KOMBUCHA
1 gallon
Kombucha is a fermented tea made with the help of a SCOBY, or Symbiotic Community Of Bacteria and Yeast. This sets it apart from the ferments above, which rely solely on the yeasts and bacteria contained within the food being fermented. Because a new SCOBY forms on top of each batch of kombucha, enthusiastic kombucha brewers often give them away to the curious, though they may also be purchased online. Alternatively, you may culture your own SCOBY: Proceed with the recipe below but make only a half batch. Instead of adding the mature SCOBY and starter tea, pour in an entire 16-ounce bottle of unpasteurized kombucha. Then wait until a SCOBY forms on top of the kombucha.
Bring to a boil in a large saucepan:
- 1 quart water
Remove from the heat and add:
- 8 tea bags or 2 tablespoons loose tea (black, green, white, oolong, or pu-erh)
- 1 cup sugar
Stir to dissolve the sugar and allow the tea to steep for 20 minutes. Remove the tea bags or strain out the loose tea and add:
- 3 quarts cold water
Pour the cooled tea mixture into a large jar or vessel of some kind (not metal) and add:
- 1 mature kombucha SCOBY and 1 cup “starter tea” (fully fermented kombucha from a previous batch or from store-bought unpasteurized kombucha)
The SCOBY may float or sink—both are normal. Cover the jar with a cloth or paper towel secured with a rubber band.
Ferment, tasting periodically, until the kombucha is as sour as you want it, 1 to 3 weeks. This will take longer in the winter than in the summer.
Remove the SCOBY (and the new SCOBY that has formed on the surface of the kombucha) and 1 cup of starter tea for your next batch (keep the SCOBY and starter tea in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 month, or start a new batch of kombucha right away). You may drink the kombucha right away or proceed with a secondary fermentation.
For secondary fermentation, decant the kombucha into bottles and seal. If your kombucha is already very sour, add a teaspoon of sugar to each bottle to jump-start fermentation. You may also add a few berries to each jar. Let the bottles sit at room temperature for a few days. If using glass jars, open them periodically to gauge whether any pressure has built up. At first, you may want to use plastic bottles with screw-top lids. When the bottles feel tight, the kombucha has fermented enough and should be refrigerated.