Kombucha Fuel

Kombucha and Mead Homebrewing Demo

2012-01-07T10:39:00.000-05:00

I hope you all are enjoying the New Years, with plenty of kombucha! I'm looking forward to another kombucha demo on Sunday, January 22, in conjunction with a mead homebrewing demo as well! The details are below, and I hope to see you there!

Kombucha and Mead Homebrewing Demo

This is a two part demo. First kombucha, then mead.

When: Sunday, January 22, 2012, at 2 pm

Where: The Whirlybird Coop at 36 Faneuil St., Brighton, MA 02109

Cost: Free, but to take home a Kombucha Mother would be a cost of $15

RSVP at: http://www.meetup.com/Urban-Homesteaders-League/events/43812992/

Kombucha Homebrewing Demo:

Presenter: Annabelle Ho

Kombucha is a fermented tea traced back to Chinese origins to around 220 B.C. Numerous health benefits have been attributed to kombucha, including curing cancer, reducing blood pressure, boosting the immune system, and aiding digestion. Kombucha is also said to have probiotics and detoxifying effects.

Brewing kombucha is quite easy to do at home, and it's fun! Annabelle Ho, author of the blog Kombucha Fuel, will demonstrate and explain the basics of brewing and bottling kombucha. Topics to be covered include required materials, the traditional and continuous brewing methods, how to grow your own kombucha mushroom, and more.

Samples of home-brewed kombucha tea will be available to taste. SCOBYs will also be available for individuals to take home. For those interested in adopting a kombucha mushroom, bringing a clean, glass pint jar would help to facilitate distribution.

For more information on kombucha and how to brew it, visit http://www.kombuchafuel.com.

Have questions about this event? E-mail Annabelle at kombuchafuel[at]gmail.com.

Annabelle Ho is the author of Kombucha Fuel and has been brewing kombucha for the past three years. She is a recent graduate from Boston University with a degree in nutrition, and she is currently training to be a holistic health coach at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Annabelle’s interests include herbalism, gardening, agriculture, food, sustainability, and playing the cello.

Mead Homebrewing Demo:

Presenter: Nathan Larson

Description: Mead is an alcoholic beverage similar to wine in it's alcoholic content. It is made from honey, water, and yeasties. I heard about how to make and watched some you tube videos about it so obvi I'm an expert now (not quite) but I've done a batch once already and can explain how it was done. It's pretty easy.

This event is co-sponsored by the Urban Homesteaders' League (http://www.meetup.com/Urban-Homesteaders-League), Boston Collective House Assembly (assembly.bostoncoops.org, http://meetup.bostoncoops.org/) and Branches (branches.bostoncoops.org).

Kombucha Happenings Around Town!

2011-09-27T11:14:00.000-04:00

This past year has been great for kombucha in the Cambridge area. I've been making numerous additions to my Google map, Where to Buy Kombucha Around Boston, MA, and want to highlight the latest additions:

Life Alive, located at 765 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139
Greenhouse Café at the Science Center of Harvard University, 1 Oxford St. Cambridge, MA 02138
Formaggio Kitchen at 244 Huron Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138
Pemberton Farms and Garden Center at 2225 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02140

In addition, Culinary Cruisers, which just started up this past year, has been up to a lot of kombucha fun. From their Facebook Page: "The Culinary Cruiser Team is made up of siblings, Josh and Leah Danoff, and our friend Jennifer Johnsrud. We are all incredibly passionate about food and completely obsessed with the current mobile food revolution. Here at Culinary Cruisers we specialize in custom-built, pedal powered bicycle food carts. We've recently partnered up with Katalyst Kombucha, and our first bike, the Kombucha Cruiser, can be found serving up our delicious, raw and organic kombucha on tap at:"

The Science Center at Harvard

Every Monday and Wednesday from 11am - 5pm.

At 1 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138.
Harvard Farmers Market:

Every Tuesday, noon – 6:00 pm, June 14th through October 25th

At the intersection of Kirkland St & Oxford St, Cambridge, MA 02138. On the lawn between the Science Center and Memorial Hall.
Medford Farmers Market:

Every Thursday, 3:00 – 7:00 pm, June 16th through October 13th

At the Whole Foods Market Parking Lot, 2151 Mystic Valley Parkway (Rt. 16), Medford, MA 02155
Cambridge Farmers Market:

Every Friday, noon – 6 pm, Charles Square, June 3rd through November 18th

Every Sunday, 10 am – 3 pm, Charles Square, May 22nd through November 20th

At the intersection of Eliot Street and Bennett Street in the Charles Hotel Plaza at Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA 02138.

Sounds pretty awesome. Visit the Culinary Cruiser Facebook page for their latest updates.

All of these locations and more can be found on my map, Where to Buy Kombucha Around Boston, MA. And if you discover that I'm missing a location, please let me know!

Happy kombucha drinking!

Kombucha Demo at The Boston Local Food Festival

2011-09-21T17:05:00.003-04:00

I am very excited to be participating in The 2nd Annual Boston Local Food Festival on Saturday, October 1. "Produced by the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Boston (SBN), the festival is built upon the principals of creating a local, green, and fair economy and promotes the benefits of eating local food and to offer a diversity of locally grown and sourced dishes at affordable prices of $5 or less."

The festival will take place along Fort Point Channel near the Boston Children's Museum (which is located at 300 Congress St., Boston, MA) and on Children's Wharf Park form 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. For more information about The Boston Local Food Festival, visit their website.

My kombucha demo will take place at the DIY how2heroes booth from 12:15 - 12:45 pm. Unfortunately, I will be unable to provide any kombucha samples or kombucha mushrooms due to regulations. Thus, the demo will focus on the basics of brewing and bottling kombucha, as well as how to grow your own/how to source a kombucha mushroom. There will also be other presenters at the Do-It-Yourself Demo tent throughout the day, for plenty of DIY fun! Check out the schedule for the DIY Demos here.

I'm looking forward to the demo, and I hope you'll join us at the festival!

Update: Kombucha Fuel Page on Facebook

2011-08-31T14:23:00.004-04:00

Hello kombucha friends,

I've really been enjoying Kombucha Fuel on Facebook, it's great to interact with all of you lovely readers and fellow brewers! However, it is time to move my Kombucha Fuel Facebook profile to a Facebook page, and better to do it sooner, rather than later, for various reasons. Over the next few days I will be attempting the conversion, and according to Facebook, this is what will transfer: my profile pictures, and all of my friends as people who like my page. If you somehow accidentally get lost in the conversion process, find Kombucha Fuel as a page on Facebook! This may also mean that I will need to restart the Facebook note, "Kombucha SCOBY Exchange." Stay tuned, and thanks for your patience!

Addendum September 3, 2011

I have completed the conversion to the Facebook page, and luckily I believe most people were not lost in the process! You can find my Facebook page here, and my new note for the Kombucha SCOBY Exchange here. Thanks, and I hope you are enjoying this labor day weekend with some kombucha! :)

Want to share your kombucha story?

2011-08-19T15:22:00.001-04:00

Hello kombucha enthusiasts,

I hope you all are having a great summer, with plenty of kombucha! I am looking for kombucha stories, and hope to share these stories with others! I'm looking for all kinds of stories, but I am particularly interested in stories about how kombucha has affected your lifestyle, changed your life, how it has influenced someone close to you, etc. Funny stories are welcome, too! This can include stories involving homebrewed kombucha, or even store-bought kombucha if you haven't gotten your homebrewing on yet. If you have a story to share, please e-mail it to me at kombuchafuel [at] gmail.com. If you submit a story and give your permission, I'm hoping to republish some of these stories on my blog, giving the author credit or anonymity as desired. I will be taking these stories on a rolling basis, so feel free to submit stories whenever you like!

Thanks, and I look forward to hearing from you!

Happy brewing,

Annabelle

Next Kombucha Demo: July 23

2011-07-09T12:03:00.002-04:00

Looking forward to my next Kombucha Demo on Saturday, July 23, from 2-3 pm in Brookline, MA. For more details and to RSVP, please visit the event page on the Urban Homesteaders' League here. You can also RSVP by e-mailing me at kombuchafuel[at]gmail.com. Hope to see you there!

Fruit Fly Trap

2011-07-01T11:50:00.003-04:00

Fruit flies can be quite troublesome for kombucha brewers, particularly during the warmer months. To help prevent fruit flies from getting into your brew, it is suggested to cover your ferment with a breathable covering with tight weaving. If you do use cheesecloth, layering the cheesecloth with multiple layers is also recommended.

Brewing

Making a fruit fly trap is an effective and easy way to catch fruit flies. To make a fruit fly trap, take a glass jar, and add some kombucha or apple cider vinegar (or any vinegar other than white vinegar) to the bottom with a few drops of liquid soap. Placing an inverted funnel in the glass jar (such as the top half of a plastic water bottle) also helps to ensure that the fruit flies won't escape.

Fruit fly trap

Read some more about kombucha and fruit flies and other kombucha cautions and concerns on Happy Herbalist.

Q&A: I left my kombucha mushroom in the fridge for awhile. Can I still use it?

2011-05-05T09:20:00.001-04:00

I've been receiving many questions about individuals who have SCOBYs stored in the fridge, or brews forgotten on the counter. Can you still use the SCOBY to brew?

I typically say yes, but it also depends on various factors.

Usually I recommend to individuals that SCOBYs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a year, with increased chances of the SCOBY remaining viable the better your sanitation is. In addition, I usually do not recommend individuals to leave their brews out for more than a few weeks, but this is also dependent on several factors (for example, fermentation goes slower at cooler temperatures). If you do leave your brew forgotten on the counter, it's still possible that you can use your kombucha mushroom.

Typically, kombucha smells like hard cider or apple cider vinegar. The longer the kombucha and the mushroom are stored, the more acidic the kombucha will be in taste and smell. Here are some suggestions for what to do if your kombucha is too sour.

If you notice anything funky, such as mold, or off-odors, it may be safer to just discard your kombucha mushroom in the compost. If this is the case, you may consider growing a kombucha mushroom or finding other sources for a SCOBY.

However, if you don't find anything out of the ordinary, you may just want to give brewing with the mushroom a try! If you have some fresher starter tea to use as well, that can also be helpful.

If a SCOBY has remained dormant in the fridge for awhile, it may take a few cycles for the mushroom to kick back into gear. And if your intention is to grow a nice thick mushroom (because brewing good-tasting kombucha and growing a thick SCOBY do not always equate to the same thing), you may consider reading this post for tips. Once you have a good younger mushroom to brew with (or a few), you may want to put the older SCOBY to rest in the compost. In my experience, the younger mushrooms tend to out-perform the older ones.

Unsure if your brew or mushroom are safe? Read Happy Herbalist's Kombucha Cautions and Safe Brewing Tips. Some pictures of healthy mushrooms can be found in this post, and pictures of healthy (and unhealthy) mushrooms can be found on Happy Herbalist's Kombucha Pictures page.

Happy brewing!

Upcoming Kombucha Demo on Monday, May 16

2011-05-03T10:08:00.003-04:00

My next Kombucha Demo will be on Monday, May 16, from 7-8 pm in Brookline, MA. For more details and to RSVP, go to the event page on the Urban Homesteaders' League here. You may also RSVP by e-mailing me at kombuchafuel[at]gmail.com. Hope you'll join us!

Kombucha Demo on March 21

2011-03-08T14:39:00.003-05:00

I am happy to announce that my next kombucha demo will be on Monday, March 21, from 7-8 pm in Brookline, MA. For more details and to RSVP, please go to the event page on the Urban Homesteaders' League. If you have any questions about the event, please e-mail me at kombuchafuel [at] gmail.com.

Hope to see you there!

Keeping the Kombucha Brew Warm

2011-02-07T10:30:00.003-05:00

It's been a pretty cold and snowy winter this year in Boston, and because the house that I'm currently living in is on the chilly side, I finally decided to purchase a seedling mat for my brew!

Ideally, kombucha brews at around 74 - 84 degrees F. According to Happy Herbalist, the warmer temperatures produce a "faster more consistent ferment while the lower temperatures produce a less harsh more mellow taste though more inconsistent and with a greater susceptibility to molds and pathogens forming. Kombucha brewing seems to work better in the summer than in the winter months."

I agree that kombucha brewing works much better during the summer months than in the winter. So to keep my kombucha warm, I purchased this seedling mat from Amazon. The mat, which you plug into an electric outlet, is supposed to warm the area about 10-20 degrees F above ambient temperature. Although the kombucha and SCOBYs still don't seem to be as happy as they typically are during the summer, the seedling mat has definitely helped!

Other ideas to keep your kombucha warm:

Brewing your kombucha in a warm (but undisturbed) location, such as in a kitchen cupboard
Brewing the kombucha in a cabinet with a light bulb (as recommended by Happy Herbalist)
Using a heating pad

What do you do to keep your kombucha warm?

Next Kombucha Demo: Jan. 31

2011-01-24T13:12:00.004-05:00

My next Kombucha Demo will be one week from today: Monday, January 31, from 7-8 pm in Brookline.

For more information about the demo and to sign up, please go to the event page on the Urban Homesteaders' League here.

Hope to see you there!

Kombucha Back on the Shelves

2010-12-29T20:13:00.000-05:00

Here is a much delayed follow-up on the Kombucha Recall!

Earlier this year, there was a Kombucha Recall in many stores. This was not a quality issue, but it was due to the alcohol content of kombucha. For a beverage to be sold as a non-alcoholic beverage, the alcohol content must be under .5%. Because kombucha can reach alcohol levels of around 2-something % due to the fermentation process, many brands of kombucha were taken off of store shelves in June because they did not meet the < .5% alcohol content requirement of a non-alcoholic beverage. I read about one company's reaction to the recall on Kombucha Kamp. Because CEO David Koretz, founder of Vibranz Kombucha, had a background in wine-making and expertise in fermented foods, after the recall they were able to reformulate and get their kombucha back on the shelves in only two weeks!

Although not all of the kombucha companies were able to respond to the recall as quickly, it is good to see that numerous brands of kombucha are back on store shelves again. However, some may notice that the kombucha does not taste quite the same as before. How did the companies get the alcohol content to below .5%? Below are some possibilities of how to reduce the alcohol content of kombucha. Please note that I don't actually know what each company is specifically doing to reduce the alcohol content of their kombucha- they may be doing one, several, or none of the options that I list below.

Before I list the various methods, a reminder about the fermentation process: Kombucha is fermented with a SCOBY, also known as a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts. The yeasts convert the sugars to alcohol and CO2, and the bacteria convert most (but not all) of the alcohol to organic acids, such as acetic acid, and water.

To reduce the alcoholic content of kombucha:

Pasteurization- this process kills the live cultures in kombucha, so the yeasts can no longer produce alcohol. However, through this method, you are losing the benefits of having live cultures in your beverage. Fortunately, it seems that the brands that produced raw kombucha before the recall have decided to continue to stay raw and unpasteurized.
Earlier expiration dates- refrigeration slows down the fermentation process significantly, but not completely. If the yeasts are still living while the kombucha is in the fridge, they can continue to produce alcohol. Earlier expiration dates help to ensure that the alcohol content won't reach .5%.
Altering fermentation methods- this includes numerous methods. For example, as you can see from this chart, the alcohol content varies according to the amount of time the kombucha ferments. By altering the amount of time that you brew your kombucha, you can affect the alcohol content of your brew. However, numerous other factors affect kombucha, its alcoholic content, and its rate of fermentation, including temperature, amount of starter used, which strains of bacteria and yeasts are in your brew, etc.
Favoring the bacteria in your SCOBY- this can also be done using various methods. For example, the sediment that is present at the bottom of your fermentation vessel contains yeasts/dead yeasts cells. By filtering these yeast cells out, you are favoring the bacteria, and not the yeasts, which produce the alcohol.
Diluting the kombucha with water- not ideal, and I'm not sure if any companies actually do it, but it's another possibility.

More methods suggested in this Kombucha Kamp blog post featuring Ed Kasper of Happy Herbalist include (read the post for more details):

Removal of alcohol (such as in the production of non-alcoholic wines)
Know your yeasts! Select specific yeast strains and exclude the yeasts that contribute to higher alcohol content

In addition, here is a link to a podcast where you can listen to (and read the transcript of) Hannah Krum of Kombucha Kamp talk to GT Dave of GT's Kombucha about his product returning to store shelves. (Please note that this interview was before GT's Kombuchas returned to store shelves). According to this interview, GT Dave says that they were not going to change their kombucha formula nor dilute their beverage. And in this blog post, you can read more about GT's two new kombucha lines: the "Enlightened" line with less than .5% alcohol, and the "Full Strength" kombucha line, which contains over .5% alcohol- even though it may take some time before you see the "full strength" version in your area.

