How to Make Your own Kombucha Herbal Tea Soda
Kombucha is a thousands-year old remedy that has been used for everything from detoxifying the liver to beating back minor infections. It is a powerful, tasty and easy drink to make over and over again, and it can be just as healthy and a lot more pleasant than drinking teas. There are a number of ways to make and enjoy the benefits of Kombucha, but one of the best is to create a fermented drink that is delicious and incredibly-nutritious.
Required Items
3 ½ quarts of water
8 bags of either black or green tea (the most nutritious you can find)
1 scoby (starter culture) for each jar that is being fermented
1 cup of sugar
2 cups of starter tea or yeast starter mix
1-2 fermentation mason-type jars
6 lock top soda bottles that are 16oz each. You can also use regular screw-top plastic soda bottles.
Getting Started
The first step is to make what is called the tea base. Simply heat the water in a stockpot and add the sugar once it begins to boil. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the tea bags and remove from heat. Stir occasionally and allow the tea to steep until the water has cooled to room temperature. Next, remove the tea bags, or strain loose-leaf tea before adding and stirring in the starter items. Stir until thoroughly mixed.
Pour the mixture into the large fermentation jars and add the scoby to each one. The scoby is a culture that contains bacteria and probiotics that form the basis for Kombucha. You can easily purchase scobies online, get them through friends or make your own. Research what option is best for you, and you can quickly turn your production into a self-sustaining effort over the course of time. Meanwhile, you will need one scoby for each fermentation jar in order to activate the process and achieve the desired finished product.
Fermenting
Pour the mixture into the jars until at least two inches of headspace remains. Cover the lips with some cheesecloth, fine fabric or coffee filters and secure with a rubber band. This will prevent pests from getting into the mixture while allowing for the ventilation of air and gases as the mixture ferments.
During fermentation, you will probably notice the liquid separating, some gunk rising to the top and the presence of bubbles as well as other signs of decomposition. This is all normal and part of the overall process. You will need to let the mixture ferment for at least 7 days before opening and tasting the contents of one of the jars. It should have a sweet/tart taste that is generally pleasant.
You can stop the fermentation process once you find the right balance. You may need to ferment it for a couple of days more or less depending on your preferences, but it’s easy to experiment, and you will quickly find out what flavor works best for you.
Bottling
Once the fermentation process is complete, the first thing to do is pour out enough of the finished product to use as a starter tea for your next batch. Store in an appropriately-sized airtight glass container in a cool, dry place. Then, strain the tea from the stockpot or stir the liquid and evenly distribute it to the bottles. Using a funnel with a long neck can make this process much easier. Leave about an inch of headspace, wipe the tops and secure with the cap or airtight lock. Store the bottles in a place where they can get direct sunlight for about 2-3 days for maximum carbonation. If you have plastic bottles, you can tell when they’ve become fully-carbonated by squeezing the sides. If they are solid and firm to the touch, just like store-bought drinks, you’re good to go.
To test the carbonation in glass bottles, slowly remove the clasp and top just enough to hear and gauge how much air is escaping. This may also take some practice, but you’ll quickly learn exactly how long you need to store the bottles before they’re ready to be served.
To drink, simply open the caps and pour in a nice frozen glass or over ice. It also tastes great at room temperature. Remember, this is not only a nice, sweet drink to enjoy in the summer, but Kombucha is an excellent source of a long list of nutritious benefits that our bodies need as well.
Start experimenting with some batches today, and feel free to try adding pieces of different types of fruit to the bottles to give yourself some more flavor options. You will be surprised at how delicious this drink really is, and regular consumption can start to make you feel better too.
