Kombitcha
Since I’m a stomach-issue sufferer who’s about one accident away from permanently replacing underwear with Depends, I rely on kombucha for its scientifically touted digestive benefits (come through, fermentation). It also helps that the drink is fizzy and fun and can be tailored with spices, herbs, and fruit juices to create surprisingly complex flavor profiles. The process is a bit laborious, though, especially making the SCOBY, but so is doing your nails or filing your taxes. These tasks are simply nonnegotiable and always pay off in the long run. (At least the first one. I somehow owed money two years ago and am still bitter about it.)
Ingrediënten
- 10 cups cold filtered water
- 8 bags black tea or 2 to 3 tablespoons loose-leaf black tea (or a mix of green and black tea)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 12-ounce package SCOBY starter
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar optional
Instructies
- Sterilize a 1-gallon glass jar with boiling water.
- Set aside to dry.
- In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of the filtered water to a boil.
- Remove from the heat and add the tea bags.
- Let sit for 5 minutes.
- Remove the tea bags and stir in the sugar until it dissolves.
- Transfer the sweetened tea to the sterilized jar.
- Fill the jar with the remaining 8 cups filtered water, leaving 3 to 4 inches of space at the top of the jar.
- Check the temperature of the tea: it should be between 68ºF and 88ºF, (the ideal temperature is 76º).
- If the tea is too hot, it can damage the SCOBY.
- Add the entire package of SCOBY starter and give the tea a stir.
- It’s now time to test the pH of the tea.
- Dip a pH test strip in the tea mixture and compare its color with the color chart: the pH should be 4.
- 5 or below.
- If the pH is too high, add the vinegar, stir, and test again.
- Cover the top of the jar with a cotton cloth or a coffee filter and secure it with a rubber band.
- Set the jar in a warm place out of direct sunlight—the top of a cupboard is a good option.
- Let the brew sit for 7 to 14 days; do not move it.
- At day 7, begin tasting your brew by using an eyedropper to draw a sample from the side of the jar, trying not to disturb the SCOBY culture that has formed on top of the brew.
- The longer the tea ferments, the more sugar molecules are eaten up, resulting in a less sweet tea.
- The end result should be slightly tart.
- If it tastes too sweet, cover the jar and let the kombucha continue to ferment.
- Check every day until the kombucha reaches your desired taste.
- If it’s too tart, simply sweeten it during bottling and try fermenting it for fewer days next time.
- Once your desired taste is reached, test the pH again.
- The ideal pH for kombucha is between 2.
- 5 and 3.
- 5.
- Now it’s time to bottle.
- Using clean hands, remove the SCOBY culture from the brew and place in a sterilized glass jar with at least 1 cup of the kombucha brew.
- This is your starter for next batch of kombucha!
- Cover with a cotton cloth and secure with a rubber band.
- Store in a warm, dark spot for up to a month until ready to brew your next batch.
- Transfer the rest of the kombucha to sterilized glass mason jars, leaving about ½ inch of space at the top.
- Seal the jars with their lids and leave them at room temperature, out of direct sunlight, for 1 to 3 days to begin their second fermentation, when they will become carbonated.
- The longer you ferment it, the more carbonated it will be.
- Refrigerate to stop the fermentation and carbonation.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
LITERALLY CAN’T EVEN
Black tea is ideal for kombucha, but green tea also works. Or try using a blend of black and green tea leaves.
JUST THE TIPS
Use only glass containers when making kombucha. No metal or plastic.
The type of sugar matters. You may be tempted to substitute other sugars for regular granulated sugar, but refrain! Granulated sugar is the best for feeding yeast and bacteria.
Plan ahead! Kombucha is a labor of love and requires two fermentation periods—the first for developing the perfect balance of tart and sweet and the second for developing bubbles.
While your kombucha is fermenting, taste it daily. If you let it sit too long, the yeast will die once it eats all the sugar, resulting in a vinegary-tasting product. If you don’t let it ferment long enough, your product will be a very sweet tea.
If your SCOBY develops any type of mold, throw it out and start all over with a new one. THE MORE YOU GLOW Since kombucha is a tea that has been fermented, it’s a good source of probiotics, which are great for gut health. It’s also rich in antioxidants.
The type of sugar matters. You may be tempted to substitute other sugars for regular granulated sugar, but refrain! Granulated sugar is the best for feeding yeast and bacteria.
Plan ahead! Kombucha is a labor of love and requires two fermentation periods—the first for developing the perfect balance of tart and sweet and the second for developing bubbles.
While your kombucha is fermenting, taste it daily. If you let it sit too long, the yeast will die once it eats all the sugar, resulting in a vinegary-tasting product. If you don’t let it ferment long enough, your product will be a very sweet tea.
If your SCOBY develops any type of mold, throw it out and start all over with a new one. THE MORE YOU GLOW Since kombucha is a tea that has been fermented, it’s a good source of probiotics, which are great for gut health. It’s also rich in antioxidants.
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