Although most companies have tried to get their kombucha to below .5% alcohol so that they can continue to sell it as a non-alcoholic beverage, two companies are taking a different approach to kombucha, by combining kombucha and beer: Lambrucha and Goose Island's Fleur.

It's really too bad that kombucha had to be taken off of store shelves not because of a quality issue, but because of its alcohol content, which is typically still pretty low at <3%. It's great to see numerous brands of kombucha back on store shelves, but again, the great thing about home-brewing is that you can brew your kombucha to exactly how you enjoy it! If you are interested in beginning to brew kombucha, here are several kombucha brewing recipes to get you started.

Upcoming Kombucha Demonstration in Brookline

2010-11-30T15:42:00.007-05:00

The information about my next kombucha demo is provided below. However, due to limited capacity, RSVP is required on the Urban Homsteaders' League Meetup Page here. (You will need to join the group, but you can always leave the group after the demo).

Thanks, and hope to see you there!

Kombucha Demo

Date: Monday, December 13, 2010

Time: 7-8 pm

Location: TBA, in Brookline, MA. Nearby T stops: Harvard Avenue Station stop on the B (green) line, Coolidge Corner stop on the C (green) line

The exact location of the workshop will be e-mailed to participants the night before the event.

Cost: Sliding scale, $15-$30

Description:

For more information on kombucha and how to brew it, visit http://www.kombuchafuel.com.

__________________________________________________________________________

Annabelle Ho is the author of Kombucha Fuel and has been brewing kombucha for over two years. She is currently an undergraduate student studying nutrition in Boston and is the president of Slow Food BU. Annabelle’s interests include herbalism, gardening, agriculture, and biking.

Simple Brewing and Bottling Instructions

2010-11-27T16:38:00.005-05:00

These are my simple brewing instructions that I provided at my demo earlier this year for the Urban Homesteaders' League Market Stand. In addition, I've included my simple bottling instructions. More detailed brewing instructions can be found here, and more detailed bottling instructions are here. In addition, this is a link to a post where I list/link to several other kombucha recipes for more perspective and additional information. There is no recipe that's "right." Every brewer has his or her own style and favorite recipe, so adapt the recipe to what works for you!

My next Kombucha Brewing Demo will be sometime in December. Stay tuned for details, and happy brewing!

BREWING DIRECTIONS

Note: It is recommended to clean the equipment with white distilled vinegar, because of soap’s antibacterial properties, which may harm the bacteria in the SCOBY.

Materials

1 kombucha culture (also known as a kombucha mother or a SCOBY)
2 black or green tea bags (or around 1 tsp. loose leaf tea) per quart water
¼ cup (50 g) sugar per quart water
½ cup (4 fl. oz) starter tea per quart water
Water
1 glass jar
1 pot to boil the water (such as stainless steel, don’t use aluminum)
1 clean cloth or paper towel
1 rubber band

Directions

1. Boil the water.

2. Add the tea and allow it to steep for 15 minutes.

3. Remove the tea bags/tea leaves.

4. Add the sugar and stir until it all dissolves.

5. Let the sweet tea solution cool down to room temperature (hot temperatures can kill the SCOBY).

6. Pour the sweet tea solution into the brewing container.

7. Add the starter tea into the brewing container and stir it so that it’s evenly distributed throughout the solution.

8. Add the SCOBY that is also at room temperature (it’s ok if it floats or sinks).

9. Cover the container with the clean cloth and secure it with a rubber band.

10. Put your brewing vessel in a quiet, undisturbed spot.

a. With each brewing cycle, a new baby mushroom typically forms.

b. SCOBYs like warm temperatures and the brewing vessel shouldn’t be moved during the fermentation process, because movement will disrupt the formation of the new SCOBY.

c. SCOBYs prefer warm temperatures and brewing between 75-85 F is ideal, 68-85 F is ok.

11. Leave the tea to ferment for 6-14 days (kombucha ferments more quickly in warmer temperatures, so the 6-14 days is just a guideline).

12. Your kombucha tea is done! (Signs include an apple cider vinegar aroma or taste. Taste is the best indicator; it should taste similar to a slighty fizzy version of apple cider vinegar).

13. Set aside a SCOBY and some kombucha as starter tea for your next brew.

14. Drink your kombucha tea as is and store the extra in the fridge, or consider letting your kombucha undergo a second fermentation in the bottling process.

Tip: When first learning how to brew, it is recommended to brew smaller batches (1-2 quarts). Once you get the hang of it and the kombucha mother has produced new SCOBYs, you can brew larger quantities.

Sources:

BOTTLING DIRECTIONS

Materials

Kombucha
Bottles and caps
Bottle capper (if you are bottling your kombucha in beer bottles)
Optional: small pieces of cut up fruit, ginger, herbs, or jams to add flavors to your kombucha. The possibilities are endless!

Directions

Optional: Add some flavors to your brew by adding little pieces of cut up fruit, ginger, herbs, or jam to your bottles. Smaller pieces are better because they give the yeast more surface area to act on.
Fill your bottle(s).

I typically leave around 1.5 inches of headroom for a 12 oz beer bottle.

Cap your bottle(s).
Leave your bottle(s) out at room temperature for 1-2 days, or for week(s).
Fill your bottle(s).

The kombucha is undergoing a secondary fermentation, which can produce more fizz in the kombucha. The secondary fermentation is also a good opportunity to add different flavors to your brew.
Kombucha ferments more quickly at higher temperatures.
Typically when I have a batch I try one bottle after a few days, and decide whether the rest of the bottles are ready to refrigerate or require more time to ferment.
*PLEASE NOTE* if you leave your bottles out for too long, they may explode due to the buildup of carbon dioxide.

Refrigerate the kombucha.

Refrigerating the kombucha will cause the yeast and bacteria to go dormant. Fermentation isn't completely stopped, but is slowed significantly.

Enjoy and drink your kombucha!

Where to shop: The Modern Homebrew Emporium is great for brewing supplies of any kind. Location: 2304 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02140, T: (614) 498-0400.

Kombucha SCOBYs vs. Mothers of Vinegar (MOVs)

2010-10-24T12:00:00.003-04:00

Q: If I've grown a kombucha SCOBY or brewed kombucha using unpasteurized vinegar as a starter, do I have a kombucha SCOBY or a MOV?

A: Today's post is dedicated to kombucha SCOBYs and mothers of vinegar (MOVs). Because of their similar appearance and function, sometimes one can be confused for the other. And if you've grown a kombucha SCOBY or brewed kombucha using unpasteurized vinegar as a starter, do you have a kombucha SCOBY or a MOV? The goal of this post is to address this question and to clear up some of the confusion behind the similarities and differences between these two cultures.

Kombucha SCOBYs are used to ferment a sweet tea solution to make kombucha, and the term "SCOBY" stands for symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts. The exact composition of a kombucha SCOBY varies, but here is a sample analysis of a kombucha ferment and a certified analysis of a Happy Herbalist kombucha mushroom. According to Happy Herbalist, the three universal elements in all kombucha mushroom strains are gluconic acid, acetic acid, and fructose.

Meanwhile, mother of vinegars (MOVs) are used to produce vinegar. MOVs are cellulose substances made of strains of Acetobacter (1, 2) and bacteria that produce acetic acid.

Kombucha SCOBYs and MOV's look strikingly similar:

Kombucha SCOBY

Mother of Vinegar
Photo source

The similar appearance of Kombucha SCOBYs and MOVs are due to the presence of Acetobacter strains, which synthesize the cellulose structure of both organisms.

According to Happy Herbalist, the difference between kombucha and vinegar is that kombucha has gluconic acid, while vinegar does not.

In addition, according to a study cited in the Cornell study, Acetobacter xylinum converts glucose to gluconic acid in kombucha. In kombucha, glucose commonly comes from sucrose (such as table sugar or evaporated cane juice), which is made up of glucose and fructose. From my research on the internet, it appears that Acetobacter xylinum is a strain that can also be found in MOVs. Additionally, I believe that some vinegars (such as apple cider vinegar) do not contain glucose or gluconic acid because they are made of fruit sugars, which are purely fructose.

Traditionally, if you are brewing kombucha for the first time, and you only have a kombucha SCOBY and no starter tea for your brew, one recommendation is to add a little bit of distilled white vinegar to the brew to help bring the pH down. This can help to prevent spoilage microorganisms from growing in the brew, while encouraging the kombucha strains to proliferate. It is traditionally not recommended to introduce unpasteurized or raw vinegars to your kombucha, which could encourage the vinegar strains and produce a mother of vinegar (3, 4).

Some people are concerned that their kombucha SCOBYs may be MOVs if they used raw unpasteurized vinegar as a starter to grow a kombucha SCOBY or to brew kombucha. First off, I would like to say that I am not a vinegar or MOV expert. However, I believe that even if you grow a kombucha SCOBY using the same method that I used to grow a kombucha mother (except for using raw vinegar as a starter instead of kombucha), and if you are feeding the culture glucose, fructose, and tea, and brewing as how you would traditionally brew kombucha, you should be getting benefits from the beneficial acids produced in the brewing process. Just like kombucha, there are health benefits associated with the consumption of unpasteurized vinegars. My hypothesis is that feeding such a culture grown from raw vinegar could still create a SCOBY, because it seems that there are some similar strains in kombucha SCOBYs and MOVs, and natural yeasts and bacteria in the air would be incorporated in the culture to create a SCOBY, as well. I have tried someone's kombucha before, which was brewed from a kombucha SCOBY originally grown from raw apple cider vinegar, and the kombucha tasted similar enough to me that I would have called it kombucha.

It appears that what truly defines what is kombucha (or if you might not have kombucha) depends on your definition. Again, according to Happy Herbalist, the difference between kombucha and vinegar is that kombucha has gluconic acid, while vinegar does not. Meanwhile, according to the Steve Dickman, the co-founder of High Country Kombucha, what makes their kombucha "authentic" is the presence of the strain Z. Kombuchaensis in their brew (see this video, at around time 1:00).

Similar to yogurt, kombucha strains vary considerably, depending on the environment the kombucha is brewed in (because there are different yeasts and bacteria in the air), the ingredients used, and more. For example, High Country Kombucha lists Gluconacetobacter Obediens, Dekkera Anomala, Dekkera Bruxellensis, and Z. Kombuchaensis on their bottle as probiotics present in their kombucha. Meanwhile, GT's Kombucha bottle lists Lactobacillus bacterium and S. Boulardii as probiotics and glucuronic acid, lactic acid, and acetic acid as organic acids present in their kombucha.

Unless you have a kombucha company or if you are an individual looking for specific benefits related to specific strains and specific acids in kombucha, most people will still benefit from the beneficial acids produced in kombucha even without knowing the exact strains that the brew contains, and whether the kombucha was brewed from a batch made with raw vinegar or kombucha as a starter.

Ideally, if you can get a kombucha SCOBY and kombucha as starter tea when you begin to brew, I would use that. If you only have one or the other, and if you want to be more assured of making purely kombucha strains, I wouldn't add unpasteurized vinegars. But, I wouldn't rule out using unpasteurized vinegar as a starter for your first brew, if you can't get access to raw kombucha as a starter. In addition, you will only need vinegar for the first time that you brew, because after your first batch, you will be using the kombucha from your last batch as starter tea. However, what you choose to use will depend on your situation and what you would like to incorporate in your kombucha.

The only way to be truly assured of exactly what is in your kombucha is to get your kombucha and SCOBY tested in a lab. And I do admit, I would be very interested in testing my home-brewed kombucha to find out exactly what is in there! However, although there are specific health benefits associated with specific strains of probiotics, I believe that most people can benefit from the live cultures present in kombucha, whether they know exactly which strains are in it or not.

This is my understanding of kombucha SCOBYs and MOVs at the moment. If anyone has any additional comments, thoughts, or knowledge on the matter, please share!

P.S. If you are interested in learning more about vinegar and how to make wine vinegar, I really enjoyed this thorough blog post and photos.

Happy brewing!

Upcoming Kombucha Demo at Galatea Fine Art

2010-09-18T10:13:00.004-04:00

My next Kombucha Demo will on Sunday, October 3 from 1 - 2 pm. It will be held at Galatea Fine Art at 460 B Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02118, conveniently located next to the SOWA Open Market. :)

There are only 15 spots available, so RSVPing on the Urban Homesteaders' League Meetup page is required. (You will need to join the group, but you can always leave the group after the demo). For more details on the demo and to RSVP, please go here.

Hope to see you there!

A Word On: Mold

2010-09-17T17:55:00.006-04:00

I have been lucky in that I have never encountered mold when brewing kombucha.

Kombucha has been found to have a low rate of contamination and of mold, and has been found to be safely prepared at home (1). Kombucha's low risk of contamination results from its natural anti-microbial activity, attributed largely to the presence of acetic acid according to the Cornell study (1). Kombucha's low pH also helps to prevent undesired microorganisms from proliferating.

Remember that kombucha mushrooms come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, and colors can range from creamy white to all variations of brown. And if you've never seen the development of a SCOBY completely from scratch, look at my photos from Experiment 1, Growing Your Own Kombucha Mother.

If you do suspect mold, remember that it should appear FUZZY such as the mold you see on bread.

Photos from Happy Herbalist

If your kombucha mushroom does form mold, the safest thing to do would be to throw out that batch and that mushroom, and to brew with another mushroom- another great reason to have a backup mushroom in storage. I've talked to several people who have cut off the mold-infected part of the mushroom and continued to use the rest of the SCOBY, but do this at your own discretion! If imperceptible mold spores are in the rest of the mushroom or in the brew, this could cause problems for the next batch, so you may want to start anew!

Photos from Organic-Kombucha.com

More info on mold can be found in Happy Herbalist's Brewing Guide and Kombucha Photos page.

Reference
1. Greenwalt, C.J., R.A. Ledford, and K.H. Steinkraus. "Determination and characterization of the anti-microbial activity of the fermented tea Kombucha." Lebensmittel-Wissenschaft und-Technologie 31 (3) (1998): 291-296.
-Online article link here.

Workshop Recap

2010-08-31T14:14:00.002-04:00

Thanks to everyone who took a break from the gorgeous day last Saturday and joined me at the Kombucha Workshop at Taberna de Haro! In addition, thanks to everyone who came from the Urban Homesteaders League- I really appreciate the positive feedback!

Kombucha

Demo

I would also like to thank Taberna de Haro for letting me use the space for the workshop. Read my post on Taberna de Haro on my other blog, Herbal Medicine Box.

It was a good time, and to those who took home SCOBYs, have fun! I look forward to the next kombucha demo.

Happy brewing,

Annabelle

Where to Obtain Kombucha Cultures (Updated August 17, 2010)

2010-08-17T11:15:00.006-04:00

I've been receiving numerous e-mails about where to buy kombucha mushrooms, so here's a quick rundown of your options.

A friend - If you are brewing using the traditional method and conditions are right, you get a new kombucha culture each batch! This means an overwhelming number of mushrooms if you brew regularly. So hit up your friends and tell them to spread the kombucha love! :)

Kombucha Fuel on Facebook - Kombucha Fuel is on Facebook in part to facilitate SCOBY exchanges. If you are interested in obtaining a mushroom (or if you extra mushrooms that you would like to give away), go to the Facebook note "Kombucha SCOBY Exchange." Write your request or offer and list your location, and hopefully someone will get back to you!

My availability: Due to overwhelming demand, I will now only offer to give kombucha mushrooms at my workshops. If you would like to meet with me to receive a mushroom, I will charge a fee of $20. I'm sorry to do this, but I simply cannot keep up with the demand at this time. But never fear! There are still others who are offering SCOBYs for free in the Boston area in the Facebook note "Kombucha SCOBY Exchange"! And if you live in the Boston/Cambridge area and have extra SCOBYs to share, don't be shy to post a comment there as well. The more the merrier!

Grow your own! Read about my experience growing a kombucha mushroom here.
The Worldwide Kombucha Exchange

Willing to spend the dough? Buy a kombucha mushroom online, such as from Happy Herbalist, Kombucha Kamp, or getkombucha.com.

If you have any more ideas of where to obtain kombucha mushrooms, please share!

Kombucha Workshop at Taberna de Haro

2010-08-13T17:25:00.005-04:00

My next Kombucha Workshop will be at Taberna de Haro, the Spanish wine and tapas restaurant in Brookline that I work at! Read my post about Taberna de Haro on my other blog, Herbal Medicine Box.

