2. Many people believe that knowing how to make
Kombucha is one of the secrets of long life and buoyant
health. Although this ancient cultured drink isn't
approved by the FDA, you'll find endless testimonials
online.
3. You can buy flavored versions of Kombucha in health
food stores, but it's simple to make and maintain at
home. You'll need a gallon-capacity bowl or wide-mouth
jar, black or green teabags, granulated cane sugar, and a
cloth to cover the container. The 'starter' - a cake of
yeast/bacteria from a friend or a test-tube of culture you
can buy online - is the only other necessity.
4. If you eat organic foods, use certified organic tea.
However, the mushroom (actually a dense, pancake-
shaped culture as large as the surface of the container it
grew in) grows well in conventional tea. As for the sugar,
you should use cane sugar; almost all the sugar beets
grown in the US are genetically engineered.
5. It's best to follow the basic recipe before experimenting
with other sweeteners and flavorings. You'll love the
vinegary-smelling but sweetish drink, which will be light
and sparkling if the culture is really happy in its
environment. The fermentation process transforms
vitamin and mineral-deficient white sugar so it's no
longer the non-food many try to avoid.
6. Prepare the tea using five teabags and a gallon of water.
Stir in the sugar. Add the starter and a cup of Kombucha
if you have it when the tea is no more than barely warm.
A starter mushroom may sink to the bottom or float. All
finished brews will have the mushroom and its 'baby' at
the surface. Remove the mushrooms and reserve a cup
of the liquid to add to the next batch. Refrigerate the
rest of the finished beverage.
7. You can start the process with a cup of finished tea or
with a test tube of culture bought from a dealer. People
who've forgotten a cup of this fermented drink for a
week or so have found a perfect little mushroom inside.
If the culture's 'happy' in your home, it'll grow quickly,
produce a slick, whitish-tan 'baby', and give you a
slightly sweet, slightly effervescent drink that is delicious
when chilled.
8. Like sourdough starter or wine, results may vary. People
say that the culture is affected by the moon. Place the
covered jar or bowl in a secluded spot far from direct
sun, where it won't be moved or shaken and isn't close
to electrical appliances. A cupboard with no light at all
works well, but the back of a kitchen counter is fine.
You'll know if your tea mushroom's happy and healthy, if
it's just getting by, or if it's failed and begun to mold or
rot. Use common sense to build a relationship with this
remarkable culture.
9. Use your common sense to evaluate results. A 'happy'
mushroom will give you a sparkling, faintly sweet drink
that's delicious served cold. You can re-use your starter
mushroom as well as the new one, or recycle the starter
as plant food. Once you know how to make Kombucha
successfully, you'll be telling your friends and giving all
the babies away.