Making Kombucha

Timeframe: 2 - 4 weeks

Special equipment:

- 1 gallon-sized glass jar

- Cloth (preferably organic cotton) and rubber band to cover the jar

Ingredients for 1 gallon:

- 1 SCOBY

- 6 tea bags

- 1 cup organic cane sugar

Process:

Brewing your tea.

1. Clean your brewing area, jar and utensils with soap and warm water.

2. Bring 1/4 gallon (4 cups) of water to boil in a 4-quart pot.

3. Turn off stove and add in all 6 tea bags to the pot of hot water. Steep tea for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Remove tea bags and add the 1 cup of sugar. Mix well.

5. Add 1/2 gallon (8 cups) of cold water.

6. Pour the cool tea into your glass jar.

Kombucha fermentation.

1. Make sure your tea is below 90 degrees F. If it is not, wait for it to cool.

2. Once cool, add SCOBY.

SCOBY goes in.

Hello, SCOBY.

3. Cover your jar with the cloth, held tightly over the rim with a rubber band.

Now! It's time to play the waiting game...

After a day or two, the SCOBY will sink to the bottom of the jar.

In a little less than a week, you will notice speckles forming at the top of your 'cha. You are witnessing the birth of a brand new SCOBY.

SCOBY speckles.

In 2 weeks or more, a new, pearly white SCOBY should be floating on the surface of your 'cha. This means that the kombucha is ready to drink! Let it ferment for a little while longer if you desire a particularly strong, pungent brew.

Kombucha: the gift that keeps on givin'.

When you want to consume your 'cha, put the new SCOBY in a ziplock bag and store it in the fridge. Do not discard the old SCOBY. It will be darker in color and a bit ragged-looking, but it can still make wonderful 'cha.