How to make Kombucha Tea

(PREAMBLE :  The acronym "SCOBY" stands for "Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast".  This is the "disc-shaped" organism that ferments the sugar and tea into "kombucha".  You may also hear it referred to as a "mushroom", since it does kind-of look like the top of a mushroom.  You may also hear it referred to as a "mother", since with each brand-new batch of kombucha that you make, a brand-new *baby* SCOBY is formed on the top surface of the tea in the jar  -- hence the "mother" SCOBY gives birth to a new baby SCOBY with each batch. )

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HOW TO MAKE KOMBUCHA
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STEP #1 ::  Obtain an already existing SCOBY and  . . 1 and 1/2 cups  . .  of "starter kombucha" from someone else (this is if you are just starting out.  if you have done this at least once, you can now use your own SCOBYs)

    (NOTE/HINT/TIP:  when handling a SCOBY, never use your bare hands...  always use something like "vinyl gloves".  The "hand oil" will damage the SCOBY)

STEP #2 ::  Place this "starter mix" in a clean 1 gallon glass jar, and let it sit waiting

STEP #3 ::  Separately, off on the other side of the room (i.e. in separate jar(s)) use this combination listed here ::


BASIC RECIPE
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10 cups of organic water
10 TBS (tablespoons) of plain organic cane sugar
8 teabags of plain/regular/**non-flavored** black organic tea (it is CRUCIAL that you use ** PLAIN ** black tea)


STEP #4 ::  Boil the 10 cups of water.  Pour this boiled water into a *SEPARATE* 1 gallon glass jar (*SEPARATE* from the other jar that contains the STARTER mixture)

STEP #5 ::  Mix into the boiled water and stir the 10 tablespoons of cane sugar

STEP #6 ::  Mix in the 8 teabags of black tea.  Stir and let sit UNTIL THE WATER BECOMES ROOM TEMPERATURE (less than 80 degrees).  Squeeze out the teabags to maximize the tea and water volume (it is CRUCIAL that you let the water cool down to room temperature)

STEP #7 ::  Take that cooled down (room temperature) tea and pour it into the OTHER/FIRST JAR that contains the kombucha starter mixture (which has the SCOBY)

STEP #8 ::  Let this sweet tea/kombucha mixture sit for about two weeks  ( NEVER STIR THIS MIXTURE ).  Over the next two weeks, watch the brand-new BABY SCOBY form on the top.  It should get about 1/2 inch thick.  ( NEVER STIR THIS MIXTURE ).  You must keep this tea jar at or above 72 degrees the entire time.  (ANOTHER IMPORTANT NOTE ::  keep your jar out of the direct sunlight.  It's best to have it on the counter -- or a shelf somewhere --  in shadow)

(NOTE/HINT/TIP:  while this sits and ferments, keep the top of the jar ** OPEN TO THE AIR ** -- [ do not seal it with a lid ]  --  *BUT* cover the top with a t-shirt, or coffee filter, or paper towel, and cinch it down using a gum-band.  This is to keep dust and dirt and insects out of the kombucha)

STEP #9 :: Along the way, at about the 1 week to 2 week mark, you can stick a straw down into the mixture, and place your finger over the top of the straw, to draw out a small sample and taste it.  If it tastes slightly apple-cider-vinegary, and fizzy - then IT'S READY !!


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FRUIT INFUSION AND FINAL KOMBUCHA MAKING TIME !!!
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STEP #10 ::  From the basic tea jar, filter/strain out the tea from the SCOBYs (you can leave the SCOBY(s) in the original jar).  The *NEW KOMBUCHA* will now be in a separate jar, and the SCOBYs will be in the original jar.  Place about 1 cup, or 1.5 cups,  of your NEW KOMBUCHA back in with the SCOBY(s), to use as your newest/latest starter mixture

. . . . . . . . (NOTE: Each time you make kombucha, you get one brand new SCOBY **per jar**. So after the first or second time, you can increase your production capacity.  (a.k.a. - get additional jars to make more kombucha each time)


STEP #11 ::  In yet another container, prepare your "fruit infusion mixture" ( this fruit combination is totally up to you and what you like )

. . . . . . . .  Here are some initial suggestions :

. . . . . . . .  (a) 12 oz mushed blueberries / 2 crushed sticks cinnamon (per gallon)
. . . . . . . .  (b) 12 oz mushed blackberries / 2 crushed sticks cinnamon (per gallon)
. . . . . . . .  (c) 8 oz mushed strawberries / 3 mushed apples (per gallon)
. . . . . . . .  (d) 1/2 mushed pineapple / 3 mushed kiwi (per gallon)
. . . . . . . .  (e) 12 oz mushed purple grapes / 1/4 mushed ginger root (per gallon)
. . . . . . . .  (f) 12 oz mushed cherries / 3 tablespoons of dried organic LAVENDER PETALS

. . . . . . . .  ( note...  all this fruit is organic... )
. . . . . . . .  ( note...  you can get ORGANIC DRIED LAVENDER at "Whole Foods" market - or the equivalent... )
. . . . . . . .  ( further note...  the reason that I "mush" - or - "blenderize" my fruit is because it maximizes the infusion of the FRUITY GOODNESS into the kombucha.  A "mushed" cherry will allow more fruit flavor to seep into the kombucha than a *whole* cherry... )


STEP #12 ::  Pour your "FRUIT MIXTURE" into the separated tea, and let sit and infuse for between two to three days.  Stir occasionally.  Be sure to put a lid on this jar (seal the jar), and place the jar in your refrigerator, to keep it cool while it infuses.

STEP #13 ::  After 2 to 3 days, filter/strain out the "FRUIT MIXTURE PULP" from the kombucha tea into a separate jar.  This is your new kombucha which you can place into smaller jars for storage and drinking.  ( BE CAREFUL !!!  DO NOT FILL THE SMALL JARS TOO FULL !!  BECAUSE WHEN YOU OPEN THEM, THEY WILL/SHALL EXPAND AND PERHAPS OVERFLOW DUE TO THE FIZZINESS AND GOODNESS !!!)

    (NOTE/HINT/TIP:  when straining/filtering the fruit from the Kombucha, rather than using a strainer - which still leaves some of the pulp in with the kombucha  --  you can use a "delicates bag", which you can purchase from WalMart in the laundry section.  This is a fine mesh bag which will get out practically all of the fruit/pulp/solids.  *PLUS* you can squeeze out the kombucha to the maximum extent so as to maximize the kombucha liquid!)

    (NOTE/HINT/TIP:  OPTIONS are ::  (1) use a "delicates bag", or (2) use a "paint strainer bag", or (3) use a "nut milk bag")


STEP #14 ::  Repeat all this again with STEP #1

STEP #15 ::  If you so desire, after you have separated your fruit pulp from the kombucha, you could certainly use the fruit pulp in fruit smoothies !!!