How to make your own kombucha - easy recipe

One of the most delicious drinks I've had is this home made kombucha. The process making it takes a while (three weeks) but the results are oh so worth it. Michel Duran is the master behind this kombucha recipe which is also on his blog at fitlifemove.com

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• Ingredients

• Recipe

Kombucha contains caffeine since it is made with tea. For that reason, I only have it in the morning, or at the very least before noon so it doesn't affect my sleep. It's a delicious pre workout drink, ideal to give you that extra kick before your morning HIIT class.

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Making YOUR OWN KOMBUCHA IS A VERY EASY PROCESS

Making your own Kombucha is very easy even though it’s more or less a 3 weeks process before you can taste the magical drink.

WARNING

Be careful – if you didn’t use a strainer (you’ll understand later in the recipe), small parts of the scoby will go in the bottles making the fermentation process ongoing and increasing the pressure.

I had once a glass bottle exploded and cut in half (thankfully nobody was near the bottle when it happened) and another time while I opened a bottle to serve the magical drink, the pressure made the liquid gushed out of the bottle and land on one of the kitchen wall… not the best approach when you have friends over…

INGREDIENTS

What you need – for 3 1/2 l of water.

• 4 green or black tea bags or table spoons. You can go for the traditional cheap tea bags, I discovered not long ago that using tea that you really like will provide another level of taste. Possibilities are endless as to what type of tea you choose.

• 1 big cup of white sugar.
  

• A kombucha scoby (the mother). Ask around your friends if somebody would be willing to give you one. With time the scoby multiple itself and you have to throw some away.

Kombucha scoby

• A big pot to boil water to make tea.

• A big glass jar. You need to remove the lid and put a tea towel in order for the kombucha to breath.

• A funnel made of plastic.

• A strainer made of plastic.

• Bottles made of glass with a very strong system to attached the lid. Can be recycled kombucha bottles, cider bottles. As the kombucha is poured in the bottle, the fermentation process keeps going and if it’s not strongly closed, the lid will pop up due to the gaz pressure.

kombucha RECIPE

Once you have all the ingredients, get started!

• In a big jar, boil 3.5 l of water.

• Pour the sugar, stir to dissolve the sugar.

• Make the tea.

Make the tea in a large pot

• Set aside to wait for the tea to be at room temperature.

• In the big glass jar, put the scoby.

• When the tea is at room temperature, pour it in the jar close the jar with the tea towel, I use an elastic to make sure it’s well attached.

Close the jar with a cloth or towel so the kombucha can breath

• Set in a place with no light for 2 weeks.

AFTER TWO WEEKS:

• Pour the kombucha in the glass bottles, using a strainer to avoid small parts of the scoby to go in the bottle. It’s basically to avoid your bottles to become pressurized –remember the warning at the beginning of the article.

• You can add ginger (I reuse the ginger over and over) or other fruits to give a specific taste, again endless possibilities here.

• Make sure the bottle are well closed.

• Set aside for a week before being able to drink it.

useful precaution

Last but not least, when you open your ready to drink bottle, if you hear and see lots of bumbles coming near the opening, hold the lid and let the extra pressure out.

Yes home made kombucha is an adventure, but very worth it, I’ve been doing it for the last 4 years and can report no more exploded bottles or kitchen walls damaged!

Michel Duran