Kombucha – Ancient Mystery or Modern Miracle?

If you come in my house on any given day, you might get offered a shot of kombucha. Yeah that’s right, we have a kombucha brewing factory right here in my kitchen! Is it an ancient mystery or modern miracle or just hype?

I started learning about this ancient beverage about 5 years ago when a hippy chick friend of mind was drinking it out of a bottle from an earthy store. She gave me a taste of this vinegary somewhat sweet, bubbling tea concoction (which I’ll be honest was weird, yet delicious) but at the time, I had no idea about the health benefits of drinking such healthy bacteria.

I’m not a fan of yogurt when it comes to getting your probiotics. I don’t know why, just never fell in love with it, plus most yogurt on the market is not from grass fed cows nor do you find much without a lot of added sugar or flavoring. Drinking your probiotics in a berry flavored tea sounded like much more fun.

What is it exactly and how do you pronounce it?

Kombucha (kom-boo-CHa) consists of tea, sugar, clean water and a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts (SCOBY) mixed together and fermented until it becomes a carbonated elixir. It’s often referred to as “mushroom tea,” not because there are any mushrooms in it (no you don’t get to have a psychedelic trip from drinking the tea, HA!) but because during the brewing process, the bacteria and yeast grow into a beige or white, rubbery, pancake-like mass that resembles a mushroom cap. It is very much like collagen, heavy feeling and solid (totally freaked me out the first time my friend Patti made me touch it!)

Kombucha is a nutrient-rich, low-sugar beverage that has vitamins, minerals and enzymes and has been prized by traditional cultures for its health-promoting properties.  It can also have added antioxidants from

fruit and natural flavorings (such as citrus, hibiscus or ginger) from the second fermentation, caffeine in differing amounts depending on the tea used, as well as some alcohol that results from the fermentation process. It has about 30 calories per eight ounces. I only consume 2-4 ounces a day and less for kids, but it’s a treat, not a medicine to dread the taste of. They beg for it daily!

It doesn’t sound that great. Why do people drink it?

To answer that we will have to go back to ancient China, where Kombucha was regularly consumed to remedy inflammatory ailments such as arthritis and thought to ward off cancer. During the Tsin Dynasty, it was known as the “Tea of Immortality.” Not like vampires but still cool.

Possible Benefits from regular consumption:

• Detoxification
• Improved Digestion
• Mood stability
• Energy
• Fighting candida (harmful yeast) overgrowth
• Mental Clarity
• Liver Support
• Weight Loss

Gimme some proof! 

In the first half of the 20th century, a push to find a cure for rising cancer rates in Russia and Germany led to

extensive scientific research on Kombucha’s health benefits. It had been noted that entire regions of the countries were seemingly immune to cancer and hypothesized that Kombucha (which they called “Tea Kvass”) was the reason. A series of experiments verified the hypothesis and began to pinpoint exactly why the drink was so beneficial. Unfortunately with the onset of the Cold War, research and development was diverted to other directions. We already know that tea is healthy and so is fermented foods, put the two together and BAM! You see why kombucha is starting to hit the shelves in stores now!

If Kombucha has been used for more than 2,000 years and studies have been conducted that garnered positive results, why have I only heard about it recently?

Kombucha only became available in the U.S. in the 1990s and even then no studies were conducted on humans. As is usually the case here, drug companies fund research where there is money to be made, and if the average consumer can make the drink for about 50 cents a gallon, where’s the dough? The only research conducted thus far in this country has been on rodents. But the results are promising. One study found that

the rats that gulped down Kombucha and were subsequently exposed to stress produced more antioxidants and had less DNA damage that their tea-free pals. The Kombucha actually reversed the damaging effects of stress on their immune systems.

You probably didn’t hear about the rat study, but you have heard of probiotics, right? Kombucha has become all the rage on grocery store shelves and trendy restaurants that feature fermented foods like kefir, sauerkraut and kimchi. All types of people are becoming more conscious of the benefits of eating and drinking products rich in healthy probiotics (the “good bacteria” found in our intestines.) Research has found that consuming probiotics can help fight colds, lower cholesterol and promote a healthy gut—alleviating issues such as irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea and food allergies. Kombucha has become so popular that Whole Foods Magazine reported projected sales of $500 million last year. This got me thinking I should open a kombucha bar for a healthy, yet flavorful martini! Probiotics should counteract the effects of alcohol right? OK no, but I’m telling you it makes a fabulous martini!

