Kombucha
How to Make Kombucha Tea
The first step is to obtain a healthy Kombucha.
In some parts of old China and Japan, it was often the custom for families to give a new bride a Kombucha as a wedding gift. This was nurtured throughout her marriage and then passed on to her own daughter.
So, once you have your first Kombucha, you also have your last!
Ask at your local health food store or put an ad in your local paper if you don't know anyone with a mother plant.
Appearance of Kombucha Organism
The Kombucha itself is actually a living relationship of different, beneficial bacteria and special yeast cultures.
It looks like tough, rubbery jelly and varies in colour from cream to browny yellow.
Because it is a living organism, it grows to fit the shape of its container. New layers grow on top of the old and can be peeled off to start new cultures.
Keeping a Healthy Kombucha
The Kombucha organism will literally last for centuries (because it continually renews itself) - but it must have the right conditions to grow.
Avoid:
allowing the Kombucha to be contaminated by cigarette smoke - nicotine will kill Kombucha
allowing it to come into contact with metal - remove rings before handling your Kombucha; use only wooden or plastic spoons etc to stir; keep in a pottery or glass container.
extremes of temperature - Kombucha grows best in a warm environment (not hot). Keep it on the kitchen bench, or in a cupboard, away from sunny windows and ovens.
allowing dust to contaminate your brew - keep it tightly covered with a gauze, muslin or fine cotton cloth secured with a circle of elastic.
allowing insects to contaminate your brew - they'll be attracted to it, so keeping it tightly covered (as above) will keep them away.
using oily herbal teas - oils can spoil the Kombucha
Recipe for Kombucha Tea
* 2 litres of boiling water
* 160 grams white sugar (approx 1 cup)
* 2 tea bags (black or green tea)
* 1 herbal tea bag (cinnamon and apple is delicious)
* 1 healthy Kombucha organism
* 1 cup of Kombucha fermented brew (mother tea) as a starter
NOTE: Keep the same proportions and vary the amounts to suit your own family's needs.
Method
* use clean utensils
* wash hands thoroughly
* pour boiling water over the sugar into a glass, porcelain or pottery container
* stir to dissolve the sugar
* add the tea bags and leave to infuse (approx 15 minutes)
* remove the tea bags and allow to cool to "baby bottle" temperature
* add the mother brew to the cooled tea mixture and then float the Kombucha on the top, cover tightly with cloth.
NOTE: the Kombucha will probably sink during the first part of the fermentation, but will float to the surface again (how soon this happens often depends on the temperature - it works best in warm weather).
* place the Kombucha brew where it can sit undisturbed for a week. It doesn't require any light, so it can be left in a cupboard during this time.
Using your Kombucha
After 7 - 10 days, your Kombucha is ready to use. Strain off all but 1 cup of the liquid (this is your mother brew for the next batch) and set it aside.
You can bottle the resulting brew and store it in the fridge. if you leave it out, it will continue to grow and ferment. It will still grow, but at a slower pace in the fridge.
Any small piece of the Kombucha will also start to grow, so you may need to strain it again before you drink it.
How much should I drink?
Start with a small serve - 1/4 to 1/3 cup - take it first thing in the morning (to aid digestion) or last thing at night (it has a calming effect and helps you sleep).
Gradually increase your intake until you find a suitable level - up to 2 cups per day is beneficial.
Drinking more won't do any harm - but because it has quite a strong vinegary quality about it, most people feel that 2 cups is adequate.
The flavour of the brew will vary according to the sweetness of the tea (don't vary the quantity of sugar - too much can destroy the Kombucha - not enough will starve it) and the type of tea used.
Often your Kombucha will be effervescent - just like sparkling wine! Again, it depends on the mixture and the temperature. Water supply will also effect the taste.
Experiment with different combinations of teas and waters and enjoy the experience.
Continuous fermentation
An alternative to making a new batch of brew every week, is to use a larger container and to leave the brew fermenting in it, drawing off what you need and topping it up with sweetened tea when it falls below the half way point.
A 10 - 20 litre capacity pot is needed for this. It's possible to buy pottery containers which have a tap at the bottom and these are ideal. The brew stays at a constant temperature, it is sealed against contamination (most have a cork or tightly fitting lid), and the brew can be tapped very easily.
If using this method, it's necessary to thoroughly clean the pot every 3 - 4 months to remove any sediment build up and to peel off the older layers of the Kombucha.
Care of your Kombucha
You will notice that your Kombucha renews itself very quickly, growing new upper layers. Once the total thickness is approx 5 - 6 cm, you can remove the top couple of layers and either give them away or use them yourself and discard the older, bottom layers.
When dividing and replacing your Kombucha, ensure that you've removed any rings, that your hands and all utensils are spotlessly clean. The Kombucha is easily contaminated and this will spoil your brew.
You can wash the Kombucha in cooled, boiled water to remove any darker strings that often grow.
Leave the Kombucha on a clean dish with a little of its brew while you clean the container.
Always keep a back up Kombucha in case your main organism is damaged in any way. You can store a Kombucha in the freezer for months. Get into the habit of replacing your back up with a new one each year to keep it healthy.
Other Sources of Kombucha
If you can't access a fresh Kombucha, you can still start improving your health now with this age-old tea. Click the link below and enter a search for Kombucha when you get to the site. You'll also get free shipping and can save up to 70% on some items at the Vitamin Shoppe - Click Here and Save Big on 20,000 products from over 400 brands
Other Uses for Kombucha
Don't simply throw out any excess organisms. If you can't give them away, you can use them as;
poultices - if you have a burn or minor injury, cut small pieces of Kombucha and bandage them to your skin - the antiseptic qualities of the Kombucha help healing
indoor garden compost - cut into manageable pieces and bury just below the surface in your pot plants to give them a lift
outdoor compost - if you have a prolific grower, use the excess on your fruit trees and garden plants (bury just below the surface).
Personal Note
I have been brewing and using Kombucha for the past five years (having been given a starter by a friend).
Despite being a school teacher and mixing with hundreds of children from different backgrounds, I no longer get the yearly Winter cold. I've been able to cope with stress much better and have found it easier to sleep when I take my Kombucha at nights.
Further Reading
Gawler Ian You Can Conquer Cancer 1984, Hill of Content, Melbourne
Gerson Max A Cancer Therapy 1958, Totality Books, California
Horne Ross The New Health Revolution 1983, Happy Landings Publishing, Australia
Horne R. & Bobbin T. Anti-Cancer Anti-Heart Attack Cook Book 1984, Happy Landings Publishing, Australia
Tietze Harald Kombucha - the Miracle Fungus 1994, Gateway Books, UK
