≡ Menu

DIY Kombucha!

Andrew and I started brewing our own Kombucha–and we are obsessed.

We love the process, the taste, the effects and the health benefits.  If you have been to our house in the past couple weeks, you have been offered a taste, everyone is surpised by how good it is, and even more by how it improves your health.

I have no inclination or cravings for anything from coffee shops anymore, just Kombucha.

I used to buy one every so often when I shopped at a natural grocery store, but they are PRICEY…so we started making our own.  And for pennies we are able to have it daily.

Health Benefits:

I know it has a sort of funny name, but Kombucha is an ancient drink that can be traced back to Russian and Chinese roots.  It is a fermented tea.

The fermentation loads the tea with natural probiotics, which are good for your digestion, your gut, immunity and aids in nutrient assimilation into your body.  In fact, Kombucha is known as a ‘cure all’ drink, but  it’s not that it cures you, it actually boosts your own immunity so well, your body is healthier and stronger in fighting off everything from infection to cancer.

There is even a rumor that when Ronald Reagan was diagnosed with Cancer, his old soviet friends told him about Kombucha, and he drank it daily, causing him to not die of cancer, but old age.  (We have heard this story more than once, but have only seen anecdotal stories online)

So not only is it a probiotic, it is detoxifying and energizing.  When I drink Kombucha I feel as though I can even think more clearly.  (Mommy win!)

The taste is unique, yet pleasant, sweet and strong.

It can help you make wiser food choices; you’re less ravenous so you can choose the salad over the bacon cheeseburger.

Andrew and I have it after lunch and we skip through the afternoon sleepers because we feel so great.

***

Sounds great right?  Why doesn’t everyone drink it.  Well, it requires a LIVE culture (aka bacteria) and it’s kind of crazy looking.  But–if you don’t mind, then here you go, a detailed list (Because Andrew helped) of brewing your very own delicious, healthy, wonderful Kombucha!

***

How to make your own Kombucha so you can feel great, improve your gut and immunity, all while saving money.

(And it’s way better than soda)

This recipe is for making a 1 gallon batch, but can be increased proportionally  ( <—Oh Andrew ; )

What you will need:

1.  Start with organic sugar (Evaporated Cane Juice) which you can get at any health food store, or online here. (Ours is cheaper at the store)
2.  A box of organic black or green tea.  (We think the black tea Kombucha tastes much better)
3.  Purified Water (I mean, you really have to buy purified water, not from the tap.)
4.  Glass jar (only glass, so not one of those cute ones with a plastic spigot, the fermentation process can eat plastic) probably a 2 or 2 1/2 gallon jar, we got this one. (Don’t get anything not made in the US, lead concerns)

Kombucha prep
5. Towel or cheese cloth and a rubber band
6. SCOBY – If you have a friend who already makes Kombucha you can get one from them for free.  We got ours online from Esty for like 6 bucks.  (Once you buy ONE, you can use it and reuse it)
7.  Vinegar for sanitizing

Once you have your materials, you’re set!

 

Brewing Kombucha:

1. Pour Water 1 cup sugar and 1 gallon water in a pot and bring to a boil. Stirring the sugar in to dissolve.  (It’s the sugar that is eaten up in the fermentation process)

kombucha pouring the sugar

 

2. When boil begins, turn the heat off then put 8 tea bags in the water to steep. Cover and leave in for at least 10 minutes.  We usually leave in for about 30.

making the sweet tea for kombucha

3. Let Sweet Tea cool to room temperature.

4.  Once tea is cooled to room temp, you can make sure your jar is totally clean and then pour some vinegar in it and swish around to sanitize – Very important that your environment and equipment is super clean.  You can also use sanitizing solutions.  Here is one that we have used and liked

{This is our jar getting sanitized before we pour the sweet tea in}

kombucha
4.  Ok, so now you are ready to pour your tea into your jar.  Then place your new friend SCOBY on top of the tea .

kombucha - scoby pitching the scoby - kombucha scoby in it's new home - Kombucha

5.  Then secure your clean cloth or cheese cloth on top with a rubber band.  (if it sinks a bit it is ok, it will get pushed back up to the top once the fermentation really gets going.)

kombucha

6.  Put the jar in a semi-dark spot with no direct sunlight and ideally at 70-85 F temp.  Our house is usually a tad cooler than this, so we just have to wait a bit longer for fermentation as it slows down at cooler temps.  Then your job is DONE for a bit, and the Scoby takes over.  It eats and ferments the sugar and caffeine while creating a fizzy, probiotic, delicious drink for you as it sits.

night night kombucha

7.  After about 5 days, you can taste by pulling some out through a straw, although there is a fair amount of evidence that the most beneficial bacterias don’t show up until about 14-21days.  Really you can drink it whenever it tastes good to you.  Usually if you wait that long it can get be pretty vinegar tasting, but fear not, there is a great way to get the best flavor and the best health benefits and we’ll get to that soon.  Just get going on your first batch!

