Would you like some fermented tea? Some bacteria-infused yeasty goodness? A sweet blend of berry and matcha doused in acid? A bubbly, ever-so-slightly frothy brown liquid with the faint aroma of sweat? Perhaps not questions you'd pose at a high-tea... but that's the charm of kombucha, I guess.
Scientific evidence that supports claims of kombucha being healthy is, well, “pretty limited” to say the least – but according to my colleague, Holly, “it improves digestion, boosts the immune system, increases energy levels, and will hopefully get rid of those bags under your eyes!” Wait, kombucha cures heartbreak? Alas, I fear not - but experimenting with probiotic tea sounded like fun! I was down, and Holly was delighted to lure another colleague to join her crew of fanatical fermentors.
Yesterday I received a 1.5cm (width) snip of her scoby in a jar… It looked like a sludgy blend of blobfish and mushroom. The sight brought back memories of anatomy class, where others dissected frogs and eyeballs while I did my best not to pass out, mostly by staring out the window. That day solidified my decision to steer clear of a career in medicine. And yet, here I was, with what looked like a wet specimen from the shelves of 17th C Dutch anatomist Frederik Ruysch.
Now, for those who don't know, a scoby is essentially a cellulose mat that houses the bacteria and yeast cultures that turn sweet tea into kombucha. Each time you brew kombucha, a new or "baby" scoby forms, aiding in the transformation of sweet tea into kombucha. It basically replicates itself. I feel as if I have a little creature in my midst! (Let’s hope I don’t accidentally kill it!)
You can buy one from local or online retailers or make it at home using raw, unflavoured kombucha and sweetened green or black tea. The risk of contamination is pretty low when properly handled. If you'd like to start from scratch, I'd recommend you follow The Kitchen. Their recipe is very clear and informational - full of handy tips for first-timers.
As for the kombucha preparations, I will talk you through the process...
Kombucha (makes three litres)
Step One
Firstly, I filled my kettle up and heated the water to roughly 80°C – I then brewed 16g of loose-leaf green tea. The recipe recommended Genmaicha, which is a flavourful Bancha green tea blended with toasted and puffed rice. Discovered Rosevear in my search for Genmaicha in Edinburgh, and dropped into the Broughton St. store for my stash.
I then measured 120g of demerara sugar into a large dish (any bowl will do) and strained atop the Genmaicha tea, stirring until the sugar dissolved completely. When ready, I topped this up with 1kg of cold water, stirring all the while. Then poured the contents into a three-litre jar. There are better vessels, absolutely – I was limited with options in ASDA. If you think my jar looks like a container for spaghetti, that's because it is.
Without a thermometer at my disposal, I couldn’t check the temperature. However, it's crucial to remember that the temperature must not exceed 24°C before adding the scoby. If, like me, you do not have a thermometer, wait until the contents of the jar are warm to the touch - not hot. Then gently place the scoby and concentrated kombucha into the mix. Do not disturb the scoby.
And so... there’s nothing left to do but cover the mouth of the jar with a double layer of j-cloth and leave to primary ferment for a week! I dressed mine up like a shepherd from a nativity play and placed it amidst the spices in the corner of my kitchen… an eerie Easter egg for my landlord to find during inspection day this week. I do hope he doesn't panic.
** It’s important to note that you need to leave your kombucha in a warm area. Ideally, it needs 20°C to ferment during this period. Fortunately my flat rests at a level 19°C. I hear you can buy Kombucha heat pads. I don’t think I’ll commit to that level, but perhaps you might...!
Step two TBC…
Disclaimer
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Photographs: unless otherwise noted, all images were taken by me with an iPhone 8.
