Drinking Kombucha Tea - 0 views
started by Silas McNamara on 02 Jun 12
started by Silas McNamara on 02 Jun 12
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started by Silas McNamara on 02 Jun 12
All it takes is a small amount of Kombucha each day to reap the benefits. You can brew it with less sugar or let it ferment an extra day to make sure the sugar is eaten up by the Kombucha pellicle. More people begin to add Kombucha as a part of their candida and parasite cleansing diet, along with other supplements. It contains the B vitamins we need as well as digestive enzymes. Kombucha helps to heal damaged tissue, as well.
According to a testimony from a candidiasis sufferer, she is a strong believer in Kombucha and has been on it for a year. The ancient probiotics has helped her to get to a point where she has the strength to do what she has to do to cure the candida. It is a powerful detoxifier and helps to rid your body of the waste products generated by candida die-off.
If you prefer to make your own Kombucha, she suggests harvesting the 'mother' on the eighth day, which is the most potent nutrient wise. However, if ingesting any kind of sugar is a concern, let it go for nine or ten days so the pellicle eats up the sugar. She usually makes her Kombucha with a Roybiis tea or s special Tibetan whole leaf tea. These teas are fresher and less moldy than the tea 'dust' you find in commercial tea bags.
In the past I was always a bit nonplussed when it came to kombucha. I didn't think I liked the taste, and I was sceptical of the claimed health benefits. But now I've found out more about it, and discovered how easy and fun it is to make at home, I'm definitely a kombucha convert!
Kombucha is a fermented drink made from tea. It is made using a 'kombucha mother', also called a 'kombucha scoby' (or sometimes 'the tea beast'!) which is a gelatinous colony of bacteria and yeast. The mother is added to a container of sweet black tea, and over the period of a couple of days to a couple of weeks the bacteria and yeast feed off of the sugar, and produce a range of nutrients which fortify the tea.
Health Benefits
Kombucha is credited with anti-viral and anti-fungal properties. Like all ferments, it is a 'living' substance, containing healthful 'friendly bacteria', which are essential for immunity, digestion, and nutrient absorption. It also contains vitamins and amino acids. In ancient China it was called the 'tea of immortality'.
Using & Brewing Kombucha
The only difficulty to start with is getting hold of a komucha mother. You could try asking around your local health-food shops, or look on ebay where there are often some for sale.
A kombucha mother can be reused indefinitely. Each new batch is started with about a cupful of mature kombucha saved from the previous batch, and some new (cooled) sweet black tea. One or 2 teabags and a handful of sugar to a small saucepan of water seems about right, but the quantities are very variable.
The best vessel for brewing your kombucha is said to be a bowl with a large surface area, but I find it easier in a large jar. Cover with a cloth to keep out flies or dust but don't seal closed as this would cause a pressure build up.
Once it's ready, the komucha is kept in the fridge and drunk as it is. It is slightly fizzy, slightly acidic, and to my mind, has a taste not unlike cider. The taste changes day by day as the complex fermentation processes develop. Young kombucha still tastes more like tea and is slightly sweet.
Very mature kombucha is not at all sweet, with a strong vinegary taste. Kombucha connoisseurs often seem to like it quite vinegary, but I must admit I prefer it a little milder, and normally stop my kombucha before it gets too strong.
Every batch you make also produces a new 'mother', so you end up with 2. At first the existing mother that you put in sinks to the bottom. After a day or 2 you can start to see a film appearing on the surface of the kombucha. Don't be afraid - this isn't mould, but the beginnings of a new mother.
After another couple of days it will be thicker, and will resemble the original mother. Once you have finished, you can use each of your mothers to make 2 separate batches of kombucha, give one away, or compost it. A mother will also keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge in a cupful or so of mature kombucha.
You can also kombucha other liquids. I mentioned that to me komucha tastes a little like cider, so I recently tried komucha-ing some apple juice, and it was delicious! It is claimed that using liquids other than tea will eventually harm the mother, but I haven't yet found this to be the case.
As a new mother is created each time I find it best to keep one regular batch of komucha tea on the go at the same time as an experimental brew, so that I always have one mother that I know will be ok.
So... I'm a kombucha convert, is anyone else with me?
For anyone who has ever experienced a taste of this smooth and fizzy type of tea, you may be surprised that you can actually brew make your own Kombucha tea at home. Here are some guidelines to help you prepare your own tea that you can enjoy whenever you like.
Your main ingredient is going to be a Kombucha culture that you can buy at health food stores. You will also need water, black or green teabags and some distilled vinegar of any type.
