previous brew), the water and gently place the scoby on top.
- Cover the jar loosely (to keep the fruit flies out!) but allow the mixture to breathe. A muslin, or a paper coffee filter along with a thick rubber band work well. Do not use an airtight lid.
- Ferment. Choose a nice warm spot (20-26 degrees C), out of direct sunlight, with good airflow, where your kombucha will be undisturbed.
- Leave it undisturbed for at least 4 days. At day 5, it's officially Kombucha but I leave mine for 7 days but it's a matter of taste preference. Some like it at 5 days, others up to three weeks! The shorter the fermentation, the sweeter the brew. The longer, the more vinegary. If sugar consumption is a concern, leave your brew longer. Also, Kombucha will brew faster in warmer temperatures.
- When you're ready to pour it into the bottles (make sure they've been cleaned thoroughly in hot soapy water and then rinsed thoroughly), you can add some flavourings into your bottles first. I have tried blueberries, fresh turmeric and ginger, lemon, feijoa but our favourite is raspberry. Add some fresh or frozen raspberries to your bottles (I add about 5-7 depending on size of bottle), then pour your kombucha and seal tightly. Leave to brew with the lid sealed for a second ferment. This results in a more fizzy Kombucha tea - 2-5 days (we do 2-3 days).
- When it's all done, put your kombucha bottles in the fridge (this ceases the fermentation process) and repeat steps 1-6 to keep your scoby nourished and the kombucha flowing!
For other delicious recipes that the whole family will enjoy including breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks or sweet treats, head to the RECIPES section.
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