ByJohanéNeilson
PhotographsFrancoisOberholsterNot only is this effervescent probiotic tea refreshing, it also has all sorts of
health benefits for your digestive system and it’s fun to brew at home.
Kombucha
Firstfermentation
YOUWILLNEED- 3.3Lboilingwater
- 200g(250ml)sugar
- 8 Ceylonteabags*
- 1 scoby
- about500mlunflavouredready-made
kombucha(store-boughtif it is yourfirst
brew,or keepa bottleof yourpreviousbrew
in thefridgeforthispurpose)
- Yourchoiceof caffeinatedtea.
124 home September 2019
Stirthesugarintotheboilingwaterin
a saucepanuntildissolved,removethe
potfromtheheatandaddtheteabags.
Whentheyhavedrawnwell,removethe
teabagsandpourtheteaintothejar.
Allowtheteato coolcompletelyuntilit
reachesroomtemperature,thenadd
thescoby(withcleanhands)andthe
unflavouredkombucha.1
Pot
from Le Creuset (lecreuset.co.za) •
Clip-top bottles
from Consol (consol.co.za) •
Glasses
from Checkers (checkers.co.za)
It all starts with a scoby
Kombucha is made with tea, water, sweetener and a kombucha
‘scoby’. Scoby stands for “symbiotic culture of bacteria and
yeast”. It resembles jelly and is the living culture of bacteria and
yeast that ferments the tea and changes it to the tart and slightly
sweet effervescent beverage that has everyone abuzz. It is
similar to the yeast culture used for baking – each time a brew
of kombucha is ready, the mother scoby grows, so many people
say it produces a ‘baby’. It is this additional scoby that can be
shared with friends, just like a section of a yeast culture.
The scoby also indicates if all is well with your first
fermentation. If the scoby does not increase and produce a
baby, something has gone wrong – discard it and start again.
Buy a kombucha starter kit at a health store or online; try
Theonista (R350) from faithful-to-nature.co.za.During fermentation, the scoby may float on
top of the surface, at the bottom of the jar or
on its side. As long as it starts to make a new
creamy layer on the surface after a few days,
the process is on track. It is usually attached
to the mother scoby but if they separate from
one another, it does not necessarily mean
that anything is wrong. There may also be
stringy pieces floating around and sediment
forming at the bottom of the jar (this is
normal, just like when you brew ginger beer
with yeast). Bubbles around the scoby
indicate that the fermentation is healthy.
Once the taste has the right balance of sweet
and sour, it’s ready to be bottled. Remove the
scoby from the jar with clean hands and store
it in a little kombucha in another jar for your
next attempt.Cover the jar with clean, tightly woven
fabric (or a coffee filter) and keep it in
place with a rubber band or string.
This keeps impurities and curious bugs
out of your brew. Leave the jar in a dark
place such as a cupboard or pantry shelf- where the temperature will be more or
less constant – to ferment for 6–10 days.
The ambient temperature plays a big role:
too hot will result in a faster reaction and
too cold will cause the kombucha to not
ferment properly. A comfortable room
temperature (about 21°C) is ideal.
After 6 days, taste with a straw – the
kombucha should have a pleasant, tart
vinegary taste. The longer it ferments, the
less sweet it will be as the sugar is used
up in the process.
2 3
Research Buy and taste a few
different brands of kombucha so you
have a frame of reference for what
the drink tastes like before you start
brewing your own.
Remember Wash your hands
thoroughly before you handle the
scoby and sterilise any spoons and
bottles that you use for the brewing
process – just like when you make
jam. Avoid using plastic and metal
which can react with the acids.Scoby