This isn’t quite on the herbal spectrum of things, but it is on the natural side. Kombucha has become very popular in light of the “health food” craze, so if you haven’t heard of it, I am surprised. It is easy to go to the store and buy a bottle of this “living tea” in various flavors, but what if I told you that you could make it at home for less than that $3+ p/bottle they charge at the store?

Kombucha is brewed much in the same way that you would make beer, wine, or mead and needs very little in the way of survival and prosperity. Bacteria and yeast feed off of sugar and caffeine in kombucha’s case. As one of my friends asked, “So it’s my spirit animal?” If you live off of caffeine and sugar, you know what she is talking about.

Kombucha is not considered an alcoholic drink, but it does have a low alcohol content, which is created when yeast consumes sugar. It is low enough that it is safe for all ages to consume, although I dilute it for my son. Jars you buy at the store have a note saying it contains alcohol for people who avoid it for religious reasons or pregnancy. I would like to say that I see nothing wrong with consuming it during pregnancy; however, you may want to drink it in moderation. Even a small glass of red wine a few days a week later in pregnancy can be beneficial, but you must drink in moderation. And, as always, don’t take my word for it. Do your own research!

SCOBY stands for “symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast,” also known as the “mother.” If you use or drink apple cider vinegar with the “mother,” that little thing floating in the bottle is a SCOBY that can be used to make more vinegar, basically kombucha that hasn’t been fed. But more goes into making apple cider vinegar than explained here. I would also not try to make kombucha from that SCOBY, but maybe it can be done. If you have successfully turned a vinegar SCOBY back into kombucha, drop a comment, I would love to know.

I suggest finding someone local to get a scoby and starter liquid. I am sure you can find them online, but to be shipped, they would need an actual lid, which starts the carbonation process, something you don’t really want until you have strained off and flavored what you plan to drink. A lid on the drive home is fine, but shipping for days is too much if you ask me.

I sell quart jars with a SCOBY filled with starter liquid for $25, but the price can vary. It may sound a little pricey, but other than buying tea bags, sugar, and whatever you plan to flavor it with, this is the only expense you will have. As I stated, bottles of it at the store are around $3-$4 each. That adds up, especially if you drink it daily.

Something to keep in mind if you are caught up on the price of a SCOBY and starter liquid is this: the SCOBY will grow…faster than you can imagine. I went from a half-gallon mason jar to 3 huge glass pickle jars and a two-gallon jug with a spigot in a matter of months. I also feed mine REALLY strong tea, which causes the SCOBY to grow and ferment faster in warm temps, in my experience. Most pictures of kombucha online are transparent…but mine isn’t. I like it to burn when I drink it, but I can easily dilute it to give to my son or someone who doesn’t like it as strong. It’s why I love making it myself. It is so diverse that you can make something that everyone will love.

A kombucha SCOBY is a mass of yeast and bacteria, but before you go “eww!” and leave, give me a minute. Yogurt also has live cultures of bacteria in it, and if you know anything about the human body, you will know that we need good bacteria for gut health. Nearly every illness can be traced back to problems in the gut, even respiratory infections. Your gut is the center of your immune system, and if it is out of whack, everything else is compromised. If you look at a yogurt container, it will say something along the lines of “contains live cultures” and “probiotic.” Probiotics are good bacteria, which is exactly what kombucha contains. Kombucha is a lovely way to get your daily dose much cheaper than you can buy supplements at the store.

HOW TO MAKE KOMBUCHA

The only things you need to get started are as follows:
-a glass mason jar (no lid)
-cheese or muslin cloth and a rubber band or jar ring to cover the jar
-a scoby
-starter liquid
-strong black or green tea
-sugar

Generally, you only need to feed your scoby every 1 or 2 weeks, depending on the season. If your house stays super cold, you can get away with feeding less (sometimes up to a month), but fermentation will happen faster in warmer months. You can taste it to see if it is starting to get tart or not. You may have a day or two where it tastes like sour tea, but give it another day or two, and it will work itself out. You didn’t do anything wrong; it’s just part of the process.

RULE OF THUMB: When it starts to have a vinegary taste, feed it.

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To feed a quart jar, pour about 3/4 of the liquid into a separate jar. Leave at least 1/4 of the original liquid in whatever sized jar you are using with your SCOBY to start your next batch. That is your starter liquid.

Brew your tea. One or two regular-sized tea bags work great for a quart jar. Let it steep until it starts to cool down. While still warm, remove your tea bags (squeezing to get the excess tea out), add about 1/2 cup sugar, and stir to dissolve. Let it cool completely to room temp, and then pour it into your jar of starter liquid with your scoby. You can add water if it doesn’t fill your jar. Leave at least 1-2 inches of headroom for the SCOBY to expand.

With the liquid you poured off, you can either drink it as is, which is actually really good, or add juice, fruit, or spices. My favorite is about a 1/4 cup of pomegranate juice and a handful of frozen berry medley fruit I get from HEB in a quart jar. Of course, you can add more or less. It is really up to your preference. Pineapple juice, orange slices, and cinnamon are wonderful and taste like apple cider together.

For the best flavor, let it sit for a day or two on the counter. You can put a lid on your jar here, and it will start to carbonate itself! I prefer my kombucha room temp, so I will leave a covered jar on the counter for as long as it takes me to drink it. Opening it once a day keeps pressure from building up too much. The fruit will start to be consumed and break down, so depending on what you use, it may start to look funky, but that is ok. If you ask me, the flavor is best at this point, but everyone likes something different.

You can also bottle up in glass ‘soda’ bottles, but beware! Don’t leave them on the counter for over 2 or 3 days. They might explode upon opening. You can leave bottles on the counter for a few days and then stick them in the fridge to stop the carbonation process, and it will be nice and fizzy when you are ready to drink it.

For a large jar, I use 2 1-gallon tea bags with about 1 1/2-2 cups of sugar. Then, I fill the jar up the rest of the way with water if any room is left. Make sure to mix well if you add water on top, and I only say to do this if you know you are making extra strong tea.

Never add plain water without feeding your booch first!

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I have quart jars of Kombucha Starter available most Saturdays at my local farmer’s market, so if you are around, come check me out!

Many blessings,
Emma Lee Joy