Kombucha Tea

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This is from the HappyHerbalists site I mentioned in the last

Post,,,Love Penny (for those who can't download)

Kombucha is a naturally fermented and aged vinegar, made with pure

water,

white sugar and green & black tea. After the fermentation process is

complete

there is very little sugar, caffeine, or alcohol left (less than ½ of

1%).

 

Kombucha is a Natural Live Liquid Food brewed in small batches.

 

By itself Kombucha Brew or Tea is a nice healthy drink.

A little like sparkling apple-cider.

 

There are literally hundreds of health claims made everyday... However

since

each brew is individual and dependant upon a great many factors your

results

will vary.

 

 

Most common claims

 

Increased Energy, Weight Loss or Gain, Better Sleep, Body Building

Benefits,

Reduced Stress, Relaxation and a general feeling of well being …

Remember

your results will vary...

 

 

PREPARING THE KOMBUCHA BREW

 

items needed

 

 

Cleanliness and common sense are essential.

 

Corning, Visions all glass or stainless four quart pan (please

avoid

aluminum).

 

a wooden or plastic spoon. a measuring teaspoon and measuring

cup.

 

a one-gallon glass jar (or other jar such as a crock pot, bowl,

cookie jar

or aquarium) to ferment the tea in. And one to store the brew

in.

 

cloth, linen, nylons or any other breathable covering - like

old (but

clean) cotton t-shirts to cover the Kombucha while brewing.

Basically to

keep fruit flies and mold - spores out and a rubber band, tape

or string

to secure cover.

 

5 teaspoons tea (or 5 tea bags) avoid teas heavy in oils like

spearmint

and certain flavored teas. Lipton, Red Rose are common and

readily

available.

 

1 cup sugar (white recommended). Brown Sugar, Honey, Sucrose or

 

Fructose are common substitutes

 

a Kombucha Mushroom. Subsequent Kombucha may be stacked or

the new

baby separated for additional separate brews - or given away!

 

1 cup fermented Kombucha Tea Starter (or 1/4 cup white

distilled

vinegar). Use the new Kombucha baby and one cup (or more) of

that tea

as new starter tea for subsequent batches

 

Brewing Temperature Range: 64-86 deg F is the accepted range -

18 to

30 deg C.

 

 

A safe place for the Kombucha to brew UNDISTURBED. Dark or

light doesn't matter but Humidity seems to encourages mold.

 

If this is your first brew - if you suspect Mold - throw it all

out and

start over.

 

If you received the Kombucha from us - and you suspect mold - we

will ship out another one - FREE - usually that day.

 

 

 

Brewing KOMBUCHA

 

1. Boil 3 quarts water. (2.84 Liters)

 

2. Add 1 cup White Sugar. (250-300 grams)

 

3. Boil 5 minutes or less (a watched pot never boils)

 

4. Turn off heat & add 5 tea bags or 5 tsp. loose Black Tea (Green tea –

or

favorite combination may be substituted)

1 t-bag = 1 tsp = 5 grams = 1/6 ounce

 

5. Steep 15 minutes. (Green Tea only for 2 minutes)

 

6. Remove tea bags or leaves and ALLOW to COOL

No higher than 20 - 25 degrees Centigrade / 68 - 77 degrees

Fahrenheit. Room

Temperature.

 

Be careful of contamination at this stage as the brew is a highly sought

after

food source for millions of critters. (Sugar Tea and Water, yummy) Keep

Covered !!

 

Be Sure everything is at the same temperature

 

7. Pour cooled liquid into fermenting container.

 

8. Add Kombucha Mushroom (which is also at room temperature)

 

9. Add 1 cup Fermented Kombucha Brew as a Starter. 8 ounces 240 ml or

at least

10% - up to 25% of the previous brew as a starter tea.

 

10. Cover & let ferment 6 - 15 days. (pH between 2.5 to 3).

 

The first time you brew it usually takes 8-14 days. Apparently the shock

of

traveling slows the Kombucha in producing a new baby right away. Be

Patient.

Cover the ferment with a cloth (like a clean t-shirt) or a paper

towel, to protect

the start from mold, air born pathogens, critters, etc.

 

around Day 5-6 you may notice a clear or semi clear slime or patch

developing

on the surface and fear it is MOLD. It is more than likely not mold but

the first

noticeable process of a baby Kombucha forming. Have Patience in another

3-4

days the Kombucha will be formed.

 

The longer it ferments the greater the acidity - the more vinegary taste

and

aroma. see recipes for some great ideas.

 

Mold will look like mold - green, white or black but fuzzy - If in Doubt

throw it out. If you

got your starter from the Happy Herbalist we will immediately send you

another - FREE

 

A good brew is usually when a new baby forms about 1/4 inch thick and is

a

beautiful creamy color with a good aroma.

 

11. Strain through paper filter or cloth, may drink right away or let

stand for a

day. Need not be refrigerated.

 

Bottling and Storing Your Kombucha.

 

Mason canning jars (and lids) are safe to use to can acidic foods and

juices and are

perfectly safe to use for bottling Kombucha. The lids used in canning

jars have a

protective coating over the metal lids; none of the metal is exposed to

the contents

of the jar. If there are scratches on the lids, which expose the metal

underneath

the coating, then don't use them, buy new ones. Another method is to use

your

empty soda / water bottles. The plastic bottles expand under pressure.

When

bottling fill close to the top to seal off oxygen and keeping

refrigerated help to

slow the fermentation.

 

12. Options; Add medicinal herbs, fruit juices. To increase the fizz

try adding

just a few (2-3) raisins or a single slice of fresh ginger. Not

recommended for

your first brew !!!

 

Adding Medicinal Herbs Is Simple and Healthy. After Brewing 14 or more

days,

Remove the Kombucha Mushrooms and strain into a mason jar. Add one

Herbal

T-Bag to your strained brew. Stand “the Elixir” in a quiet warm place

for 1-2

days. Strain again, re-bottle and keep refrigerated. Drink daily for

one week.

Be careful of mold forming … Discard unused Medicinal Kombucha after

one week.

Kombucha Vinegar will by itself last a long time - however by adding

herbs to the

brew the herbs themselves begin to biodegrade. The " shelf-life " depends

upon the

pH of the Kombucha Vinegar

 

needles to say these additional herbs will alter the taste of your

Kombucha, so I'd

advise a 2-Kombucha Brew family.