What is Kombucha and Why is it Good for You?

Kombucha is a drink that has been consumed for thousands of years across the world. This drink is a fermented probiotic drink originating from ancient China, but can often be attributed to the Russian region as well. Kombucha is made from tea, sugar, a scoby (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast), and a starter from a previously crafted batch of the drink. You’ll need a starter kit to begin the brewing process of kombucha. The end result of this drink is very healthy as the sugar and caffeine are used up in the fermentation process, leaving very little of either, if any, behind in the final product. Kombucha ferments over the course of around a week to a month, depending on the brew. The final result leaves a drink that is naturally carbonated making for a fizzy and tasty drink for you to enjoy.

Kombucha Brewing Process

Brewing kombucha is not an overly difficult challenge, in fact it can be quite simple once you get the hang of it. The process begins with boiling water (filtered water is the best choice, never use city water) and sugar (cane sugar is suggested) together, adding and steeping in the tea (you can use either black, white, or green tea for this step), then allowing the mixture to cool before adding kombucha cultures to the mix. You will only need a few simple pieces of equipment to get started. The primary equipment you’ll need for brewing kombucha includes: a large container (metal or glass) to hold the solution, a glass container for fermenting the solution (never use other materials such as lead, crystal, ceramic, or metal during the fermentation process), and clean cheese cloth to keep the bugs out of your brew.

So What Makes Kombucha So Healthy?

Kombucha is often considered or referred to as a healing drink around the globe. While this is no miracle cure or anything, it does offer an array of health benefits for consumers. These benefits include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Healthy Bacteria
• Natural Internal pH Balancing
• Liver Detoxification
• Increased Metabolism
• Boosted Energy
• Alleviation of Constipation
• Improved Digestion
• Helpful for the Symptoms of Gout, Asthma, Arthritis, and More
• Reduced Blood Pressure
• Reduced Kidney Stones
• Improved Eyesight
• Relief of Migraines and Headaches
• Healing of Excema
• Healing of Ulcers
• Reducing Gray Hair
• Natural Lowering of Glucose Levels
• Prevention of Artheriosclerosis
• And More

So as you can see, while kombucha might not be a miracle cure all, it may be one of the closest things to it. Along with all the health benefits of kombucha, it tastes pretty great too!

Brew Your Own Kombucha Today

So what are you waiting for?! Why not try it out for yourself and start brewing your own kombucha right from your home. It’s a fairly simple process made even easier thanks to Grape and Granary’s fantastic kombucha kits. If you have any questions about kombucha, or any of our products, never hesitate to contact us! We love hearing from our customers and helping out with any home brewing needs that they have. Happy brewing everyone!

White Labs Kombucha Recipe

RECIPE SUPPLIED BY: WHITE LABS' KRISTAN MARTINEZ, ANALYTICAL LAB TECHNICIAN

Ingredients Needed

• 14 cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• 8 tea bags
• 2 cups starter tea
• 1 White Labs SCOBY per fermentation container

Materials Needed

• Pot to boil water
• 1 gallon bucket, or jar for the fermentation container
• Tea towel or tightly woven cloth
• 1 gallon growler

Procedure

• 1. Measure out 14 cups water and bring it to a boil in a large pot. Remove from heat, add 1 cup sugar and stir until dissolved. Then place 8 tea bags into the hot water and steep for 30 minutes.


• 2. Remove tea bags. Once tea is cool (room temp about 72 degrees fahrenheit), add 2 cups of starter tea.


• 3. Pour the mixture into the fermentation container, and gently slide the scoby into the tea with clean hands. Then cover the container with a teal towel or any tightly woven cloth. Secured in place with a rubber band.


• 4. Keep the fermentation container at room temperature (72 degrees fahrenheit),in a dark place where it won’t be disturbed. Let it ferment for 7 to 10 days, and check periodically.


• 5. After 7 days start to taste the kombucha daily until it obtains the flavor and acidity that is desired.


• 6. Once kombucha is ready, remove the SCOBY and store it at room temperature in about a cup of the kombucha that was just brewed in a breathable container. Refill the liquid with sweet tea as it is absorbed and evaporated.


• 7. Transfer the kombucha into the growler, and add any herbs or fruit for flavoring as desired. (To carbonate the kombucha keep the kombucha sealed in the growler at room temperature for 1 to 3 days).


• 8. Refrigerate the kombucha to stop the fermentation.



The White Labs SCOBY is large enough to start 1 to 5 gallons but will grow over time to accommodate larger sizes. If you are making a batch larger than 1 gallon you will need additional starter liquid not provided in the SCOBY package.