First you will need to prepare the base tea that will provide the home for your culture to feed. You do this by brewing your black or green tea (six teabags and about a quart of water), allowing it to come to a boil and then steeping for about five minutes. At that point, add in three cups of granulated sugar. Allow the sugar to completely dissolve, then add another two quarts of water to the mixture. Let the teabags to steep for another fifteen minutes before you remove them. When your tea has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to a gallon-sized container with an open mouth, such as a gallon sized pickle jar. Next, add your Kombucha culture and finish off the mixture with four tablespoons of the vinegar. Use a piece of muslin and a rubber band to cover the mouth of the jar and set it in a location where it can get air, but is not in direct sunlight and will not have to be moved for five days.
After the fifth day has passed, you get to taste your creation. There should be a culture forming on the top of the liquid if the tea is progressing properly. Press down on the culture with the back of a spoon, so you can get a small sample of the liquid. Keep in mind you do not want a sweet taste, but one that is more acidic. If the taste seems more sweet than acidic, then the brew is not ready. Cover it with the muslin and try again in a day or two.
Once your Kombucha tea is ready, you can remove both cultures gently and then pour the liquid into clean bottles that you can seal. Place them into the refrigerator and let them set another couple of days. The cool temperature will allow the tea to develop its fizzy consistency and also enhance the taste.
Making your own Kombucha tea can be a lot of fun, as well as saving money. Make sure you take care of your cultures, as you will be able to use them again with your next batch.
Kombucha has been in the press a lot lately, with concerned health officials warning of its alcoholic nature. I'm really confused by this, because the alcohol content is so minimal, and it's naturally occurring. Let me share my tips with you to get a great batch for a fraction of the cost of buying it in stores.
Ensure that your hands and materials are clean before brewing.
Kombucha is fragile and sensitive to contamination, and I believe that is the most common problem with people's batches. Make sure your water is boiled, your hands clean and sanitized, and using non-metallic implements. We're dealing with yeast and bacteria here, so keep it happy.
On top of keeping your hands clean, never touch the scoby ("symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast"). I like to handle it with a pair of wooden spoons. Although not quite related to sterility, I always like to mention that I use organic sugar and organic tea as well. I think it makes a difference and your kombucha will thank you for it. Sure, they cost a little more, but the end result is clearly healthier.
For the best flavor, add the tea after the water is boiled, and not for long.
I've read a few different recipes on brewing kombucha, and the finished product is better when the tea is only briefly introduced. I recommend boiling the water by itself, and boil it an extra five minutes once it starts boiling for purity's sake. I will then add my tea, but for no more than three minutes. One cup of sugar follows the tea.
I'm not saying other recipes are wrong, but I've tried a few where the tea is brewed for over ten minutes, and the results take away from the end taste. Well, I don't like green or black tea as much as the vinegar taste that the kombucha provides.
Keep the finished kombucha covered and out of the sunlight.
After your kombucha has been brewed, check to make sure it's in an area between 75 and 85 degrees. I keep my jars on the floor in the kitchen behind the door, many just put them in the basement.
Another important note is to keep the finished product covered as soon as you put the scoby in its new home. I use pieces from an old (clean!) t-shirt to stretch over the top of the jar, and fasten in place with a rubber band. Fruit flies can be a problem, so this is to keep them out, but still allow the kombucha to "breathe". I don't properly bottle my kombucha, I just transfer it into empty pasta sauce jars and leave the lid on rather loose. The natural carbonation can create a super tight seal if you close the lid on the jar firmly. Levels of carbonation can vary from batch to batch, so don't be concerned if one batch is fizzy and another is not. Newcomers often ask how I know when the kombucha is done and can be consumed. My answer is would be 5 days minimum, but more like a whole week. The longer you let it sit, the less sugary it becomes. I love sugary stuff, but the vinegar taste is what I love...and the amazing energy I get from drinking it.
Kombucha is in somewhat of a gray area as no real health studies appear to have been done on its effects. While I understand that this is important, I'm going to keep drinking kombucha. It is a great alternative to drinking coffee, tastes great, and you can make it yourself for little to no cost. One you get good at making it yourself, give it to friends to try and help them make their own batches. Each 1 gallon batch will cost you the same (or less!) as purchasing one 20 oz bottle in the store.
In summary, to keep your kombucha experience healthy:
-Be vigilant about cleanliness.
-Ensure the finished product is kept away from sunlight and covered.
-It can be consumed within a week, and the longer you wait, the more vinegary it will taste.