Date: Saturday August 28, 2010

Time: 3-4 pm

Where: Taberna de Haro at 999 Beacon St., Brookline, MA 02446

Cost: Free, but donations are always welcome

Description:

Kombucha is a fermented tea traced back to Chinese origins to around 220 B.C. Numerous health benefits have been attributed to kombucha, including curing cancer, reducing blood pressure, boosting the immune system, and aiding digestion. Kombucha is also said to have probiotics and detoxifying effects.

It's not hard to brew your own kombucha at home, and it's fun! I will demonstrate and explain the basics of brewing and bottling kombucha. Topics to be covered include required materials, the traditional and continuous brewing methods, how to grow your own kombucha mushroom, and more.

Samples of home-brewed kombucha tea will be available to taste. SCOBYs will also be available for individuals to take home. For those interested in adopting a kombucha mushroom, bringing a clean, glass pint jar would help to facilitate distribution.

Hope to see you there!

Kombucha Fuel at the UHL Market Stand Wrap-Up

2010-08-13T16:59:00.005-04:00

Thanks to everyone who braved the heat and came by for the kombucha demo at the Urban Homesteaders' League Market Stand in July! Despite the heat, it was a blast!

Check out some photos from the market stand that day (you can't see me or the kombucha, but you can see the crowd!) Also, see the broadside that covers the information covered in the July skillshares at the UHL Market Stand, which include city composting, my simple recipe for brewing kombucha, making jam, and herbal salves. (Please note that in the kombucha recipe, it should read 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar per quart water and 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz) starter tea per quart water).

Thanks again to everyone who came, and keep on reading the Urban Homsteaders' League's blog for upcoming skillshares at the UHL Market Stand! The next one is tomorrow, and the schedule is here.

How to Mail a Kombucha Mushroom

2010-08-10T10:30:00.005-04:00

Mailing a kombucha mushroom is actually quite simple! To mail a kombucha mother, put the SCOBY in a Ziploc bag, such as the ones you would use for freezing food. Put some kombucha in there as well for the SCOBY to sit in (which can later be used as starter tea), and seal the bag. Put this bag into another Ziploc bag and seal that too, so the SCOBY is double-sealed. Put this package into a box with some good cushioning so the kombucha mushroom isn't jostled around too much (but also leave a little room for the plastic bags to expand because the SCOBY will ferment and produce CO2 during transportation), and you're all set to mail away! (P.S. I've never actually mailed a SCOBY, but numerous readers have confirmed that this works, and Gunther Frank has mailed kombucha mushrooms all over the world this way with much success!)

This can be handy if you would like to mail a kombucha mushroom to a friend, or to mail a kombucha mother to yourself if you are moving and cannot bring your SCOBY on the plane with you.

However, because plastic is not good for the mushroom in the long-term, it is recommended to transfer the kombucha and SCOBY into a clean glass jar once it arrives! Then you can either begin brewing or put the kombucha mother into storage until you're ready to brew.

Welcome to http://www.kombuchafuel.com!

2010-08-03T22:31:00.009-04:00

Hello wonderful readers,

Thanks for reading my blog and for the continual support, comments, and messages. It's a blast, and the blog would not be the same without you!

I am happy to announce that http://kombuchafuel.blogspot.com is now http://www.kombuchafuel.com! So, if you are currently subscribed for the RSS feed for http://kombuchafuel.blogspot.com, you may need to resubscribe to www.kombuchafuel.com. Other than that, everything is the same, and the old links still work, too! :)

I hope you keep reading, and happy brewing!

Q&A: Why does my kombucha smell like sulfur and/or rotten eggs? Is it safe to drink?

2010-07-19T14:45:00.002-04:00

Q: Why does my kombucha smell like sulfur and/or rotten eggs? Is it safe to drink?

A: A rotten egg smell comes from sulfur. The presence of sulfur may be:

A product of nitrogen from the tea
From the water source
Another thread to read on kombucha and sulfur can be found here

Because kombucha and beer are both products of fermentation, the reasons for sulfur/rotten egg smells in beer may be the same for kombucha:

According to beer brewing sites, sulfur smells in beer may be due to byproducts of certain yeasts, yeast autolysis (yeast cannibalism), or bacterial infection
The sulfur smell goes away in beer over time according to this thread and FAQ 5.43.

Is the kombucha safe to drink?
According to the threads here and here, it appears that the kombucha is still safe to drink even if it smells like sulfur/rotten eggs. However, if you don't feel good after you drink it, stop!

What can you do?

If you think the sulfur smells are due to your water source, consider using a water filter or upgrading your current water filter.
Let your kombucha age for longer periods of time before you drink it to see if the sulfur smells decrease over time.
If you think the sulfur smells are due to certain yeasts in your kombucha, try favoring the bacteria in your brew.
Try cleaning all of your equipment and make sure you practice proper sanitation techniques.
Try starting over with a new SCOBY.

If you have had any experiences with your kombucha smelling like sulfur and/or rotten eggs, have any other suggested solutions, or have any success stories, feel free to share!

Kombucha SCOBY Exchange on Facebook

2010-07-14T13:42:00.010-04:00

There are many ways to obtain kombucha cultures, which I describe here.

I would like to present the Kombucha SCOBY Exchange on Facebook, which is sort of a Facebook version of the Worldwide Kombucha Exchange.

I previously suggested that individuals who were looking for SCOBYs or who had extra SCOBYs to share to write a post on Kombucha Fuel's Facebook wall. However, over time, I found that this was not very effective as the requests and offers got pushed down as people wrote new posts on the wall. I have thus created the "Kombucha SCOBY Exchange" as a note on Kombucha Fuel on Facebook. This way, all of the SCOBY requests and offers are together, making it easier for those who are looking for kombucha cultures to connect with individuals in their area who have extra SCOBYs available.

I hope that this will become a helpful resource, and if anyone has any comments, questions, or suggestions, I welcome them.

Below is a copy of the Kombucha SCOBY Exchange note that I have put on Facebook:

Welcome to the Kombucha SCOBY Exchange!

Looking for a kombucha mushroom?
If you are looking for a kombucha mother, write a comment saying that you are looking for a SCOBY and list your location with as much information as you feel comfortable. If someone with extra SCOBYs in your area sees the request, hopefully they will contact you so you can schedule a pick-up!

Have extra kombucha mushrooms to share?
If you have extra kombucha mothers that you would like to share, likewise leave a comment and list your location with as much information as you feel comfortable. This way if someone is looking for a kombucha mushroom in your area, they can contact you! Also, please don't be shy if someone is already offering kombucha mothers in your area. It can be helpful to have multiple people offering SCOBYs in the same area!

Tips:
-You can delete any of your own comment(s) at any time if your situation or location changes.
-If you find someone to connect with, consider contacting them directly. This will help to keep the Kombucha SCOBY Exchange more clutter free and easier to navigate.

Thank you for participating in the Kombucha SCOBY Exchange, and I hope you find this exchange useful!

Happy Brewing,
Annabelle

Kombucha Skillshare and Kombucha Fuel at the UHL Market Stand (Updated July 13, 2010)

2010-07-13T21:02:00.009-04:00

*Update: My Kombucha Skillshare is scheduled for 10:45 am this Saturday. Hope to see you there!*
_____________________________________________________________________

Join Kombucha Fuel at the UHL Market Stand at the Union Square Farmers Market on July 17th!

What: Kombucha Skillshare (20-25 minutes) and Kombucha Fuel at the UHL Market Stand

When: Saturday, July 17th. Kombucha Fuel at the market stand from 9 am - 1 pm. Kombucha Skillshare at 10:45 am (20-25 minute demo).

Where: UHL Market Stand at the Union Square Farmers Market (1 Union Square, Somerville, MA, 02143)

Description:

I will be at the UHL Market Stand from 9 am - 1 pm, to talk to visitors and answer questions about brewing, bottling, and anything kombucha! At 10:45 am, I will lead a Kombucha Skillshare, covering the basics of brewing and bottling the fermented tea kombucha in a 20-25 minute demo.

SCOBYs will be available for those interested in beginning to brew on their own from 9 am - 1 pm. For individuals interested in taking a SCOBY home, bringing a small, clean glass jar would help to facilitate distribution. In spirit of the swap table at the UHL Market Stand, bringing something to swap for the SCOBY would be fun, although it's not required. :)

This demo will be in conjunction with the UHL Market Stand of the Urban Homesteaders' League. They are an awesome group! Read about the Urban Homesteaders' League and check out their blog.

There will also be three other urban homesteading skillshares at the UHL Market Stand on July 17th, see the schedule here.

Bottling and Headroom (Updated July 12, 2010)

2010-07-12T17:02:00.000-04:00

***For the update please scroll down to the bottom of this post***

After several readers inquired about leaving headroom when bottling, I felt obligated to experiment.

I had always learned to fill the kombucha all the way to the top when bottling for a secondary fermentation. This stops the activity of the bacteria because of the exclusion of oxygen, while the yeast can continue to ferment the sugars to create CO2 and an effervescent drink, because yeasts can function with or without oxygen (1).

After being prompted to do some experimenting on my own, I left around an inch of headroom in several kombucha bottles for a secondary fermentation. I left the bottles out for a few days, and then I refrigerated them. I didn't open the bottles right away because I already had some kombucha bottles open, but I pulled one out from the refrigerator a week or so later and found that the kombucha bottled with around an inch of headroom was more fizzy than a good number of my previous batches!

Bottling with Headroom
Photo courtesy of Haven Sarah Ripley Daniels

Although Happy Herbalist mentions to fill the kombucha to the top of the bottles in their Brewing Guide (look under "Bottling"), on their Bottling Tips page there is a section "Choosing to leave an airspace." According to their Bottling Tips page, if you leave oxygen and airspace in the bottle and if the temperatures are between 70-85 degrees F, the bacteria will continue to remain active and the kombucha will continue to sour, which makes sense because the bacteria require oxygen.

Meanwhile, the yeasts can function with or without oxygen. However, according to Happy Herbalist, yeasts only form carbon dioxide and fizz when oxygen is present (2). "Carbon dioxide suffocates/diminishes the bacteria, but produce[s] the fizz and sparkling brew. Without oxygen the yeast produce more alcohol...The yeast may be active in temperatures as low as 40F (5C) with or without oxygen" (2). In other words, if you leave headspace when bottling, the yeasts can create more carbon dioxide and fizz because of the oxygen present in the airspace. But if there is no airspace, the ability of the yeasts to produce an effervescent drink is limited because of the limited availability of oxygen.

Unfortunately, I was perfectly happy with this explanation until I returned to this formula from my previous post, Kombucha + Fizz, and could not find oxygen needed in the equation for the yeasts to form carbon dioxide:

The yeasts convert sugar to alcohol + carbon dioxide (3, p. 40)

C6H1206 -> 2C2H5OH + 2CO2
sugar -> alcohol + carbon dioxide

Thus, I am somewhat still confused about the exact relationship between the yeasts, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and kombucha fizz. Perhaps the presence of oxygen helps to encourage the yeasts to form more carbon dioxide and fizz, but its presence is not necessary?

Something to note is that kombucha that is bottled all the way to the top will taste different than kombucha that is bottled with airspace, such as in the amount of fizz produced and in others ways as well, such as the acidity of the drink.

I have not found much information on the recomended amount of airspace if you decide to bottle kombucha this way. However, beer brewers tend to leave 1-2 inches of headspace in their bottles according to this thread. Again, experimentation is key, and do whatever you prefer according to personal preference and taste!

As always, I am continuing to learn more about kombucha day by day, and I hope to share that information. If you have any more information or tips on the bottling process and kombucha fizz, please send the information my way or leave a comment!

All my posts related to bottling can be found here.

References
1. http://www.happyherbalist.com/brewing_kombucha.htm
2. http://www.happyherbalist.com/bottlingtips.aspx
3. Frank, Gunther W. Kombucha - Healthy beverage and natural remedy from the Far East. 4th ed. Austria: Wilhelm Ennsthaler, 1994.

***Update July 12, 2010***

I was able to get to talk to a brewer who brews beer and kombucha. Here is what I learned:

Confirmation that headroom helps prevent the bottle from exploding from the buildup of carbon dioxide.
You can still increase the fizz in your brew whether or not you leave headroom in your bottle.
You won't lose fizz by leaving headspace in the bottle.
You lose more fizz the more you transfer the kombucha from container to container. You can actually decarbonate your brew by transferring your kombucha from container to container.

In this article from Happy Herbalist, it states that aerobic and anaerobic yeasts in kombucha help to produce carbonation, and that the production of more carbonation than alcohol by both types of yeast is favored when oxygen is present, which is in line with the other Happy Herbalist information (that I am conflicted about) that I provided above.

Part of the reason why there doesn't seem to be a clear answer to the question about whether it is better or not to leave headroom to create more fizz, is because kombucha ferments and SCOBYs contain different strains of bacteria and yeasts and in different proportions. Wild and airborne bacteria and yeasts, which differ according to the location and environment, add even more variation to the mix. Here is one Analysis of a Kombucha Ferment by Happy Herbalist as an example for what may be in your brew.

I personally prefer to bottle with headroom at the moment. But it is up to you, and based on your experiences, to decide whether or not you want to leave headroom in your bottles. I recommend experimenting with both. If anyone wants to share their experiences with bottling, please do so!

Kombucha Drinks Pulled From Whole Foods' Shelves and On Tap

2010-06-18T18:24:00.012-04:00

Whole Foods has removed all raw kombucha products from all of their stores. Although it is well known that kombucha contains trace amounts of alcohol, the products were removed due to concerns with slightly elevated alcohol levels because products containing more than .5% alcohol must be labeled with a warning.

Read some articles on the topic:

Associated Press: Whole Foods removes kombucha drinks from stores
BevNET.com: Raw Kombucha Products Pulled from Whole Foods' Shelves
DailyFinance: Whole Foods Pulls Kombucha Teas, Citing Alcohol Content
Healthy Notes: Kombucha Tea Pulled
Feed Me Like You Mean It: Whole Foods Stops Selling Real Kombucha

Although kombucha can reach alcohol levels of 2-something %, producing kombucha with less than .5% alcohol is possible. For example, Katalyst Kombucha produces a raw, unpasteurized product with < .5% alcohol content. (Unfortunately, their products have been removed from Whole Foods' shelves for the time being as well). Here is a short discussion thread, Why does my kombucha have high alcohol content?!

Luckily, this recent action does not affect those who home-brew kombucha. And for those of you who don't brew your own, now is the perfect opportunity to start!

There are still plenty of places to purchase kombucha around Boston, MA. Check out my Google map on where to purchase kombucha around the Boston area.

It will be interesting to see what happens, and hopefully things will turn out alright. Stay tuned for updates!

Where to Get Brewing Equipment Around Boston, MA

2010-06-12T11:31:00.004-04:00

Need kombucha equipment?

Check out the Modern Homebrew Emporium in Davis Square for all your home-brewing needs (including bottles, bottle caps, bottle cappers, pH strips, and more). I love this place!

Photo thanks to CityVoter

Modern Homebrew Emporium
2304 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02140
(614) 498-0400

Q&A: When is my kombucha done fermenting? (Updated 5-31-2010)

2010-05-31T11:57:00.006-04:00

Q: How do you know when your kombucha is ready to drink, ready to bottle, or if it's done fermenting?

A: If you are brewing using the traditional method, your kombucha may be done at anywhere between 6-14 days. The time may even be more or less, depending on personal preference, the amount and strength of the starter tea you used, and various environmental factors, such as temperature. So how do you know when your kombucha is done? Here is a list of several signs that help to indicate when your kombucha is ready (please note that not all of these need to apply!):

According to taste- the most important indicator, as individuals have varying preferences for the amount of fizz, the strength of the sweetness, and the intensity of the vinegar-taste of kombucha
Hard apple cider or apple cider vinegar aroma or taste present
The kombucha tastes slightly sour or acidic (like vinegar)
Kombucha gets more cloudy/opaue, and thus becomes lighter in color, the longer it ferments due to yeast reproduction
The partial/complete formation of a new kombucha baby
Kombucha is bottled "optimally" at a pH of 2.5 - 3.5 (testing pH is optional)

Note the clearness of the kombucha at the beginning of fermentation (left) and the cloudiness of the kombucha at the end of the primary fermentation process (right). (My apologies if it is hard to tell in this photo).

Note:

Home-brewed kombucha tastes a lot different than GT's traditional kombucha. I've found that Katalyst and High Country kombucha taste more similar to home-brews.

