brew kombucha

I’ve been drinking this stuff like crazy.

I’ve heard of people using a commercial bottle as a starter.

I don’t want to start this until I move to Houston, though.

I’ve been buying them at Wholefoods and Rainbow… too expensive to maintain. Have been researching the continuous brewing technique and bought my supplies…. can’t wait to start.

years ago. I hate mushrooms, but there was something about the whole kombucha thing that I just liked. It’s an acquired taste, I must say. Can’t say as I ever noticed any beneficial health effects, though.

I just tested my first batch of kombucha – so happy! I cultured it from the dregs of a store bought raw kombucha beverage – it took awhile, but it was a fun project to watch. It sounds pretty unappetizing when I type it out, but it was really pretty fantastic. I’m fermenting a second batch right now.

I initially thought that I would have to send away for my own “kombucha mushroom” or SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast). But it turns out that I might be able to create my own by putting some store-bought plain kombucha in a loosely-covered jar and setting it out. Yeah! You can bet I’m going to try it just as soon as I can get to the natural foods store…

From Wild Oats. I probably should have gotten the plain stuff, but the cranberry flavor was calling out to me.

Whew! I liked it a lot, but it was far more tart than I expected! Which is good, ‘cause it means I can’t drink it like I would soda (not that I drink soda, but why start another habit?). Some of the tartness might have been due to the cranberry.

Anyhow, it was mighty tasty! The bottle says that it is brewed for 30 days(!) which seems long compared to other brewing instructions I have read. This might explain the tartness too – apparently you can get “kombucha vinegar” if you let the stuff go for too long, so maybe this is what is in those bottles.

I’ve joined a kombucha-brewing Yahoo group – gonna do a bit more reading there. They have a list of members that are willing to send kombucha culture free of charge (shipping costs only) – I think I’ll be contacting one of them shortly.

I’ve done some yogurt-making and lactofermented pickles in the past. Plus bread baking. In short, I find controlled fermentation fascinating!

I haven’t tried kombucha yet, but it seems like a crazy organism – a symbiotic relationship between yeast and bacteria that somehow creates a carbonated beverage out of sweetened tea. It grows new “babies” constantly (or so they say).

I think I’m going to first try some store-bought kombucha so I can evaluate whether or not I like the taste. I would hate to go through the process of collecting brewing materials, brewing, etc., and then realize that I don’t care for the resulting beverage. But I like other fermented beverages, including kefir and kvass (not to mention beer and wine, of course!), so chances are I will enjoy kombucha. What is it with all these k-letter-starting fermented beverages? Hmmmmm…