A wonderful drink that’s great for your gut, kombucha has been brewed for many centuries. Learn to make it for pennies in your own kitchen using healing spices.
Course Drinks
Cuisine International
Keyword black tea, brew, cane sugar, how to brew kombucha, kombucha, probiotic, probiotic drink
Special Diet Gluten Free, Grain Free, Nut Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Cook Time 15minutes
Ferment Time 6days
Total Time 6days15minutes
Servings 10People
Calories 22kcal
Ingredients
10CupsFiltered Water
1/4CupSugarPreferable cane sugar
2TeaspoonsBlack TeaLoose Leaf
3ClovesOptional
3PodsCardamomOptional
1Star AniseOptional
1InchCinnamonBark (Optional)
1/2Teaspoon Fennel SeedsOptional
1InchGingerFreshly grated. Optional
Instructions
In a thick-bottomed dish, add 10 cups of filtered water. Add 2 teaspoons of loose black tea to the water.
Add any kind of spices you wish to. Some great ones are fennel seeds, star anise, clove, cardamom, cinnamon bark, dried hibiscus flowers, turmeric root, freshly grated fresh ginger root etc. Green matcha tea also makes for a great addition. However, note that kombucha needs black tea and other teas are not substitutes.
Allow the spices and tea leaves to come to a full boil. After 2-3 minutes turn off the heat. Add 1/4 cup of sugar and stir well until the sugar melts. Allow the sweet tea to cool.
Pour out the tea into a large wide-mouthed glass container via a fine mesh sieve. Discard the tea leaves and spices into a compost.
Add the SCOBY culture to the sweet tea in the glass container.
Cover with a thin muslin cloth or paper towel and let the tea ferment at room temperature for 5-7 days. During the fermentation process, the yeast in the SCOBY breaks down the sugar in the tea and releases probiotic bacteria. Insert a straw after Day 5 and taste the kombucha daily until it reaches the desired combo of sweetness and tartness.
To Brew the Next Batch:
When you are ready to harvest the kombucha, brew the next batch of fresh tea and allow it to cool. Using clean hands, transfer the SCOBY to a plate or bowl. Pour the kombucha into glass bottles (filter using a tea strainer if there is residue) and refrigerate to enjoy. Transfer the SCOBY into the cooled down tea and allow it to ferment!
Hoteling the SCOBY:
If you want to take a break from making kombucha for a while, it is important to keep your SCOBY well fed. Brew tea using instructions above but double the amount of tea and sugar. Add the SCOBY to the cooled down tea, cover the jar with a breathable fabric tied with a rubber band and allow it to "rest" for up to 4 weeks.