Kombucha + Fizz (Updated May 27, 2010)

2010-05-27T14:58:00.005-04:00

Yes, kombucha can be fizzy.

I've been receiving numerous questions about fizz, so here is what I understand thus far on the matter!

To begin, fizz does not indicate the health of your SCOBY or your ferment. Fizz is more a matter of personal preference, and may indicate the balance of yeasts and bacteria in your brew (1, 2).

For the scientific side on the matter, here are the chemical reactions that occur during kombucha fermentation (3, p. 40):

The yeasts convert sugar to alcohol + carbon dioxide.

C6H1206 -> 2C2H5OH + 2CO2
sugar -> alcohol + carbon dioxide

The bacteria convert the alcohol to organic acids, such as acetic acid, and water.

C2H5OH + O2 -> CH3COOH + H20
alcohol + oxygen -> acetic acid + water

The CO2 (a gas) that forms reacts with the water in the tea to produce carbonic acid (think of carbonic acid as dissolved CO2). Carbonic acid is a weak acid that readily decomposes back into water and carbon dioxide. When the carbon dioxide bubbles out of the water, you get fizz (4).

CO2 + H2O -> H2CO3
carbon dioxide + water -> carbonic acid

Carbonation and the primary fermentation:
As the new kombucha mushroom forms at the surface during fermentation, the ability for the carbon dioxide to escape decreases, helping to create some of kombucha's natural fizz. The more quickly and the more thick your mushroom forms, the less the CO2 will be able to escape, which can increase the carbonation of your drink (3, p. 33, and 5).

A lower fizz may indicate a lower ratio of yeast to bacteria in your culture. The ratio of yeasts in your brew may be increased by (1):

Using the bottom SCOBY from your previous batch
Using more of the kombucha at the bottom of your brew, which tends to be more cloudy/yeasty, for your starter tea.

Carbonation and the second fermentation:

Fizz can be significantly increased by bottling. My posts related to bottling can be found here.
Consider experimenting with leaving and not leaving airspace. Read my post Bottling and Headroom.
Adding flavors (such as jams, citrus peels, ginger, etc.) during the bottling process can also help to create more fizz. (Similar to adding a primer in beer making).
Beer bottles, which have a very tight seal, are ideal for creating fizz in kombucha. In my experience, when I've used resealable bottles (such as GT's or Katalyst kombucha bottles), I've lost more fizz.
-The longer you leave your bottles out for a secondary fermentation, the more carbonation will build up. HOWEVER, if you leave your bottles out for too long, you run the risk of them exploding! Some people recommend 1-2 days for a secondary fermentation, others 3-4 days, and some recommend even longer. It all depends on various factors, including the sugar content of your kombucha and the temperature (higher temperatures = faster fermentation).
-My advice: If you're fermenting a batch, try a bottle after 1 or 2 days (more or less days depending on previous experiences, etc.). Then decide whether your other bottles are ready to refrigerate, or if they could use some more time fermenting.

Some more reading:

Kombucha Balance on No fizz, Too much fizz, Increasing the ratio of yeasts, and Increasing carbonation
getkombucha: The Fizz Factor #1
A great thread that discusses fizziness and beverages
Although there is limited information on kombucha and fizz, there is extensive information about carbonation and beer making on the web. Although beer and kombucha are clearly different drinks, they are similar in that they are both fermented beverages. Perhaps looking up beer carbonation will provide more clues as to factors that affect kombucha fizz? Try here and here for starters.

Happy brewing!

Sources:
1. http://users.bestweb.net/~om/kombucha_balance
2. http://www.getkombucha.com/spreisfifa1.html
3. Frank, Gunther W. Kombucha - Healthy beverage and natural remedy from the Far East. 4th ed. Austria: Wilhelm Ennsthaler, 1994.
4. http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=1006051206579
5. http://kombuchakamp.blogspot.com/2009/04/fizzy-brew.html

Kombucha Bottling 101 (Updated May 27, 2010)

2010-05-27T14:45:00.012-04:00

What to do when you are done brewing your kombucha? One thing you can do is bottle your brew.

Why bottle?

Bottling, or a secondary fermentation, allows the yeast to feed on more of the sugar in your kombucha tea. This creates CO2, decreases the amount of sugar in your KT, and also makes your drink more carbonated and fizzy, which many people enjoy.

Here are some things to think about when choosing your bottle:

Good:
Glass bottles with narrow necks are the most common way to store fermented beverages.
-old beer bottles* (their tight seals are ideal to create more fizz)
-EZ Cap (Flip-Top) Beer Bottles
-wine bottles (nice as a gift or if you're sharing!)
-etc.
It's your choice:
Old kombucha bottles

-Pro:
-GT's now sells kombucha with plastic caps! Many kombucha brands now sell kombucha in reusable bottles.
-Con:
-In my experience, they sometimes leak, and air can escape more easily as opposed to beer bottles (air leakage can lead to decreased fizz).
~~-If they came with metal caps (ex. the GT ones), the caps usually oxidize/rust easily~~

GT's old metal caps

Old plastic bottles

-Pros:
-The plastic material allows for expansion (decreasing the chance of your bottle exploding).
-The plastic bottles become hard after a couple of days, signaling that the yeast have consumed most of the sugars in the KT and that you are ready to refrigerate it.
-Cons:
-Plastics aren't good for the environment.
-Re-using old plastic bottles could expose you to chemicals. (Especially because Kombucha Tea is acidic!)
-Note:
-Some people choose to do an initial secondary ferementation in plastic bottles and then transfer the kombucha into glass bottles for long-term storage. More information on this in the Two Stage Bottling Technique at Kombucha Balance.
-My recommendation:
-I don't use plastic bottles for my KT, but if you do, please re-use a plastic bottle only once!

DIRECTIONS
Optional: Add some flavors to your brew! Put in little pieces of cut up fruit, raisins, goji berries, etc. to your bottle, to add some zing and health benefits to your KT! They will provide some more sugars for the yeast to feed on, adding flavors and creating an additional fermentation. It's generally recommended not to add too much biological matter. And the smaller the pieces are, the more surface area that the yeast can act on.
What also works well:
-Citrus fruit peels (ex. grapefruit, lemon, lime, orange)
-Fresh ginger
-Jams/jellies/preserves
Tip:
-If you are using raisins or dried fruit to flavor your kombucha, cut them up first!

Fill your bottle(s).
-It is up to you on whether or not you would like to leave headroom. For more info, read my post Bottling and Headroom.

Cap your bottle(s).

Leave your bottle(s) out at room temperature for 1-2 days, 4-5 days, or longer.
-Personally, I've been doing 4 days, but the time will vary depending on the brew/brewing conditions (ex. the temperature of the room).
-*PLEASE* do not leave your bottles out for too long. Otherwise, too much CO2 may build up in your bottle, causing it to explode!

Refrigerate your KT!
-If you bottled your KT in plastic bottles, the bottles should feel hard when it's ready to refrigerate them.
-Refrigerating your kombucha will cause the yeast and bacteria to go dormant. Fermentation isn't completely stopped, but is slowed significantly.

Enjoy and drink your KT! Some people recommend dating your batches, but I always finish drinking my kombucha before the next batch comes around! :)
Note: Like soda, once opened, KT goes flat.

*A few comments about beer bottles*:

-If you drink beer, this is a great way to use up old bottles!
-They are easy to get for free. You can even get used ones for free (or cheaply) from restaurants, bars, etc.
-If you feel uncomfortable using old ones, you can buy new beer bottles at your local brewing store, although this is the more expensive route.
-Note- clean them well first!!! Go to your local homebrewing store and get a brush to scrub them out a bit. Then boil them, put them in the dishwasher, use Iodophor, or do whatever it is that will ensure removal of any hiding bacteria/places where bacteria can grow!
-To cap your bottles, buying bottle caps are relatively cheap. I got a half pound of caps for only around $3-4 at the Modern Homebrew Emporium in Cambridge. And at only $14, the Red Baron Beer Bottle Capper is a good investment. Find it at your local brewing store or online.
-The one downside- I have to admit that going through bottle caps is not the best for the environment. If this is a concern for you, the EZ Cap (Flip-Top) beer bottles, which are refillable, may be the way to go.

Q&A: How do you grow a thick kombucha mushroom?

2010-05-25T09:57:00.002-04:00

Q: How do you grow a thick kombucha mushroom?

A: Remember that Kombucha Mushrooms Come in All Shapes, Sizes, and Colors! Even if your kombucha mother does not look like a perfectly even 1/8 - 1/2 inch thick cream-colored pancake, it could still ferment your kombucha very well!

If you want a thick kombucha mother, you can put some kombucha in a clean glass jar, cover it well with a breathable cloth, and let it sit for a few weeks until a thick mother grows and develops. Or, you can just let one of your kombucha brews ferment for a prolonged period of time until a thick SCOBY forms.

The kombucha will become pretty strong, sour, and acidic if it has been fermenting for a long time, and using this kombucha as starter tea will favor the bacteria and thick SCOBY formation (1). For other uses of sour kombucha, check out Happy Herbalist's recommendations: Kombucha Tea Too Sour?

Acetobacter xylinum has been indicated to be one of the main bacteria in the colony that helps to form the cellulose structure of the kombucha mushroom (2-3). So to favor a thick kombucha mother, you want to favor the bacteria.

For more information on decreasing yeast to bacteria ratios, which will favor the bacteria and a thick SCOBY, visit Kombucha Balance: Decreasing the Ratio of Yeast to Acetobacter Populations.

References:
1. Kombucha Balance: Decreasing the Ratio of Yeast to Acetobacter Populations
2. Greenwalt, C.J., R.A. Ledford, and K.H. Steinkraus. "Determination and characterization of the anti-microbial activity of the fermented tea Kombucha." Lebensmittel-Wissenschaft und-Technologie 31 (3) (1998): 291-296.
3. Malbasa, R., E. Loncar, and M. Djuric. "Comparison of the products of Kombucha fermentation on sucrose and molasses." Food Chemistry. 106 (2008): 1039-1045.

Brew Your Own Kombucha Workshop at the Boston Skillshare

2010-05-19T13:36:00.003-04:00

Join Kombucha Fuel at the 2010 Boston Skillshare!

What: Brew Your Own Kombucha Workshop
When: May 30, 2010, from 12:45-2:15 pm
Where: Simmons College (300 Fenway, Boston, MA 02115)
More info: http://www.bostonskillshare.org/2010/DIY+Kombucha
Donation: $3-$10 sliding scale suggested donation to attend the Boston Skillshare, for a day full of workshops, and food is provided!

The Boston Skillshare is an annual weekend event for people to share and learn skills. Read more about the Boston Skillshare, the 2010 Boston Skillshare, and the workshops at the 2010 Boston Skillshare.

Q&A: Can you brew kombucha with honey?

2010-05-17T16:30:00.004-04:00

Q: Can you brew kombucha with honey?

A: Some people swear that brewing with honey works, while others say that brewing with honey doesn't work because of honey's anti-bacterial properties.

Everyone pretty much agrees that brewing with cane sugar works. However, health benefits of other sweeteners often come up as an issue. In addition, taste is another aspect you may want to consider.

Although I have never personally brewed with honey, something to remember is that if you introduce something foreign to the kombucha culture, even if you don't see any immediate short-term effects on the culture, there may be unforeseen long-term effects.

For example, the SCOBY will not survive in the long-term if you brew kombucha using only herbal teas, such as rooibos. However, if you brew kombucha with an herbal tea for only one or two weeks, the culture will most likely survive. Thus, some individuals alternate brewing herbal and non-herbal brews, or brew with a combination of herbal and non-herbal teas. (Read more on brewing with herbal teas at The Different Teas for Your Kombucha Brew).

If you're interested in brewing with honey, I would recommend having a back-up mushroom, such as by storing a spare SCOBY in kombucha made with cane sugar in the fridge.

More on Kombucha and Honey:

From Gunther Frank: Kombucha Tea: What's All the Hoopla? (around two-thirds down the page, "Can honey be used instead of sugar?")
Steve Dickman, the co-founder of High Country Kombucha, states that brewing kombucha with honey works in this video (he begins talking about kombucha and honey at time 7:18)
It's possible according to Happy Herbalist

Kombucha Recipes

2010-04-12T19:30:00.003-04:00

My simple kombucha recipe using the traditional brewing method can be found here, and my more detailed brewing recipe is here.

Here are links to several other kombucha recipes for more perspective and for additional information:

The Traditional Brewing Method

Kombucha Brewing Guide by Happy Herbalist
Quick Recipe KT by Happy Herbalist
How to make your own Kombucha Tea by Günther W. Frank
Kombucha Recipe: How to Make Kombucha Tea by Manna International
How to Make a Big Batch of Kombucha at instructables.com
Kombucha Recipe at getkombucha.com
Brewing and F&Q at Organic-Kombucha.com

The Continuous Brewing Method

I cover continuous brewing in Part I and Part II
Continuous Brewing Method by Happy Herbalist
Continuous Brewing: Tastier, Easier and Superior Kombucha by the Weston A. Price Foundation

Kombucha in the News

2010-04-03T10:22:00.000-04:00

Kombucha has been receiving quite a lot of press lately:

4/1/2010, The Huffington Post: Kombucha and Kefirs: Hype or Healthy?
3/24/2010, the New York Times: Kombucha Tea Attracts a Following and Doubters
3/4/2010, Serious Eats: Kombucha: The Acquired Taste for Funky-Tasting Fermented Tea

In addition, this article by the Weston A. Price Foundation published in Oct. 2009 is quite comprehensive: Continuous Brewing: Tastier, Easier, and Superior Kombucha.

Recap: Kombucha Demonstration and Potluck

2010-04-01T00:04:00.011-04:00

Thanks to everyone who came to the Kombucha Demonstration and Potluck last week, and to all the supporting groups who helped to make the event possible!

I wrote a recap about the event for the Urban Homesteaders' League:

"Last week there was a Kombucha Demonstration and Potluck put on by Slow Food BU, the Boston Localvores, and Kombucha Fuel, a blog of which I am the author. Thanks to the Urban Homesteaders’ League for supporting this event!

Kombucha, sometimes referred to as 'the elixir of immortality,' is a fermented tea traced back to Chinese origins to around 220 B.C. Various health benefits have been attributed to kombucha, which is said to have probiotic benefits and detoxifying effects. It’s been claimed that kombucha reduces blood pressure, boosts the immune system, and even cures cancer..."

Read the rest of the post here.

*Special thanks to Darry Madden of the Boston Localvores for taking some great photos of this event.*

Celestial Seasonings Launches Their Own Kombucha Line

2010-03-30T20:57:00.011-04:00

In December, I addressed the launch of Honest Kombucha by Honest Tea in my post Kombucha's Going Mainstream.

Now, Celestial Seasonings is launching their own kombucha line.

Sequence of events:

Celestial Seasonings is a brand of The Hain Celestial Group
Last October, Hain Celestial Group Acquired Infinitea Kombucha. Infinitea Kombucha was an independent kombucha company begun by Nicole Gervace in 2005 in Boulder, Colorado.
This month, The Hain Celestial Group announced that Celestial Seasonings is launching their own kombucha line that will be available in Whole Foods Market and other natural food stores beginning in April.

Celestial Seasonsings is definitely focusing on the functional food aspect of kombucha. Their kombucha will be available in five varieties:

Digestion: Meyer Lemon Ginger
Antioxidant: Superfruit
Metabolism: Berry Guava
Energy: Pomelo Citrus
Super Green: Tropical Blend

For more information on Celestial Seasonings' launch of their kombucha line, read the press release.

To me it is always sad to see an independent and successful company get sold to a large conglomerate. Read this 2008 article about the founder of Infinitea Kombucha, Nicole Gervace of Infinitea Kombucha on being a Successful Entrepreneur. Infinitea Kombucha even used to sell at the Boulder Country Farmers Market in Colorado.

Expect more comments about Celestial Seasonings Kombucha once I see it in stores.