8.  Then syphon it into the your storage bottles, refrigerate and enjoy!  And guess what, your SAME scoby will be stronger and better and ready for the next batch of cooled sugar tea to be added to the jar to start the fermentation process again.  The gift that keeps on giving.

kombucha harvest

 

My goodness, enjoy.  I am having some now as we speak.  Maria loves it, the boys are iffy.

Cheers!  To your health, happiness and enjoyment!

 

 

Pin it for later —–> http://www.pinterest.com/pin/181762534935466241/

DIY Kombucha

***

{We are now selling Kombucha Packs for anyone interested in easily starting their own kombucha at home.  Once you start, it will be self sustaining!}

DIY Tiny Green Kombucha Pack will include:

  • Your very own ‘pet,’ I mean Scoby 🙂  Healthy, organic and ready to go
  • Starter tea liquid to begin the fermentation process.
  • Organic black tea with instructions
  • Organic, evaporated Cane Juice measured to fit your first batch.
  • Printable Instructions, labeled so that you can begin even the day you receive it quickly and easily so the fermentation process can begin!

All you’ll need is a glass jar and purified water and you’ll be set to go!  Today I was having the worst stomach pains, doubled over and kombucha cured me!  It was amazing, can’t believe we have this on hand anytime we need.

To order email: amy@tinygreenelephants.com

Price for Tiny Green Kombucha Starter Pack: $40

 

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Comments on this entry are closed.

  • mommaofmany April 1, 2014, 3:37 pm

    I’ve been an avid kombucha drinker for a long time. It takes away my joint pain and I love the energy it gives me! I don’t use purified water to prepare it, though. I just bring my water to a boil and let it cool back to room temperature.

    • tinyteam April 1, 2014, 8:20 pm

      Awesome, good to know about your joints, that’s so awesome!

  • Alicia April 1, 2014, 3:37 pm

    Girl, you read my mind! I’ve been wanting to make this, we are working on restoring my daughter’s gut after she was one three different antibiotics for a horrible bout of pneumonia. She’s 4 and it’s the first time she’s been on antibiotics and they wreaked havoc on her poor little self. I’ve read blog posts about Kombucha but it seems so intimidating and the posts I’ve seen come from like professionals, not “regular people”, heh. This is so great. I’m so glad you shared! I think I’m going to have to try it.

    • tinyteam April 1, 2014, 8:21 pm

      Totally, right? It’s WAY simple when you just start your first batch! Poor little thing, I hope this helps! xoxo

  • Laural April 1, 2014, 6:38 pm

    I’ve been wanting to do this forever! I thought getting my hands on a scoby would be the hardest part (next stop, Etsy!), but where on earth can I find a glass jar that big? I’ve never seen one!

    • tinyteam April 1, 2014, 8:22 pm

      Hey! I just went back and added a link to the one we bought from Amazon under the section about supplies! Go check it out and see! <3

  • Nicole April 2, 2014, 1:46 am

    And if you want to go on with self made good for your health
    … you have fruit kefir.
    http://www.culturesforhealth.com/kefir
    We made it every day. It’s nice when the weather is hot ! 🙂

  • January April 2, 2014, 4:37 am

    Thank you for explaining what kombucha is! I keep hearing about it, but had no idea that it’s basically fermented tea. What a cool way to get probiotic goodness! Does it matter whether or not the tea is caffeinated?

  • Barbara April 3, 2014, 1:13 pm

    I brew Kombucha also. Every time I make it, it grows a new SCOBY, so when the brewing time is over, I end up with 2 SCOBY instead of one. Does this happen to you too? Also, I store my SCOBY in about 1-2 cups of Kombucha (depending on how many SCOBY I have) and use 1 cup of this Kombucha in each new batch of Kombucha I make. After a batch of Kombucha has brewed and I de-cant it I always reserve 1 cup to store the SCOBY and to be used in the next new batch of Kombucha.

  • Marrina April 29, 2014, 4:57 pm

    This is awesome I’ve been making Kombucha for a few months now, and I love it. My parents use to make it all the time when I was little for my stomach problems. At the time I hated it but of course I love it now. I’m having a problem getting to be fizzy. Does your batches come out fizzy? I always leave mine for 3 to 4 weeks and then second fermentation in the bottles for a week and a half. Love your blogs!

  • Jillian May 19, 2014, 12:20 pm

    I would really love to try this! I have been making Kefir for a while and recently used those grains to ferment apple juice–it was delicious!! Does your Scoby reproduce? If you’re interested in Kefir grains, I will mail you some!

    • Melissa August 1, 2016, 7:56 pm

      I would love some kefir grains would you be willing to send me some I am having no luck finding them around me

  • Rene' August 8, 2015, 8:54 am

    Is there any special care you have to do with the scoby when you are done with the process?

  • kellee May 29, 2016, 1:25 pm

    hi what happens if it to get to the vinerga stage? what can you do with it?

  • Melissa August 1, 2016, 7:57 pm

    Jillian would you be willing to send me some I can not find any around here