It’s true! This recipe never fails.
Briefly, let us talk about Kombucha.
Kombucha is a tart, sour, commonly carbonated drink made from tea, yeast, and sugar. It has been around for thousands of years, first bring brewed in China, and is increasingly popular across the world for its reported health benefits. Packed with probiotics, this beverage is a gut happiness blast and, I personally think, very yum!
I have tried to brew kombucha many times over the years. Before the last six months, I always eventually failed: most often either killing my SCOBY (kombucha mother mushroom, which is essentially a symbiotic colony of yeast and bacteria) or creating an inedible vinegar substance.
My greatest kombucha brewing fail occurred when I left home for the weekend, leaving a growler of kombucha on the counter in the sun. I came home to a kitchen full of broken glass. Shards of the thick growler stuck into cabinets and walls on all sides. The Cap of the growler was stuck in the ceiling, and the refrigerator was dented, I kid you not, from the force of the kombucha bomb exploding!
I was, amazingly, perhaps stupidly, not deterred!
This winter, I discovered the absolute, best, foolproof kombucha recipe and now enjoy more kombucha than I can drink.
It couldn’t be simpler. You will need a few key pieces of equipment. I have inserted links to products that I use. These are affiliate links, and if you use them, we will be given a small percentage of the sale. It won’t cost you anything additional. If you can get these products locally, of course, take that route!
Firstly you need a SCOBY. Additionally, you need a cheesecloth or a dish towel, a rubber band or method for holding the cloth in place, a vessel for the brew, and bottles to store your finished product in.
I highly recommend investing in these high-quality products as they make brewing kombucha so much easier, and your chances of success go up dramatically.
Optional ingredients I use include candied ginger, and I like my Kombucha of the ginger variety, Lavender, and carbonation tablets
Okay, step 1. Place your SCOBY and its liquid (it will come with some tea) into its cleaned vessel while you heat 3 cups of water.
Step 2. Once your water is boiling, add your tea of choice. The best thing about this recipe is that you can use any tea! If you use black tea, get some ph test strips. Kombucha likes to be super acidic with a pH below 4.5. If the brew is too alkaline, add a teaspoon of vinegar and test again.
I like to use herbal tea.
For this batch, I used loose red raspberry leaf tea. Red raspberry is super medicinal and good for the health of women’s reproductive systems. I like to boost the health benefits of my kombucha by using medicinal teas.
Step 3. Add your tea, in any quantity, to the 3 cups of boiling water and allow it to steep for about ten minutes.
Step 4. Add 1 cup of organic sugar and allow it to dissolve in the tea. Stir to speed up this process.
Step 5. Add three quarts (12 cups), cool, filtered water to the tea/sugar mixture.
Add the whole mixture to your SCOBY and let the brew ferment for about two weeks, testing along the way to achieve your desired flavor.
My recommended brewing vessel makes the process of tasting and, finally, bottling your kombucha SO EASY.
When bottling your brew, the time has come to add carbonation tablets and any flavor boosters you may desire, such as candied ginger or Lavender petals. Once I bottle my kombucha I leave it, OUT OF THE SUN, on some shelves at room temperature for one week to activate the carbonation tablets. Then I move it to the refrigerator. Enjoy within two or three weeks!
I hope you all enjoy this recipe for years to come!
Bethany