No SCOBY

2010-03-09T14:49:00.011-05:00

Where is that baby mushroom? If you've been brewing kombucha/have been trying to and haven't been getting any new kombucha mothers, here are some tips:

If your SCOBY was previously stored in the fridge: kombucha mushrooms go dormant in the fridge and may need a few cycles to get fully back into gear. Wait a few cycles to see if new SCOBYs begin forming in the next few cycles.
Is your kombucha mother sitting on the surface of the kombucha as it brews, and is it getting thicker? If it is, then there's a good chance that the new mushroom is forming right on the top of the old one, with the two mushrooms indistinguishable from one another.
Avoid antibacterial soap, because SCOBYs contain bacteria. Use distilled white vinegar to clean your kombucha equipment and brewing vessel instead.
Don't add SCOBYs to hot or warm tea, because hot temperatures can kill your SCOBY. You want to add SCOBYs to tea that is room temperature.
Avoid any foreign additions to your kombucha (such as herbs, spices, certain types of tea, etc.) unless you know that they are safe. Add flavors and foreign additions during the secondary fermentation (the bottling process), or experiment with foreign additions with your extra kombucha mushrooms. You also want to avoid herbal teas with too many volatile oils, which can harm the SCOBY over time. More about teas for kombucha brewing here.
Keep your fermentation vessel in an undisturbed spot, and avoid environments where there is smoke, kitchen smoke, pollen, disturbing fumes such as from paints or solvents, etc.
Use only plain kombucha as starter tea.
Make sure your sweetener contains some form of sugar either in a dry/crystalline form (ex. evaporated cane juice or sucanat) or liquid form (ex. honey). Stevia and artificial sweeteners don't provide the necessary food for the yeasts.
The ability for SCOBYs to ferment the tea and to produce new babies decreases as they age. Older SCOBYs are darker brown in color while younger SCOBYs typically have a creamy, white color.
Are you using a stainless steel pot? When I accidentally brewed with an aluminum pot for a few weeks, I did not get any new mushrooms then.
The SCOBY might be unhappy with the water. Water can vary widely, such as in the types of minerals present and their concentrations. SCOBYs don't like chlorine. Consider experimenting with filtered water, upgrading your water filter, and the length of boiling time.
Sometimes the kombucha is ready to drink before a well-formed kombucha mushroom fully develops. If you are trying to grow a thick kombucha mother, read this post.

Source:
1. http://users.bestweb.net/~om/kombucha_balance/#No%20SCOBY

Upcoming Kombucha Demonstration and Potluck

2010-02-23T13:39:00.006-05:00

Join Kombucha Fuel, Slow Food BU, and the Boston Localvores for a potluck and demo on how to brew the fermented tea kombucha!

What: Kombucha Demonstration and Potluck
When: Wednesday, March 24, 7-8:30 pm
Where: Sargent College, BU, Room 300 (635 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215)
Cost: Free
Open to the public

This workshop will include a potluck, so bring a dish if you can, and remember to bring your own plate and utensils so we can reduce our waste.

Traced back to Chinese origins to around 220 B.C., numerous health promoting and detoxifying effects have been attributed to kombucha, also referred to as the "elixir of life." While kombucha often costs $3+ a bottle, it is very inexpensive and easy to brew your own!

I will demonstrate and explain the basics of brewing and bottling kombucha. Topics to be covered include required materials, the traditional and continuous brewing methods, how to grow your own kombucha mushroom, and more.

Samples of home brewed kombucha tea will be available to taste (look forward to raspberry jasmine kombucha tea, ginger darjeeling kombucha tea, and more). SCOBYs will also be available for individuals to take home. For those interested in adopting a kombucha mushroom, bringing a clean, glass pint jar would help to facilitate distribution.

For those of you who already brew kombucha, consider bringing any extra kombucha mothers you have to spare, or bringing your own kombucha so we can do a taste comparison!

What to do with extra kombucha mushrooms?

2010-02-12T09:19:00.000-05:00

I've touched on this topic before, but thought it was a subject worth revisiting. What do you do with all of your extra kombucha mushrooms?

If you are brewing using the continuous method, extra SCOBYs may not be a concern. But if you are brewing traditionally, you may have more kombucha mothers than you know what to do with!

For starters:

I usually have two kombucha mushrooms going per brew container, and the number of kombucha mushrooms you can have fermenting per container can vary depending on personal preference, the size of your brew, and the size and thickness of your kombucha mushrooms. You don't want the mushrooms to get too crowded, so experiment with what works according to your SCOBYs and brewing vessel.
To keep or not to keep- I've found that the younger mushrooms (which are the lighter, more cream-colored ones that form at the surface of your brew) and the mushrooms with a more uniform thickness tend to perform better. So keep your preferred mushrooms for brewing, and for extra mushrooms that you need to find another use for, read some of my suggestions below.

Some options for extra SCOBYs:

It's the perfect time to experiment with your extra kombucha mushrooms! Try different sweeteners, such as honey or maple syrup, or try herbal, flavored, or exotic teas. How about coffee kombucha? (Coffee kombucha links here and here).
Give extra kombucha mothers to your friends and spread the kombucha love!
Offer extra kombucha mushrooms to others through Kombucha Fuel on Facebook, The Worldwide Kombucha Exchange, Etsy.com, Craigslist, or Freecycle mailing lists
Store extra mushrooms in the fridge in a "kombucha hotel" for backups or to distribute later.
Ever tried eating a SCOBY?
-Eating a kombucha mushroom by itself is not something I would probably do again. However, you may try cutting it up and sprinkling it on your food, or use it as a garnish. Alternatively, my friend suggests blending up kombucha mushrooms into smoothies.
Feeding SCOBYs to dogs and pets is common
Happy Herbalist lists many creative ideas and recipes for what to do with extra mushrooms, including making "drum heads and leather craft[s]!"
Compost extra kombucha mushrooms

What do you do with your extra kombucha mothers?

Broken Glass

2010-02-01T17:28:00.003-05:00

As I was washing the dishes one day, I heard a slight crack. I looked around the kitchen but didn't notice anything...but soon the smell of kombucha filled the room. Uh-oh.

It turns out, a bottle of my kombucha had exploded- as a kind reminder not to leave your kombucha bottles out for too long for a second fermentation.

I have been fortunate to have never had a bottle of kombucha explode on me before this day, and after brewing kombucha for over a year, I guess it was about time.

Luckily, the explosion was a lot less dramatic than it could have been. When I first began bottling kombucha, I had been nervous about shards of glass ending up on on my wall.

Tips to avoid kombucha bottle explosions:

-As mentioned in my previous post, Kombucha + Fizz:

Beer bottles with their narrow necks and tight caps are ideal for creating fizz, and the longer you leave your bottles out for a secondary fermentation, the more fizz will build up. HOWEVER, if you leave your bottles out for too long, and especially with such tight seals, you run the risk of them exploding. Some people recommend 1-2 days for a secondary fermentation, others 3-4 days, and some recommend even longer. It all depends on various factors, such as temperature (higher temperatures = faster fermentation).
My advice: If you're fermenting a batch, try a bottle after 1 or 2 days (more or less days depending on previous experiences, etc.). Then decide whether your other bottles are ready to refrigerate, or if they could use some more time fermenting.
If you can hear your kombucha bottles at room temperature fizzing, refrigerate it!!

**Please note that this graph is not to scale whatsoever, and was merely created in order to illustrate a concept.**

***The longer you leave your kombucha bottles out for a second fermentation, the more fizzy your kombucha, but the more risk you will have of your bottles exploding. Experimentation and practice are key!***

-Read this discussion thread on bottling technique from some fellow kombucha fermenters.

According to this thread, flip-top beer bottles can be a good option, because the rubber seal releases some of the pressure that may cause your bottle to explode.

Adding to my list of broken kombucha bottles includes one instance when my refrigerator somehow got to freezing temperatures, causing the kombucha to freeze and expand (when water freezes into ice, the volume expands as the molecules form a crystal lattice), causing another kombucha bottle to break.

At the time I decided to take an artistic approach to the situation, resulting in this photo:

Kombuch-sicle, anyone?

Home-brewing (and in fact, brewing in general) is never perfect. Accidents happen, but they are all part of learning how to brew and how to perfect your technique, and make your home-brewed kombucha that much more worthwhile. What interesting kombucha experiences have you had?

Koffeebucha, Part 2

2010-01-02T11:40:00.000-05:00

Unfortunately, my first attempt at brewing koffeebucha was not a success. After waiting 14 days (recommended in the directions that I was following), my SCOBY looked like this:

Mutant Mushrooms!

Though the SCOBY did appear to produce a baby, I was not sure whether the mother or baby were still alive, and so I decided not to risk tasting it. It may be necessary to brew a few batches of coffee-tea mixture in order to acclimate the SCOBY to the high acidity of coffee. Once I grow another baby SCOBY, I will try this.

Kombucha's Going Mainstream

2009-12-27T14:10:00.001-05:00

So I will start off with some good news that I feel that I really should have mentioned long ago- Whole Foods Brighton is now carrying Katalyst Kombucha! Typically I only find GT's brand at Whole Foods stores, so I am very excited about this new (and local) addition!

However, this is not the only recent addition to Whole Foods stores. I had heard the rumors, but was nevertheless still surprised when I found Honest Tea's Honest Kombucha at Whole Foods at the Charles River Plaza.

Yes, Honest Tea has joined the kombucha craze, and is selling three varieties of kombucha at Whole Foods stores: peach mango, berry hibiscus, and lemon ginger.

Don't worry, these bottles are glass, and not plastic.

Even though I brew my own kombucha, of course I had to try a bottle, which cost $3.49 each. I went for the lemon ginger, because I can never miss an opportunity to add more ginger to my life. My opinion: it was too sweet, lacked the vinegar-like taste of traditional kombucha, and was not very fizzy. An 8 oz. serving of Honest Kombucha has 7 g of sugar, compared to GT's 2-4 g sugar or Katalyst's 6 g of sugar per 8 oz. serving. The absent vinegar taste may be missed by some homebrewers, but this could also be a quality to convert that tentative friend. Fizziness is a matter of personal preference, and may be related to the fact that the bottle was not filled up to the top?.

While it's great that Honest Tea's introduction of Honest Kombucha will increase awareness about this drink, I still love the freshness of Katalyst Kombucha and how the taste is reminiscent of a homebrew. And as a local foodie, I am all for my local, independently owned companies. Ideally, though, homebrewing is the way to go for me. It's easy, inexpensive, and fun, gives you a much fresher and sometimes more healthful product, and allows you to tweak your kombucha to however you like it!

Honest Tea is 40% owned by Coca-Cola, and Coca-Cola is expected to buy the other 60% by the end of 2010.

However, Coca-Cola isn't the only large company that has joined the kombucha market.

Kombucha Wonder Drink is owned by Tazo (launched in 2003)
Carpe Diem Kombucha was launched in 2007 by Red Bull
Celestial Seasonings acquired infinitea kombucha this past year

What makes Honest Tea's launch bigger than some of the others is its introduction into Whole Foods, which has a large consumer base and more than 270 stores in North America and the U.K. Typically, I only see GT's at Whole Foods stores, and find other kombucha brands in small health-food stores, co-ops, and the like. Nevertheless, there is yet another fun kombucha addition possibly coming to a Whole Foods store near you: it's said that Townshend Tea's Brew Dr. Kombucha will be available on tap at select Whole Foods stores!

And speaking of kombucha on tap, thanks to the Boston Localvores for informing us that kombucha is also sold on tap at the Concord Food Coop in New Hampshire. Concord Food Coop, here I come!

Enjoy the holidays everyone!

Sources of information (and recommended articles):
Forbes: Kombucha: Can This 'Cure-All' Help Boost Beverage Sales?
World Tea News: Kombucha Not Just for Hippies, but Is It for You?

End of Part 2 of Experiment 2! "Cutting the Kombucha Mother"

2009-12-01T22:19:00.000-05:00

The cut kombucha mother again pulled through! After 9 days of fermentation at around 73.4 - 75.2 degrees Fahrenheit, this odd-looking fellow had developed.

So what I have failed to mention before is that sometimes, the new kombucha mushroom that forms is inseparable from the mother.

If this is the case, you can just continue brewing with the kombucha mother and baby mushroom together.

day 9

Although the new mushroom that formed this time does not have an even thickness and is not perfectly shaped because it is still attached to the cut kombucha mother, it still came out cream colored and fermented the 6 cups of kombucha very well!

day 7

day 5

The kombucha from the cut SCOBY had a pH of around 2.5-3.5, and it was very tasty and very comparable to the kombucha that was brewing alongside it with a whole SCOBY!

Overall Conclusions from Experiment 2:

Cut kombucha mushrooms can ferment various ranges of kombucha tea. (Here, a cut kombucha mother with an area of ~28 cm^2 was able to brew 1.5 and 6 cups of kombucha effectively).
Cut kombucha mothers (1) are able to grow whole mushrooms and (2) can grow into whole kombucha mushrooms, according to the size of the surface area of the brewing vessel (if the old and new SCOBY are inseparable)

A reminder as to why you would want to cut your kombucha mushroom:

To increase your brewing capacity by brewing in more containers
According to this thread, cutting SCOBY's instead of peeling them is better, because each SCOBY layer contains different organisms
The most important reason of all: to share the joy of kombucha brewing with your fellow fermenters! :)

Koffeebucha, Part 1

2009-11-26T09:31:00.000-05:00

Having been a barista for several years, coffee has gone from being a beverage that I enjoy on occasion after a good meal (or a long night), to a necessity. While I understand the potential health drawbacks of my daily habit, I have come to accept the fact that coffee will always be part of my morning routine. I’ve tried to make up for my habit in other ways: getting enough sleep (when possible), fitting exercise into my daily schedule (I commute either by bike or walking on a regular basis), and drinking kombucha.

I’ve been drinking and brewing kombucha for about as long as I have been drinking coffee, so when I recently learned that it is possible to brew kombucha with coffee I had to give it a try!

Following a recipe suggested by a thread on www.kombuchatea.tribe.net, I brewed a full pot (my coffee pot makes 10 cups) of the Organic Coffee Co. Zen Blend coffee. I used 1 tblsp of coffee per 2 cups of water. While the coffee was brewing I poured 1 ½ cups of organic turbinado sugar into my brewing vessel, after sanitizing the vessel with warm water and vinegar. Once the coffee was ready I poured it into the vessel and added two extra cups of warm water, stiring to dissolve the sugar into coffee. After all of the sugar appeared to be dissolved I let the mixture cool overnight to room temperature before adding my scoby. Cooling overnight also allowed my scoby to warm up to room temperature (I normally store my scoby in the fridge when I’m not brewing), so that it did not got into shock when I added it to the brew. In the morning I added my scoby to the koffeebucha mixture, and covered the brewing vessel with an extra coffee filter that I had lying around (consequently, this is also what is recommended by Kombucha Fuel).

The directions I was following suggested that koffeebucha takes longer to ferment than the usual 8 to 10 days, so I plan on leaving my brew fermenting for about 14 days before sampling. I am curious to see what it tastes like!

Day 3, Part 2 of Experiment 2: Cutting the Kombucha Mother

2009-11-24T16:01:00.000-05:00

This is what my kombucha looked like after 3 days of brewing 6 cups of kombucha tea with a cut kombucha mother. The tea is brewing comfortably at around 73.4 - 75.2 degrees Fahrenheit.

Day 3

I have to admit that when I first saw the funny looking conglomeration forming at the surface, I was a little concerned that contamination may have occurred. But, these should just be the culture strands gathering to form a new mushroom at the surface, and the other fermentation vessel (below) that I brewed at the same time looks completely normal, so I don't think that the brew should have gotten contaminated.

To be continued!

Day 3 of brewing with a Whole SCOBY

Workshop, Potluck, and Tasting: Featuring Kombucha, Beer, and Wine!

2009-11-21T20:38:00.003-05:00

Thanks to everyone who came to my last workshop in October, we had a great turnout! And a big thank you to Abram, who brought several kombucha mushrooms that I was able to distribute!

My next workshop will be with The Urban Homesteaders' League.

What: UHL Holiday Potluck + Kombucha and Winemaking Workshop + Local Brew Tasting
When: Saturday, December 12, 6-9 pm
Where: Allston/Brighton/Brookline-ish area, location will be e-mailed to those who RSVP
Cost: $10 (to cover the costs of supplies and drinks)
RSVP: at the UHL's website
(note: you need to join the UHL to RSVP, but you can always leave the group after the event if you want to)

Learn how to make fruit wine and how to brew kombucha tea, taste several local beers, and share delicious food, all amongst good company and just in time for the holidays!

I will cover the basics of brewing and bottling kombucha, the traditional and continuous brewing methods, how to grow your own kombucha mushroom, and more. Samples of home-brewed kombucha tea will be provided, and SCOBYs will also be available for individuals to take home. RSVP information and the full event description can be found here. It's going to be fun!! Please join us and hope to see you there!

