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So, you want to make your own Kombucha Tea?

Then there’s some of you who are like, what the heck is Kombucha Tea? It’s super expensive in the store–about $4 for a small bottle. My husband says it reminds him of beer (well, I’ll give him credit–it is fermented…and he hasn’t had a beer in years!), and it’s super good for the gut. And a bunch of other stuff…Hannah at Kombucha Kamp puts it best:

Probiotics – healthy bacteria
Alkalize the body – balances internal pH
Detoxify the liver – happy liver = happy mood
Increase metabolism – rev your internal engine
Improve digestion – keep your system moving
Rebuild connective tissue – helps with arthritis, gout, asthma, rheumatism
Cancer prevention
Alleviate constipation
Boost energy – helps with chronic fatigue
Reduce blood pressure
Relieve headaches & migraines
Reduce kidney stones
High in antioxidants – destroy free-radicals that cause cancer
High in polyphenols
Improve eyesight
Heal eczema – can be applied topically to soften the skin
Prevent artheriosclerosis
Speed healing of ulcers – kills h.pylori on contact
Help clear up candida & yeast infections
Aid healthy cell regeneration
Reduce gray hair
Lower glucose levels – prevents spiking from eating

It’s also a fabulous pre & post workout drink! I’m not so sure about all of the claims listed above, but I can tell you that I feel so much better since drinking it daily. Anything to keep the gray hair away, right? 🙂

Kombucha Tea Recipe

Makes 1 Gallon

Supplies

• 1 cup sugar
• 4-6 bags tea –  for loose leaf, 1 bag of tea = 1 tsp
• Kombucha Starter Culture – SCOBY
• 1 cup starter liquid
• purified/bottled water
• tea kettle
• brewing vessel
• cloth cover
• rubber band

Steps

1. Boil 4 cups of water.
2. Add hot water & tea bags to pot or brewing vessel.
3. Steep 5-7 minutes, then remove tea bags.
4. Add sugar and stir to dissolve.
5. Fill vessel most of the way with purified water, leaving just 1-2 inches from the top for breathing room with purified cold water.
6. Add SCOBY and starter liquid.
7. Cover with cloth cover and secure with the rubber band.
8. Say a prayer (optional but recommended).
9. Set in a warm place out of direct sunlight (unless vessel is opaque).
10. Do not disturb for 7 days.

• After 7 days, or when you are ready to taste your KT, gently insert a straw beneath the SCOBY and take a sip. If too tart, then cut your brewing cycle next time.  If too sweet, allow to brew for a few more days.  Continue to taste every day or so until you reach your flavor preference. Your own Kombucha Tea Recipe may vary.
• Decant & flavor (optional).
• Drink as desired! Start off with 4-8oz on an empty stomach in the morning, then with meals to help with digestion or as your body tells you it would like some more! Drink plenty of water as it is a natural detoxifyer and you want to flush the newly released toxins out.

I almost always do a second ferment, which means when it’s done fermenting the first time around, it’s bottled. I typically bottle it with fruit to flavor it, then set it in the cupboard for 2-3 days before putting in the fridge. These flippy-top bottles work best, because they keep the little carbonation bubbles inside.  Be careful though–too much carbonation could cause your bottles to explode. I burp mine every night and that does the trick!

xoxo

Kathy