Where can I get it and how much does it cost?

You can buy bottled Kombucha, both pasteurized and unpasteurized, in various flavors, everywhere from health-food stores to supermarkets. A 16-ounce bottle usually costs between $3.50 and $4.50 depending on where you purchase it. And of course, it’s available at many health conscious restaurants and bars. It’s a nice, healthy, (usually) alcohol-free alternative in a pretty bottle.

Usually alcohol free?

Yes, alcohol is a natural by-product of fermentation, just as it is with the production of wine or beer. However, the government requires that a beverage must have less than 0.5 percent alcohol (just a trace amount) if it is to be sold as a nonalcoholic drink. Bottled Kombucha must comply with that standard or risk being pulled off the shelf. Brews that have more booze (and some contain up to three percent alcohol, which is as much as some beers) are considered alcoholic beverages and are only sold to those 21 and over. Home brews, on the other hand, vary widely in alcohol content. Once I figure out how to get my kombucha alcohol levels up I’m opening the bar! 🙂

Are home brewers just trying to catch a buzz or are there benefits for making the drink yourself?

For one, you know it’s fresh. You control what you put in it. Two, like many things in life, if you make it yourself you can save loads of money. Three, it’s actually pretty easy. It just requires tea, sugar and an active starter culture of bacteria, called a “mother.” The culture is combined with tea and sits for roughly 10 days, though I have gone up to 21 days. During this time a thin colony of bacteria forms on top. After this process is complete, the culture can be scooped out and used to start other brews, while the beverage you have made is ready for drinking unless you want it fizzy, which requires a second fermentation. As with any other home brewing it’s important you follow the proper technique and do it under sanitary conditions or you can kill the colony. Protect the mama!

Here is my favorite Kombucha recipe:

4 cups filtered water

4 tea bags or 4 teaspoons loose tea ( I like a mixture of lose that I blend myself with Green, Black, White, Rooibos, and Yerba Mate for the variety of health benefits and flavor. Just make sure you use organic)

1/3 cup organic raw turbinado sugar

1 coffee filter and rubber band for the lid

I do a continuous brew so I use a large container you see below that will hold 30 cups. Since I like to leave some of the mature brew and the mother scobie, I only add 20-25 cups when I am making a new batch. You can use little mason jars or whatever you want.

First step is to boil the water in a large pot if you are making a larger quantity. Once the water is at boiling, take it off the heat and add the tea. You can see in the picture, I demonstrated both methods, tea bags and loose tea in a tea/herb ball. You don’t want to throw the loose tea in the pot or you will be straining for a million years.

Add one tea bag or one teaspoon per cup of water. Let it steep for 3-5 minutes depending on the strength you want of the tea. Longer will be stronger and can be more bitter but it really depends on what kind of tea you use. Add one cup of sugar for 4 cups of water. It will be sweet but you won’t be drinking this, the bacteria will be eating it! CRAZEE! Stir until completely dissolved.

Once the tea has cooled completely, you can pour it over the bacteria. You can order a scobie in the mail but it is much better to get a scobie from a friend that makes kombucha. Cover it with the coffee filter and secure with a rubber band so air gets in but nats and contaminants do not. You can buy fancy kombucha covers online but coffee filters work great and can be changed out, if you like, with a new batch. Move to a temperature secure place and don’t bother it for at least 7-10 days depending on the temperature of your house. Then say a pray and bless your kombucha with a big hug! 🙂 You know they say since it is a living organism it will take on the emotions of the room so don’t yell at your kombucha! The bacteria will start thriving on the healthy environment and fresh food. You can place a clean straw into the brew to taste it after 7-10 days, even 20 days until the flavor is the way you want. Some people drink then but since I like it fizzy, I like to flavor on a second brew. You can pour right out of the spout and add fresh fruit and sip away. But there is something about the fizzy flavored kombucha that has my kids begging for it every day!