Experiment 2, Continued: Cutting the Kombucha Mother

2009-11-20T13:14:00.000-05:00

I am happy to say that I was successful in growing a full SCOBY from a cut kombucha mother! However, this is only the beginning.

The cut kombucha mother (on the right) and newborn SCOBY (on the left) after 9 days of fermentation and around 1.5 cups of kombucha brew.

Day 9

The kombucha segment was a quarter of a SCOBY that had a radius of around 6 cm. So, the area of the cut kombucha mother was around 28 cm^2. Meanwhile, the new SCOBY that it grew had a radius of around 4 cm, with an area of around 50 cm^2 (the area of a circle = pi*radius*radius). The thicknesses of the cut kombucha mother and the new kombucha mushroom were both around 1/8-1/4 in (.32 - .64 cm), and the final brew had a pH of around 2.5-3.5.

Day 8

In his book, I found that Gunther Frank advises to cut kombucha mothers into pieces of around 6 cm in diameter (p. 86). And one experiment performed by the two Russian scientists Sakaryan and Danielova (1948) in Frank's book touches on the subject of the quantity of kombucha culture in relation to the volume of kombucha brew (p. 89-90):

Five glass containers of the same size were filled with 100, 250, 500, 750, and 1000 mL of nutrient solution, and equal pieces of kombucha culture were put in each of the containers
On the 5th, 8th, and 18th day, all of the containers had equal pH values
On the 8th day, the container with 100 mL of nutrient solution had the most activity against disease bacteria, while the other samples with varying amounts of kombucha brew were equally effective against disease bacteria
Conclusions from the study: the activity against disease bacteria is almost independent to the volume of kombucha brew. While different strengths of antimicrobial activity may be more apparent during the first couple of days of fermentation among kombucha brews of varying volumes, these differences in antimicrobial activity may be evened out over longer periods of time of 8-18 days.
Frank's conclusions: Because there doesn't seem to be an advantage in putting large amounts of kombucha culture in one container, it is advised to part with older cultures over time, "always to use one of the youngest," and there's no advantage to being excessive.

What do I do?

I typically brew with 1-3 mushrooms in a container, depending on the size of the container, the volume of brew, and the thickness of my mushrooms. I have found that my kombucha mushrooms don't appreciate being very crowded, and you will learn to make your own adjustments with experience!

Day 5

Nevertheless, I realized that the kombucha baby that I grew wasn't that much bigger than it's kombucha mother. In addition, the cut kombucha mother was only fermenting a small volume of brew, around 1.5 cups. So, I decided to take on Part 2 of Cutting the Kombucha Mother! This week, I will be brewing 6 cups of kombucha tea with the same kombucha fragment that I used last week (area: 28 cm^2), and in a bigger container with a diameter of 12.5 cm. (So, the new kombucha mushroom that grows should have an area of around 122.7 cm^2). Stay tuned!

Source:
Frank, Gunther W. Kombucha - Healthy beverage and natural remedy from the Far East. 4th ed. Austria: Wilhelm Ennsthaler, 1994.

Exp. 2: Cutting the Kombucha Mother - Day 2

2009-11-13T16:07:00.000-05:00

Into Day 2 of Experiment 2, Cutting the Kombucha Mother, and the new mushroom that's forming seems to be looking good! I am currently brewing in my kitchen cupboard, which is a warmer area in my apartment because of my increased tendency to cook during the cooler months. That, in addition to the fact that my roommate does not like the cold so most of our windows are closed, contribute to the kombucha brewing comfortably at super toasty temperatures of around 76-85°F (Which SCOBYs like!).

"Ideally," you brew at around 75-85°F at a constant temperature. Increased temperatures speed up the brewing process, while colder temperatures mean that your brew will take longer to ferment.

Despite the unevenness of the new SCOBY that is forming on the surface, that is not uncommon for the fluctuating temperatures and fluctuating conditions that accompany home brewing, and I don't think it will be a reason for concern. But we will see how the new mushroom develops further over the next few days.

Happy Friday!

Experiment 2: Cutting the Kombucha Mother

2009-11-11T21:20:00.000-05:00

The question is: Can you cut your SCOBY?

Due to increased demands for Kombucha mushrooms and also because of personal interest, I've begun to research if you can brew with a segment of a kombucha mother. This site and this discussion thread indicate that it's ok, and that Kombucha mushrooms are made of many microorganisms that replicate when cut. In fact, this thread even recommends cutting kombucha mushrooms rather than peeling off layers, because each layer contains different organisms!

So, I took the task of cutting a kombucha mother into four quarters. I brewed the batch as normal, putting in just a SCOBY segment rather than a whole mushroom, and we'll see what happens! Look forward to upcoming posts on the development of this brew.

The Different Teas for Your Kombucha Brew

2009-10-24T04:27:00.001-04:00

I have finally been able to start reading the book Kombucha - Healthy beverage and natural remedy from the Far East by Gunther W. Frank. Wondering which tea(s) to use to brew your kombucha? Here's the quick and dirty about the main varieties of tea and how they relate to your brew.

Black Tea

Examples: Russian and Ceylon tea
Fermented
High caffeine content
Produces the more typical apple cider vinegar taste of kt
Using more of it increases the ratio of yeast to bacteria in your brew (3)
What Kombucha tea is "typically" brewed with

Oolong Tea

Semi-fermented (1, p. 20)
Inbetween green and black tea in taste and appearance (1, p. 20)

Green Tea

Examples: Gunpowder, Jasmine, and white tea
Comes from the same plant as black tea, but is unfermented (1, p. 19)
Can contribute an astringent quality to kt
Lower caffeine content than black tea
Using more of it decreases the ratio of yeast to bacteria in your brew (3)
Often used because of its numerous health benefits

Herbal Teas

Avoid teas with too many volatile oils (ex. sage, peppermint, chamomile, and St.-John's-Wort), which can alter the microorganism balance in the Kombucha culture over time (1, p. 25)
Used for their medicinal properties and for individuals who want to avoid caffeine (1, p. 25)
The Kombucha culture feeds on the nitrogen in herbal teas (2)

Herbal Tea Possibilities with Kombucha Tea:

Rooibos (2)
Yerba Mate (2)
Recommended by Pastor Hermann-Josef Wendinger: Equal parts bilberry leaves, raspberry leaves, blackberry leaves, and blackcurrent leaves (1, p. 25)

Yerba Mate

Recommendations Regarding Herbal Teas

Include at least some green or black tea in your herbal brews to "[make] the best nutrient solution for the Kombucha culture" (1, p. 25)
According to Happy Herbalist, brew with 25% "real" tea and 75% herbal tea. OR, ferment 3 brews with herbal teas and every fourth batch use "real" tea (2)

Advantages of Black Tea vs. Herbals

Produces the highest concentrations of lactic and gluconic acid (1, p. 28)
Provides the "best conditions" "as a source of mineral nutriments for the culture" (1, p. 28)
Bing (1928) "describes the Kombucha culture as a community of living things which are particularly adapted to a nutrient milieu rich in purine, and which need this rich supply of purine to maintain their metabolism." (1, p. 28). Black tea contains this necessary purine (1, p. 29).
According to Bing, the tannin content of the tea also affects the formation of the zoogloea (the new baby mushroom that form at the surface) (1, p. 28)
Herbal teas contain higher amounts of volatile oils and phenol than black tea. And because the volatile oils float to the surface where the new baby mushrooms grow, they can destroy/inhibit bacteria in the Kombucha culture and change the culture's composition (1, p. 29)
Herbal teas contain more germinal spores than black teas, which can "germinate in the warm nutrient solution" (1, p. 30)

Which teas do I brew with?

I typically enjoy using a combination of green and black teas in ratios of around 3:1 or 3:2. I also do brews using only black tea, such as only Ceylon, Darjeeling, or Assam tea.

Read more about different tea types for your kombucha brew at Happy Herbalist and Seeds of Health UK.

Sources:
1. Frank, Gunther W. Kombucha - Healthy beverage and natural remedy from the Far East. 4th ed. Austria: Wilhelm Ennsthaler, 1994.
2. http://www.happyherbalist.com/differentteas.aspx
3. http://geocities.com/kombucha_balance/

Kombucha Brewing Workshop

2009-10-17T08:35:00.003-04:00

I am happy to announce that my next Kombucha Brewing Workshop will be in collaboration with Slow Food BU, a club that I am involved with.

Date: Tuesday, October 27
Time: 7:45 pm - 9 pm
Location: Sargent College (635 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215), Room 220
Cost: Free
Open to the public

ATTN: Due to demand, this workshop will also be a potluck so we can enjoy some good food while drinking kombucha tea! Bring a dish to share if you can, and we will supply the beverages. :) You are still encouraged to come even if you cannot bring any food. But do remember to bring your own plates and utensils if you would like to eat, so we can reduce our waste!

Traced back to Chinese origins to around 220 B.C., numerous health promoting and detoxifying effects have been attributed to Kombucha Tea, also referred to as the "elixir of life."

While Kombucha can cost $3+ a bottle, it is very inexpensive to brew your own! The workshop will include a demonstration on how to brew kombucha tea, and topics covered will include:

Required materials
The traditional brewing method
Bottling
Where to obtain SCOBYs
Growing your own kombucha mushroom
The continuous brewing method

Several flavors of home-brewed kombucha tea will be available for sampling, and a few SCOBYs may also be up for adoption at this skillshare!

*PLEASE NOTE* Although it's not required, if you think you would like a kombucha mushroom from this workshop, bringing an old glass jar (such as an applesauce jar, around 24-32 oz., or any jar of similar size) to exchange for the mushroom would be greatly appreciated.

Already brew your own kombucha tea? Please consider coming and bringing some of your own kombucha so we can have a taste test, or bringing any extra SCOBYs you have to spare!

Please join us and hope to see you there!

Any questions or comments? Contact me!

The Kombucha Journal + Kombucha Mailing List + Book + Funny Video!

2009-09-29T00:54:00.000-04:00

I recently came across the website The Kombucha Journal by Kombucha Guru, Günther W. Frank. Not only is The Kombucha Journal available in 30 languages, but it also hosts a Worldwide Kombucha Exchange where you can find kombucha starters and also offer to share your mushrooms with others.

On the site I found a Kombucha Mailing List, which so far has been wonderful. However, the mailing list is quite active- so don't say you weren't warned!

I was so excited with all of these new discoveries, that I broke down and bought Frank's book "Kombucha, Healthy beverage and natural remedy from the Far East." I cannot wait to receive the book, and I will write posts about it when I do!

And through the kombucha mailing list, I also found out about the video, Kombucha and You. The video is extremely entertaining, and I would highly recommend it for a good laugh! Although, it illustrates more of what you shouldn't do with your kombucha mushroom than what you should. :)

Factors Affecting Your Brew

2009-09-21T22:35:00.005-04:00

photo source: http://www.happyherbalist.com/timeandtemp.aspx

I just love this chart from Happy Herbalist, which shows how various elements in kombucha tea are affected with time. As fermentation time increases,

The acidity of kombucha tea increases
The pH, sugar content, and alcohol content of kt decrease

With more fermentation time, the yeasts will have more time to convert the sugars → alcohol + CO2 (a waste product that is released into the air), decreasing the sugar content.

Meanwhile, the bacteria will have more time to convert the alcohols → beneficial acids, increasing the acidity, and lowering the pH and alcohol content of the kombucha.

Furthermore, the warmer the environment, the faster the kombucha will brew- which is something to keep in mind in the colder, winter months and the hotter, summer days. Finally, another factor that speeds up the fermentation process is adding more starter tea when brewing.

Kombucha Around the World

2009-09-11T00:19:00.000-04:00

So apparently I have a new found love for maps, and could not help but create another Google Map with the locations of your oh-so-dear kombucha companies! The link to the map is here.

Whether you purchase kombucha tea or brew your own, it's fun to see where the brands are coming from. And for you locavores out there, the kt's origins may also be another factor to consider!

*Note* - I am looking for more kombucha companies to add to the map! If you know of a company that I have not included, whether it's in the U.S. or elsewhere, please feel free to leave a comment, send me an e-mail, or get in touch with me in some way, and I will update the map accordingly!

Thanks, and enjoy!

Where to Buy Kombucha Around Boston, MA - Part II

2009-08-30T20:00:00.000-04:00

I am very excited about this new Google Map that I created with locations that sell kombucha tea around Boston!!! With Google Maps, it will be much easier for me to update new locations that sell kt as I find them. For a link to the map, click here. And if you know of any other locations that I have left out, or if you have any suggestions for my map, please let me know! I'm sure others would appreciate it. :)

On another note, I have now relocated my kombucha brews to my kitchen cabinet.

For whatever reason, it has already been getting colder lately around Boston. (*sigh.* I wish it were still the middle of summer!) Since I tend to open my windows every now and then for the fresh air, my room can get chilly at times, too- which also makes for a slower kombucha ferment.

Because my kitchen tends to be warm, it is a good location temperature-wise for my kombucha brew. However, keeping your ferment in a cabinet in the kitchen is highly recommended- SCOBYs are not fond of smoke! And you might not want to keep your brew in too tight or small of a cabinet, either- kombucha mushrooms also like their oxygen!

Overall, keeping your ferment in a closet or cabinet can be very helpful if you would like to set it aside in an undisturbed spot. Just remember not to forget about your brew!

Cornell Study - Part II

2009-08-12T13:13:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Part II of The Cornell Study! As mentioned in my last post, I will be discussing the finds C.J. Greenwalt, R.A. Ledford, and K.H. Steinkraus made from performing their research in their study "Determination and characterization of the anti-microbial activity of the fermented tea Kombucha."

Again, their MISSION for the study was "to determine and characterize Kombucha's anti-microbial activity" and also to see if drinkable levels of unfermented tea carry anti-microbial properties.

Some of the MATERIALS AND METHODS Greenwalt et al. performed involved the following:

They tested both black tea leaves (Lovers Leap Orange Pekoe Tea and Pure Premium Ceylon Tea) and green tea leaves (Japanese Sencha Tea and Pure Premium Green Tea) from Metropolitan Tea Company Ltd.
The tea leaves were steeped for 30 minutes and then removed.
"The fermentation was terminated at the...pleasing [and desired taste and acidity] of about 33 g/L (3.3%)."
"The fermentation time averaged nine days at 25°C [77°F]."

After the kombucha tea reach the desired end point, anti-microbial activities were tested against the following organisms:

Staphylococcus aureus NRRL B-1317
Staphylococcus aureus NRRL B-1318
E. coli serotype H10 (non-pathogenic) NRRL B-2207
E. coli serotype H48 (pathogenic) NRRL B-3704
Salmonella cholerasuis serotype typhimurium NRRL B-4420
Bacillus cereus NRRL B-14720
Bacillus cereus NRRL B-14725
Candida albicans NRRL Y-12983
Agrobacterium tumefaciens

"The bacterial species were chosen to represent the most common pathogenic and undesirable organisms associated with food."

The RESULTS of the study:

"The Kombucha colonies used in this investigation had a tendency to produce about:"

3.3% total acid
0.7% acetic acid
4.8% glucose
0.6% ethanol
No lactic acid
pH ~2.5

Greenwalt et al.'s OVERALL CONCLUSION:

"Kombucha may be a healthful beverage in view of its anti-microbial activity against a range of pathogenic bacteria. This may promote immunity and general well being."

I hope you found the Cornell Study as interesting as I did, and please ask me if you have any questions!

Source:

-Greenwalt, C.J., R.A. Ledford, and K.H. Steinkraus. "Determination and characterization of the anti-microbial activity of the fermented tea Kombucha." Lebensmittel-Wissenschaft und-Technologie 31 (3) (1998): 291-296.

-Online article link here.

Cornell Study - Part I

2009-07-29T22:15:00.000-04:00

Hello all! Things have been crazy busy here as usual- I recently started two new jobs and am still interning with the fabulous program CitySprouts for the summer. But, I was finally able to dedicate a night to post! As a heads up, I will probably be updating my blogs around once a month. I wish I could do more, but I do need to eat and sleep! ;)

In any case, today's post is devoted to Cornell's study on Kombucha Tea- "Determination and characterization of the anti-microbial activity of the fermented tea Kombucha" by C.J. Greenwalt, R.A. Ledford, and K.H. Steinkraus. Published in 1998, this study is one of the most frequently recognized and referred to studies on kombucha tea at the moment. You can see a reproduction of the article here, but my plan is to break the study down for you in a more reader-friendly format and to highlight several of the important points.

I've separted my posts on the Cornell study into two parts- today's post, Part I, will focus on the literary research Greenwalt et al. performed before conducting their experiment. My second post on this study, Part II, will be dedicated to the findings that Greenwalt et al. made after performing their study.

Through Greenwalt et al.'s literary research, they first acknowledge the kombucha craze present in the media, including a New York Times article published in 1994 and a past article in the Miami Herald. Such articles "[suggest] that Kombucha consumption can reduce blood pressure, relieve arthritis, increase the immune response, and cure cancer."

In addition, as indicated by a study performed by Mayser et al.:

Acetobacter xylinum has been shown to be the primary bacterium in kombucha
Meanwhile, the yeast composition is highly variable
There was "a low rate of contamination from harmful [spoilage and pathogenic] microorganisms" to the kombucha colonies
Thus, "Kombucha can safely be prepared at home without pathogenic health risk"

According to a previous paper done by Greenwalt, "Antibitoic activity of the fermented tea Kombucha":

The acidity of kombucha tea, at ~33 g/L total acid or 3.3%, is pretty high, which limits the ability of many other unfavorable organisms to grow.

In the fermentation process of brewing kombucha tea, the yeast break down:

Sugar -> glucose + fructose (Roussin, M.R.)
Glucose-> ethanol + CO2 (Asai)

Meanwhile, the principal bacterium Acetobacter xylinum oxidizes/converts:

Ethanol -> acethaldehyde -> acetic acid (Asai)
Glucose -> gluconic acid (Asai)

Although the yeast and bacteria break down much of the sugar in the form of glucose, kombucha tea still contains a little bit of sugar, and most of this is in the form of fructose, which the yeasts and bacteria use less of.

The Acid Composition of Kombucha Tea is approximately:

33 g/L (3.3%) total acid (Greenwalt)
20 g/L (2%) gluconic acid (Steinkraus)
10 g/L (1%) acetic acid (Petro)

Furthermore, Toda et al. demonstrated that unfermented tea at high concentrations inhibited several pathogenic and undesirable organisms, including seceral strains of Staphylococcus, Salmonella, and Shigella.

And, in various and previous studies, it was determined that high levels of unfermented tea have anti-microbial effects. But, it "has yet to be shown if drinkable levels [of unfermented tea] have similar properties."

Look for Part II of this post (hopefully within a week) on what Greenwalt et al. discovered from performing their experiment on kombucha tea! Their mission for the study: "to determine and characterizie Kombucha's anti-microbial activity using an absorbent disc method," and to also see if drinkable levels of unfermented tea carry anti-microbial properties!

Source:
-Greenwalt, C.J., R.A. Ledford, and K.H. Steinkraus. "Determination and characterization of the anti-microbial activity of the fermented tea Kombucha." Lebensmittel-Wissenschaft und-Technologie 31 (3) (1998): 291-296.
-Online article link here.

Kombucha: Gourmet Style and City Feed & Supply

2009-06-29T23:44:00.000-04:00

A number of individuals have been asking me whether or not I have eaten a kombucha mushroom.

So one day when I had one mushroom too many, I finally decided to try it!

My comments: it was chewy, sticky, and the texture reminded me of the cold Chinese appetizer jellyfish noodles (which I actually really like!).

Photo: courtesy of Chow Times

However, the SCOBY that I had was somewhat old (I would say it had gone through 5+ cycles). And I have found that for consumption, the mushrooms get tougher with age, so the younger, more lightly colored mushrooms are easier to eat.

I am not sure if I will be eating another kombucha mushroom again. However, a friend recently gave me the idea of blending a SCOBY in a smoothie, which is something that I may need to try.

Happy Herbalist lists a number of different ideas and recipes for what to do with your kombucha mushrooms and tea, including using a kombucha mushroom as shoe leather or a drum skin, and using kombucha tea for marinades and even foot soaks.

Photo source: Happy Herbalist

You can also feed kombucha mushrooms to your dog, or composting them is another great option.

Oh yes, and another kombucha find: GT's Kombucha is sold at City Feed and Supply at 672 Centre St., Jamaica Plain! (I do not know if it's sold at their Boylston location, however). A bottle of GT's Kombucha from City Feed will set you back $3.99.

Have a good week, everyone! And thanks for reading!

New Kombucha Discoveries Around Town

2009-05-24T23:42:00.001-04:00

One or two weeks ago I found myself at Cambridge Naturals- and I was very happy to find that they did not only have Katalyst Kombucha and GT's as I remembered. They had those two brands, Kombucha Wonder Drink, and High Country Kombucha Tea as well! And although it's hard to see in the picture- just like the Harvest Co-Op, Cambridge Naturals also sells Katalyst Kombucha in a 1/2 gallon jug! (The jugs are in the bottom right of the picture, partially obscured by the boxes).

Later on that week I was at the Harvest Co-Op, and made another good finding: Katalyst Kombucha now sells their kombucha tea in 16 oz resealable bottles! The only downside is that they used to sell 12 oz bottles of kombucha tea for $2. Now at the Harvest Co-Op, they sell 16 oz of kombucha tea for $2.79. $2.79 is still the cheapest price I've found for a 16 oz bottle of kombucha tea in the area, though, at regular price (I think)! And yay for reusable bottles!

Oh, and did I mention that GT's now uses plastic bottle caps for their kombucha tea? No more worries about rusty bottle caps->these bottles are also wonderfully reusable! Awesome. I've seen this brand for $3.49 regular price at Whole Foods and the Harvest Co-Op.

To top it off, I found another location that sells Kombucha Tea- Oh Naturale in Boston's North End (28 Parmenter St.). Oh Naturale is a small health foods store, and sells High Country Kombucha and GT's Kombucha Tea (you can see them in the picture in the bottom three rows). Unfortunately, Oh Naturale sells kombucha at the higher price of $3.99 per bottle.

So I am very happy to say that both the Harvest Co-Op and Cambridge Naturals are equally competitive locations for your Kombucha Oases if you live around Boston/Cambridge. (Something to keep in mind though is that Cambridge Naturals is in Porter Square, while the Harvest Co-Op is in Central Square and Jamaica Plain). Both stores sell all four brands of kombucha tea. However, I sadly did not compare the prices of kombucha tea for either of them, because apparently I was too occuppied with my other good finds. I also do not pay enough attention to the prices, because I find it hard to justify myself to buy kombucha tea when I brew it myself. But the next time I am in these shops, I will be on the lookout for good deals! :)

And if you haven't already, read more about other places in the area to buy kombucha tea in my old post.

For those of you who have Monday off, enjoy the long weekend!!!

The Continuous Brewing Method - Part II - Advantages & Disadvantages

2009-05-15T20:01:00.003-04:00

Hello everyone!

My apologies, but handing in job applications and seeing Michael Pollan (!!!) at the West Roxbury Branch Library got in the way of my posting the past few days.

I promised that I would talk about some of the advantages and disadvantages of the continuous brewing method, so here it goes.

PROS of the Continuous Brewing Method

It's quick & easy
You have kombucha tea continuously on hand
Less/no sanitizing
Decreased bottling time
Decreased mold risk (SCOBY stays in brewing vessel)

-Because you are drawing off how much KT you would like to drink/bottle each day, and because the SCOBY is constantly in the same container, the amount of time you need to sanitize the equipment/area is significantly less. This will save you time and decrease the chance that your SCOBY will become contaminated by mold (even though contamination by mold is rare, anyways- next post!).

Health Benefits
-According to Happy Herbalist, the continuous brewing method produces the "fullest most complete range of beneficial nutrients available at any one time."
-Kombucha researcher Mike Roussin indicated that some beneficial acids do not even appear until 14-21 days of fermentation (1).

However, there are several CONS to the Continuous Brewing Method.

The beverage dispensers that I found in stores had plastic and metal spigots, both materials of which can leach contaminants into the tea when they remain in contact with acid/kombucha tea. This is the very reason why I do not use the continuous brewing method (yet). But:

-Maybe the continuous brewing vessels sold on kombucha websites are specifically designed to avoid this problem? (They are $, however).
-Some people say to "pick your poison," plastic or metal.
-*Potential solution!* - Someone at my last workshop had the idea of brewing kombucha tea in its normal container, and then using the continuous brewing method by just siphoning off the liquid from the top. What a great idea!! Hm...I may need to try that soon...

You won't be producing any more kombucha babies by this method, which may or may not be desirable. I also don't know how long SCOBYs live- some say 8 cycles, some say they last for months- it will depend on many factors. But case in point: kombucha mushrooms do not live forever.

If you would like to read another take on the Continuous Brewing Method, look here.

And remember- whether you decide to use the Continuous Brewing Method or brew the typical way, it all just depends on you and your lifestyle!

Happy Friday!!!

Sources:
-http://www.happyherbalist.com/continuous_brewing.htm
-http://getkombucha.com/
-Photos: http://www.happyherbalist.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=123 and http://getkombucha.com/porcelain.html

Kombucha Workshops + the Continuous Brewing Method (Part I)

2009-05-11T16:32:00.005-04:00

Sorry for the late recap, but last week final exams hit. Thankfully, all my finals are over and I'm very excited for summer!!!

I would first like to thank everyone who attended my workshop at the 2009 Boston Skillshare on April 19th! I was very impressed with the turnout, and you were a great audience! Although Keith Person was not able to hold his workshop, I was happy to be able to give out some mushrooms for him! Thanks, Keith!

I would also like to touch on the Continuous Brewing Method that I mentioned at the workshop.

The Continuous Brewing Method is an extremely easy way to ferment kombucha tea!

It involves drinking/drawing off 10-20% of your KT brew daily, and then replacing the amount that you drank with sweet tea (every day, every other day, or every three days) (1).

-Every time you add the sweet tea:

You want to stir the brew to mix the old ferment with the new sweet tea, so the bacteria/yeast are distributed throughout.
Stirring will bring in more oxygen that the bacteria need to do their job.
Because you are disturbing the tea every time by stirring, no new babies will form. This is not a problem at all, unless you were looking to have extra SCOBYs on hand or if you wanted to give some SCOBYs away. If this is the case, you may want to use the traditional brewing method.

As an example, one recipe of Sweet Tea would be:

1 quart (aka 4 cups) water
2-3 tea bags (or around 1 tsp. or 3-5 g of loose leaf tea)
1/4 cup sugar (around 70 g)

Reminder: the key is to do everything proportionally. You can make more/less sweet tea, and store extra sweet tea in the fridge for a few days so that you won't need to brew it everyday.

Also, please remember that your sweet tea and your brew/mushroom need to be at the SAME TEMPERATURE! Otherwise, you will be increasing the risk of your SCOBY getting a mold infection.

For the continuous brewing method, you will need:

A beverage dispenser- Happy Herbalist suggests that the amount of KT you drink daily should be 10-20% the size of your container. One way to obtain a beverage dispensor for continuous brewing is from online, such as from Happy Herbalist and getkombucha.com.

Sample Directions

Boil the water- not for too long, because the bacteria need the oxygen that's in the water.
Add the tea- steep for ~15 minutes or follow the tea's specific brewing instructions.
Remove the tea bags/tea leaves.
Add the sugar and mix until it is all dissolved.
Let the sweet tea cool down to room temperature (such as by leaving it overnight).
Draw off 10-20% of the fermented kombucha tea from your brewing container, and then add the sweet tea (which should be around the same amount of tea that you drew off).
Stir the fermented tea and the sweet tea.
Continue repeating these directions each day! :)

What's great is that the continuous brewing method is really simple and easy! Because you are starting with ~80-90% kombucha tea and ~10-20% sweet tea (vs. the other way around), your ferment is ready within ~24 hours (vs. being ready within 6-14 days). And you don't need to be exact, either- you can skip/overdo some days!

In order not to make this an overwhelming post, I will talk about some advantages and disadvantages of the continuous brewing method tomorrow!

Thanks for visiting my blog, and please feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions!

Sources:
-http://www.happyherbalist.com/continuous_brewing.htm
-http://getkombucha.com/
-Photo: http://www.happyherbalist.com/continuous_brewing.htm

And it Lives! Kombucha Baby + Kombucha Workshops

2009-04-09T12:51:00.004-04:00

The tentative schedule for the 2009 Boston Skillshare is now up! My workshop "Home-Brewing Kombucha" will be on Sunday, April 19th from 3:45 - 5:15 pm. Keith Person's workshop "Kombucha and More" is scheduled for Saturday, April 18th from 3:45 - 5:15 pm. And Olivia Caffrey and Evan Rooney will discuss brewing beer in their workshop "Home-Brew-it-Yourself" on Saturday, April 18th from 2:05 - 3:35 pm.

There are many other great workshops scheduled as well, as listed here. There is a $3-$10 sliding scale donation, but this includes attending an unlimited number of workshops for the whole weekend, and a free vegan breakfast and lunch for skillshare attendees! The 2009 Boston Skillshare will be located at the MIT Strata Center (32 Vassar St., Cambridge, MA) April 18th & 19th, from 10 am - 7 pm.

I forgot to post this the other week, but the SCOBY that I grew made her first baby! What a cutie! A little on the thin side (she's on the right), but still healthy and cream colored! (Yes, I can become very attached to my mushrooms. :) )

Kombucha Mushrooms Come in All Shapes, Sizes, and Colors!

2009-04-08T02:10:00.010-04:00

According to Happy Herbalist, a cream colored, 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick baby is normal and healthy. Thin cultures may be attributed to cold brewing temperatures (2) and other factors (3). (One would ideally brew between 75-85°F at a constant temperature). During the winter, it may help to add more starter tea (~15-20%, vs. the usual 10%) to help kick start the fermentation process (2).

Remember- don't discriminate! Even incompletely formed mushrooms can be perfectly good to use! In the past, I've had kombucha mushrooms with huge holes in them still ferment the tea well and create very healthy babies.

Mushrooms on the thin side may not be as strong as thick ones. In this case, you might want to team up a thin mushroom with another SCOBY, or hopefully your thin SCOBY can grow a thicker baby so you'll be all set.

When brewing at home, it is common for SCOBYs of uneven thickness or varying shades to form, due to low or varying temperatures, and sometimes due to inconsistent environments and brewing cycles. So if this happens to you, don't worry! It's perfectly normal!

The size of your kombucha mushroom will depend on the size and shape of your brewing container. Your SCOBY does not have to lie perfectly near the surface as it ferments- I've placed larger mushrooms inside smaller brewing containers, and they fermented the tea without a problem!

Additionally, although Kombucha mushrooms start out cream colored, they darken over time (4), which could happen due to staining by the tea (5).

And eventually, SCOBYs age, stop creating babies, and lose their ability to ferment the tea, and you will need to continue brewing with another mushroom. While some say that SCOBYs last for 8 batches, others say that they last for 3-4 months (5).

Thus, the life of a kombucha mushroom will differ on a case-by-case basis and probably depends on many factors. But because a new SCOBY forms with each batch, this usually is not a concern anyways! Once you obtain a mushroom and start brewing, you're usually worried about having too many mushrooms, than not enough of them. When you're at that point, it's time to start recruiting some fellow brewers! :)

*Note- all of the mushrooms in the photos within this post are healthy and good to brew with!

Kombucha Heaven + Kombucha Workshops

2009-04-03T15:01:00.002-04:00

As I've already described in a previous post, I love the Harvest Co-Op in Cambridge for their good prices and overwhelming variety of kombucha tea! If you have never had kombucha, you should come here to try it! Chances are if you don't like one flavor/brand, you'll like another! (And I apologize for the glare in the photo :P).

Also, look for me at the 2009 Boston Skillshare! My workshop Home-Brewing Kombucha will include a power point presentation on KT, a brewing demonstration, a small tasting, and a few SCOBY donations. The exact time and date are still TBD, however.

The Boston Skillshare, to take place on April 18th and 19th at MIT, is an annual FREE weekend event for people to share and learn practical skills! Although the dates are drawing near, they may still be looking for workshop facilitators, so look at their site and contact them ASAP if you think you have a skill you'd like to share! And if you can't make it to my KT workshop, Keith Person will be leading a workshop, Kombucha and More, as well! (Date and time, also still TBD).

Meanwhile, check out Tea Quest for some other adventures on tea and kombucha tea!

Happy Friday!

The Final Days of Growing Your Own Kombucha Mother, Exp. 1

2009-03-21T23:08:00.001-04:00

My first DIY SCOBY experiment has now come to an end! Although from the side it looked like two cultures had actually grown, it was just one. The two color layers that you see here could have been due to inconsistent temperatures. However, the edges (but not the center) of the SCOBY separated a bit, so it's also possible that a new baby culture tried to form but did not do so completely. In any case, the two layers were pretty cemented together, and they seemed all cozy and comfortable right next to each other, so I guess together as one they were meant to be.