Once it has fermented and is the right strength for you, you can flavor and leave for a second fermentation, this time with a lid so it can get fizzy for about 10 days. You will discover what you like as far as timing is concerned once you start brewing your own. You can do this in a mason jar or bottle or growler for maximum fizz! A growler is what beer is stored in and helps produce carbonation. I got some fancy blue ones that my friend found online but any will do. I add a 1/2 teaspoon of flavoring per cup to the jar before closing. Since my growler holds four cups, I add 2 teaspoons or a mixture equal to two teaspoons.

Some of my favorite additives for flavor plus great health benefits are organic goji berries, blueberries, elderberries, cherries, ginger, hibiscus, citrus, mandarin, pretty much any flavor you like. I have even added Complete Greens to make a green kombucha which has a vanilla orange flavor and 6 to 7 servings of 55 different greens. You can also use blended fruit teas. I like the loose kind so I can add and leave in the bottle. If you use fruit tea bags, just make sure it has no tea in it or you will end up with a very bitter kombucha from double the tea. Fruit tea bags are usually caffeine free and you can tell from the ingredients that it is just fruit and herbs in it. Those I will add for 5 minutes to flavor the kombucha and take out before closing. I think loose is best and I can leave in the bottle.

Flavoring with herbs and spices:
Herbs provide the most flavor with a second ferment. And little goes a long way when adding herbs and spices.

For every 3-4 cups of liquid:
2 cardamom pods
1/2″ crushed cinnamon stick
2 tsp fennel seed
Rosemary and lemon zest
Pineapple and basil
2-3 whole cloves
1 split vanilla bean
1/2″ fresh ginger, grated
1 tbsp lavender buds
1 tbsp hibiscus leaves
1 tbsp rose petals

Combos to try:
Strawberry and rose and/or hibiscus
Cherries and rose and/or hibiscus
Blueberries and rosemary
Strawberries and thyme

During the second phase of brewing for carbonation and flavor, you may want to burp it once a day so you don’t have an explosion similar to champagne but uncontrollable. This has happened to me on a 21 day brew that was very carbonated. I didn’t burp it and didn’t put in the fridge either before opening. Not to self: Always refrigerate if you are not burping the bottles because it was so fizzy it landed on the walls of my laundry room! Live and learn right?

However when pouring a glass from the fridge, it helps control the fizz. This was by far one of our favorite brews because of amazing flavors and serious carbonation. I’m still perfecting my favorite blend of flavors but I have had fun experimenting and most turned out amazing.

With fresh, frozen or dried fruit, you want about 1/2 cup fruit per 3-4 cups liquid.

Flavoring with juice:
For every 3-4 cups of kombucha, you’ll need about 1/4 cup organic juice.

Superfood add-ins:
Just like you see with store-bought kombucha, you can add chlorella, spirulina and chia seeds for a second fermentation. For chia, add 1-2 tbsp per 3-4 cups of liquid. For chlorella and spirulina, 1 tsp per 3-4 cups liquid. Don’t strain these ingredients out when your second fermentation is complete.

Ideas for the kiddos:
Instead of sugary sodas, do a second fermentation of kombucha with fresh fruit and raisins (and/or ginger) for extra bubbles. After 1–3 days, blend up some more fruit (raspberry and strawberry are winners) and add to the fizzy drink (you can strain if you have kids with pulp phobia). This bubbly beverage is so much better than soda—fruity, bright and flavorful enough that the kids will enjoy it. Plus, they are getting all sorts of beneficial probiotics and fiber that are non-existent in soda and plain pasteurized juice. Have them help make it, call it homemade soda pop and I bet it will go over quite well.

Strain the flavoring ingredients out, rebottle and place in the fridge to slow fermentation.

It is really fun and so rewarding to know you are making something that is so healthy for you and/or your family to enjoy that is an ancient tradition that you can pass down for generations to come.

So to recap:
1. Initial fermentation 7-10 days.
2. Bottle brewed kombucha with ingredients, seal and let it ferment a second time (1-3 days)
3. After second fermentation is complete, open bottle carefully over the sink, strain, rebottle and refrigerate. Enjoy!

Try making kombucha, maybe a smaller quantity, but just try it. If you are in the neighborhood, stop by and I’ll hook you up with a SCOBY to start your own. Or maybe you can stop by my kombucha bar? 🙂

Love and fizz,

Laura