The kombucha tea itself was definitely way over-fermented! It tasted like kombucha tea all right, but it was so acidic that you would not want to drink more than sip (taste-wise and health-wise!) The pH of the tea was around 1-2. I used some as strong starter tea, and I also mixed some regular kombucha tea with the over-fermented KT (so the pH wasn't as low), so I could store some extra SCOBYs that I want to give away in the fridge!

This experiment was much more successful than I expected, and it was wonderful seeing the kombucha culture develop day by day! Next up: growing a SCOBY using some store-bought kombucha tea (vs. my own, fresh KT as in this experiment) and seeing what happens!

FIN - Days 13-20 - Grow Your Own Kombucha Mother (Exp. 1)

2009-03-20T23:03:00.001-04:00

SCOBY formation is finally complete!!! Unfortunately, New England weather (and also the consistency of the heating in my apartment) is extremely variable, so temperatures during this process actually ranged from as low as ~20°C (68°F) to ~24.5°C (76.1°F). Ideally, the temperature would have been constant throughout. Look for my post tomorrow for some overall comments on this endeavor! :)

Day 20

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Day 19

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Day 18

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Day 17

It's looking like two SCOBYs to me!

Day 16

Are there TWO mothers forming?

Day 15

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Day 14

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Day 13

Days 11 & 12 - Grow Your Own Kombucha Mother (Exp. 1)

2009-03-14T01:28:00.002-04:00

Day 12

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Day 11

Storing Your Kombucha Culture

2009-03-12T02:56:00.008-04:00

If you want to keep a back up culture safely away, if you're going on vacation, or if you just need a break from brewing, you have several options.

If you're only going away for a couple of weeks, brew a batch like your normally would before you leave. When you come back the tea may be over-fermented and very acidic, but you can use this as your starter tea. (Happy Herbalist also lists several other uses for extra kombucha.) And just something to remember if you're doing this: the SCOBY just needs enough sugar/O2 to survive/feed on.

Refrigerate your kombucha mushroom in a glass jar with some unflavored kombucha tea. Or kick-start the brewing process for several days to get the pH down, and refrigerate the mushroom in its brewing container.
-This will make your kombucha culture dormant. It won't be completely inactive, but the SCOBY will be active at a very slow rate, and it can keep this way for months.
-I recommend keeping the lid loosely covered so that CO2 doesn't build up and so the top doesn't pop off.
-Consider giving the SCOBY some fresh air/oxygen by opening the lid every now and then. If the kombucha has become/smells really acidic and the SCOBY has been in the fridge for awhile, I sometimes add a little sweet tea to the kombucha (sweet tea ratio: 1 quart water:1 tsp (4 g) loose-leaf tea:1/4 cup (50 g) sugar) to give the yeasts something to feed on.
-Refrigeration is the most common method of storing SCOBYs.
-However: when you start brewing again, you need to remember that the TEMPERATURES NEED TO BE THE SAME for the sweet tea and the SCOBY, because hot temperatures can kill the mushroom. The easiest way to do this is to let your hot sweet tea solution cool down overnight to room temperature, while letting the culture that used to be in the fridge warm up overnight to room temperature.
-When you start brewing again, it may also take a few cycles for your SCOBY to kick back into full gear.

It's not recommended to freeze your kombucha culture but it is possible:
-It is recommended to use the "fast-freeze" setting of your freezer so the SCOBY will be frozen ASAP. If your culture is frozen too slowly, crystals may form which may damage the culture's cells. See more information here.

If something unfortunate happens and you need a new culture- try asking a friend for a new mushroom, try growing your own, or try any of these other options.

Sources:

Days 9 & 10 - Grow Your Own Kombucha Mother (Exp. 1)

2009-03-12T01:21:00.001-04:00

Day 10

The SCOBY is thickening slowly but surely. :)

Day 9

Days 7 & 8 - Grow Your Own Kombucha Mother (Exp. 1)

2009-03-10T00:59:00.001-04:00

Day 8

Judging from the apple cider vinegar/kombucha smell (and from my typical 8ish day kombucha cycles), the tea should be ready to drink within the next couple of days. But because in this case I am looking to grow a new SCOBY and not aiming to drink the KT, even if the mushroom isn't completely formed soon, I will leave the culture in peace to grow. When KT becomes over-fermented and too acidic to drink, you can make kombucha vinegar out of it or use it as a strong starter tea! When my kombucha mushroom becomes completely formed, I will taste the tea, take its pH, and report! :)

Day 7

Brewing Containers and Kombucha Cautions

2009-03-08T23:30:00.000-04:00

Although glass brewing containers are best for brewing kombucha tea, you may use other containers.

Because kombucha tea is acidic, it should not be made or stored in certain ceramic and painted containers or containers made with lead crystal, which can contain toxic components that may leach into the tea. You should also not store tea or cultures in metal containers, and some plastic containers may leach chemicals into kombucha (1). However, food grade plastic, which have a number 1 or 2 inside a triangle on the bottom, and containers that are used to brew beer may be used (2).

According to Harald W. Tietze in his book Kombucha: The Miracle Fungus (1996), porcelain is another suitable brewing material.

Brewing containers with large surface areas will ferment and brew more quickly, because more of the tea is exposed to oxygen. However, containers with large surface areas will also increase the loss of liquid to evaporation (3).

Some cautions about kombucha:

-If you think something is wrong or that the kombucha tea may have been brewed in unsafe conditions, DO NOT DRINK THE TEA! Better to be safe than sorry- whether it's by brewing a new batch with new starter tea or by starting with a new/back-up culture (1). Excessive consumption of kombucha tea may be linked to unexplained lactic acidosis, and the CDC reported a serious illness in 1995 that could have been due to improper brewing practices (4). (However, no known human pathogens or toxin-producing organisms were identified!)

-The FDA acknowledges that kombucha tea and home brewing can be safe but also lists some warnings here.

However, under sanitary conditions, kombucha tea is perfectly safe! Problems such as mold are rare. Proper cleanliness practices in the kitchen are usually good enough to brew. In addition, kombucha cultures have antimicrobial properties, helping them to resist infection and contamination. More info on that later!

Days 5 & 6 - Grow Your Own Kombucha Mother (Exp. 1)

2009-03-07T22:33:00.001-05:00

Day 6

It's beginning to smell like apple cider vinegar/kombucha, which is a good sign! :)

Day 5

Days 3 & 4 - Grow Your Own Kombucha Mother (Exp. 1)

2009-03-05T21:03:00.001-05:00

Day 4

The SCOBY is thickening by the second!

Unfortunately, the temperature in my apartment varies: usually from around 20.5°C-24.5°C (68.9°F-76.1°F). However, this mushroom still seems to be faring well!

Day 3

Days 1 & 2 - Grow Your Own Kombucha Mother (Exp. 1)

2009-03-03T14:46:00.001-05:00

After 2 days.

I am 2 days into growing my own SCOBY, and the culture strands are already faithfully starting to congregate! I'm excited to see how this turns out!!! :)

After 1 day.

Where to Buy Kombucha in the Boston Area

2009-03-02T19:48:00.003-05:00

So you live around the Boston area, and you don't have time to deal with the weekly SCOBY cycles, you don't have a kombucha mushroom, you are waiting for your brew to finish, or for whatever reason you need your Kombucha tea fix NOW. Where do you go? Here are all the places that I know of in the area that sell Kombucha tea. If you can think of any another places that I've left out, please let me know!

My all-time favorite place to buy KT:

Harvest Co-Op in Cambridge (Central Sq.). They also have another location in Jamaica Plain.
-it's AMAZING: they sell GT's (from California), High Country Kombucha (from Colorado), Katalyst Kombucha (local- from Greenfield, MA!!!), and Kombucha Wonder Drink (from Oregan)!
-they even sell Katalyst Kombucha in a 1/2 gallon jug!

If you can't make it out to the Harvest Co-Op, here are your other options:

Whole Foods, various locations
-sells GT's and more
*Cambridge Naturals!*
-in Cambridge (Porter Sq.)
-sells Katalyst Kombucha, GT's, Kombucha Wonder Drink, and High Country Kombucha (as of 5/15/09!)
Oh Naturale (small health foods store in Boston's North End, 28 Parmenter St.)
-sells GT's and High Country Kombucha
Rawbert's Organic Café
-a little far in Beverly, MA
-this café features vegan and raw foods
-? brand

Addendum Oct. 1, 2011:
I have now created this Google map which has the most current updates: Where to Buy Kombucha Around the Boston Area. If I'm missing any locations on the map, please let me know!

Experiment #1: Grow Your Own Kombucha Mother!

2009-03-01T15:07:00.003-05:00

Apparently you can grow your own SCOBY?!?! See the video.

This is helpful if you don't know someone with a kombucha mushroom, or if you don't want to pay $20+ ordering one online.

I never tried this before, but I followed the typical Kombucha recipe, sans the mushroom. If you are trying to grow a mushroom, they recommend using raw, un-pasteurized kombucha, such as GT's, as your starter tea. Hopefully, the little strands of culture in my starter tea will help create a new SCOBY. We'll see in a week or two if the drink ferments, or if a new mushroom forms!

*All posts related to this experiment of growing a SCOBY will be tagged experiment 1.*

Cautions about Kombucha Tea and How Much You Should Drink

2009-03-01T02:41:00.001-05:00

It all depends on your body.

Kombucha tea is an acidic drink. While all of the beneficial acids may not be developed in an under-fermented brew, an over-fermented brew may be too acidic and create stress for the digestive system. (However, KT that has been brewed/fermented longer will also have less sugar).

It's usually suggested to drink KT in the morning on an empty stomach. Some also say to drink KT before meals to lose weight and after meals to gain weight.

If you are new to kombucha, you may want to start by drinking 1-2 or 4 fluid oz daily/at a time to let your body adjust to it. You may work your way up to 4 or 8 oz a day, but it's been recommended that you stop at the abosolute max of 32 oz./day!- there is such a thing as too much kombucha! For me, 4 oz. a day (such as 2 oz. in the morning and 2 oz. at night) is plenty.

KT is also not recommended for pregnant or nursing women, or children under the age of 4! It may also interfere with certain medications. So if you are unsure of whether you should be drinking it or not, you may want to consult your doctor. One particular concern is kombucha fermented with honey, especially raw honey, which may contain spores of Clostridium botulinum. Adults can usually tolerate the spores, but because of the possibility of infant botulism, it is not advised to give honey or KT fermented with honey to children under the age of 1.

Remember, how much Kombucha tea to drink depends on you.

Your Average One-Gallon Kombucha Recipe

2009-02-19T03:26:00.002-05:00

So I meant to make this a really brief Kombucha Brewing Recipe, but there was too much important information! So the truly short and simple recipe may have to wait. And I promise to post more Kombucha brewing/bottling details! These are just the "essential basics"!

Note: DO NOT use soap, which can kill some of the bacteria/probiotics! Please clean with distilled vinegar or some sort of sanitizer used by brewers, such as Iodophor!

MATERIALS

1 brewing container
-glass is best
-size depends on how much you want to brew
1 SCOBY aka a Kombucha Mushroom
3 quarts water (aka 12 cups)
-preferably filtered water
5-6 tea bags (or around 2-3 tsp. or 15 g of loose leaf tea)
-ex. Organic Green, Oolong, or Black Tea, or a combination
3/4 cup sugar (around 150 g)
-What’s typical: organic evaporated cane juice
1.5 cups (12 oz) starter tea
-From your previous batch, or some good, raw, store-bought, unflavored KT
-The starter tea should be 10-20% of your overall brew
1 clean cloth
-or a paper towel, coffee filter, or cheesecloth
-make sure it’s big enough to cover the container
1 rubber band
-or something to secure the cloth on the container
Optional: pH strips/pH meter

DIRECTIONS

Boil the water.
-Not for too long- remove the pot from the heat once the water reaches a boil.
-Boiling reduces the oxygen and carbon in the water, which are needed for the fermentation process.
Add the tea and allow it to steep for 15 minutes (or follow the specific tea brewing instructions).
Remove the tea bags/tea leaves (or you can leave them there overnight. It's your choice).
Add the sugar and mix it until it all dissolves.
Let the sugar/tea solution cool to room temperature
-Leaving it overnight is easiest.
-Make sure the mixture is properly covered so nothing gets inside!
Pour the sugar/tea solution into the brewing container.
Add the starter tea into the brewing container and stir it so that it’s evenly distributed throughout the solution.
-Optional: check the pH of the liquid. You want it to be between 3-4.
Add the SCOBY.
-You want the temperatures of the sugar/tea solution, starter tea, and the SCOBY to be the same so that the SCOBY won’t get temperature shocked. SCOBYs are living things!
Cover the container with the clean cloth and secure it with a rubber band.
-The goal is to allow oxygen in and keep pathogens out.
-If you cover the container with cheesecloth, double layer it! The holes in cheesecloth are pretty big and may let pathogens inside.
Put your brewing container in a quiet, undisturbed spot.
-Every time you brew, a new baby mushroom typically forms.
-Factors promoting Kombucha Baby Mushroom formation:
-Constant temperatures
-Warm temperatures (SCOBYs particularly like 73-83°F, or 21-26°C)
-Undisturbed spots- every time you disturb your brew, the new mushroom has to begin forming all over again.
-To avoid:
-Smoke (ex.: in kitchens)
-Pollen
-Direct sunlight (brewing in the light is ok, though)
Ferment for 6-8 days (when you’re brewing at around 80°F at a constant temp.)
-Takes around 8-14 days when you’re brewing in the 70’s.
Your kombucha tea is done! Enjoy! To check-
-It should taste like semi-sweet cider, hard apple cider, or vinegar
-Optional: check the pH of your brew. It should be around 2.5-3.5.
Set aside 1.5 cups of KT for your next brew.
Drink your kombucha tea as is, or consider bottling your kombucha or letting it undergo a second fermentation (kombucha wine, anyone?)

Thanks to Happy Herbalist (and my own experience and research) for some of this information!

Note: You do not have to brew a gallon of KT at once! You just need to brew everything proportionally. (A useful conversion: 1 quart = 4 cups).

*HAPPY BREWING!*

Kombucha Brewing Demo

2009-02-18T04:13:00.002-05:00

This past Tuesday I performed a Kombucha Brewing Demonstration at Slow Food BU’s second potluck of the semester! The demo included a kombucha tasting of fresh, chokecherry, grapefruit, and lime flavors. This was my second KT demonstration for SFBU, and I love teaching others how to brew kombucha so that they can learn how to do it themselves!

It’s a lot cheaper to brew kombucha yourself than to buy it in stores- a 16 oz bottle of GT’s Kombucha at Whole Foods costs more than $3 each. Meanwhile, the main ingredients of kombucha: water, sugar, and tea, are all fairly cheap. I bought a box of 80 organic tea bags for $4 at Whole Foods. I also bought some organic, fair trade evaporated cane juice at the Harvest Co-Op in Cambridge for $1.59/lb. After doing some math, I found out that with those prices, it costs me only $0.17 for every 16 oz of my own home-brewed kombucha tea, and that is when the sugar isn’t even on sale! Of course, the $0.17 doesn’t count for the electricity and time it takes to brew, and there are many more flavors and varieties of teas and sugars that are more expensive. But brewing kombucha is a lot of fun, is much cheaper in the long run, and you can’t get any more local and fresh then brewing kombucha tea in your own home!

I even donated a few kombucha mushrooms at the demo- it’s always hard to part with my SCOBYs, because I become so attached to them! But they were getting crowded in their home, so I knew it was time to part ways.

What is Kombucha?! The Basics.

2009-02-17T02:14:00.003-05:00

Kombucha is a fermented tea that has been traced back to Chinese origins, around 220 BC. It is made with water, sugar, tea, starter tea, and a kombucha mushroom.

Kombucha mushrooms are not actually mushrooms but they are cultures, also referred to as SCOBYs, or symbiotic cultures of bacteria and yeast. Typically with each brewing cycle, a new culture, or "baby" mushroom, forms from the "mother" mushroom.

The yeast ferment the sugar to alcohol, and the bacteria convert the alcohol to beneficial acids. Because of the brewing process, kombucha tea has a slight trace of alcohol (<0.5%).

Various factors, including pH, temperature, and time can affect the brew.

Also known as the "elixir of immortality," kombucha is claimed to cure various ailments, such as cancer, and is said to have detoxifying effects and probiotics (beneficial bacteria), which are beneficial to the digestive system.