What is Kombucha?
Kombucha is a fermented sugared tea that uses a starter culture called a SCOBY, symbiotic culture of yeast and bacteria, to convert sugars into organic acids and trace amounts of alcohol. The two microorganisms form a raft that floats to the top of the fermentation vessel, buoyed by the carbon dioxide produced during fermentation. This “mother” or gelatinous colony of bacteria and yeast reproduces during each new fermentation making layers. As these layers build with subsequent batches, they can be removed and given to friends or composted.
During active fermentation (10-14 days at room temperature) the yeast act first, consuming the sugars to create ethyl alcohol, the same alcohol in beer and wine. Then it’s the bacteria’s turn to convert these alcohols into organic acids including acetic acid and gluconic acid [1]. These two processes happen simultaneously during active fermentation, therefore, alcohol concentrations can vary throughout the process, from trace amounts to over 1% by volume. In the US, a non-alcoholic beverage must contain less than 0.5% alcohol by volume. We send our Booch to a lab for regular alcohol testing to ensure we’re a non-alcoholic beverage.
The origin of kombucha is not clear, though most sources acknowledge it has been around for thousands of years with first documentation in northeast China around 200 BCE and then to Japan as a medicine by 400 CE, hence the name (cha = tea). From there it likely spread via trade routes to Russia and Eastern Europe [2 & 3]
Beneficial Effects: Non-pasteurized kombucha is a live culture that contains probiotics, the beneficial bacteria and yeast responsible for fermentation. These probiotics aid the digestive tract by predigesting food to increase bioavailability and help to maintain a healthy gut biome that acts like a first line of defense with the outside world. Our digestive tract is 20 times the surface area of our skin! Additional benefits of kombucha include: antioxidant activity, reduction of cholesterol levels and blood pressure, and improvement of liver function, however human health benefits still need testing in clinical trials [2].
[1] Jessica Martínez Leal, Lucía Valenzuela Suárez, Rasu Jayabalan, Joselina Huerta Oros & Anayansi Escalante-Aburto (2018) A review on health benefits of kombucha nutritional compounds and metabolites, CyTA – Journal of Food, 16:1, 390-399, DOI: 10.1080/19476337.2017.1410499
[2] Julie M. Kapp, Walton Sumner. Kombucha: a systematic review of the empirical evidence of human health benefit. Annals of Epidemiology, Volume 30, 2019, Pages 66-70, ISSN 1047-2797, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annepidem.2018.11.001
[3] Harald Tietze. Kombucha- Miracle Fungus, The Essential Handbook (1994). Gateway Books.
What is Kombucha?
Kombucha is a fermented sugared tea that uses a starter culture called a SCOBY, symbiotic culture of yeast and bacteria, to convert sugars into organic acids and trace amounts of alcohol. The two microorganisms form a raft that floats to the top of the fermentation vessel, buoyed by the carbon dioxide produced during fermentation. This “mother” or gelatinous colony of bacteria and yeast reproduces during each new fermentation making layers. As these layers build with subsequent batches, they can be removed and given to friends or composted.
During active fermentation (10-14 days at room temperature) the yeast act first, consuming the sugars to create ethyl alcohol, the same alcohol in beer and wine. Then it’s the bacteria’s turn to convert these alcohols into organic acids including acetic acid and gluconic acid [1]. These two processes happen simultaneously during active fermentation, therefore, alcohol concentrations can vary throughout the process, from trace amounts to over 1% by volume. In the US, a non-alcoholic beverage must contain less than 0.5% alcohol by volume. We send our Booch to a lab for regular alcohol testing to ensure we’re a non-alcoholic beverage.
The origin of kombucha is not clear, though most sources acknowledge it has been around for thousands of years with first documentation in northeast China around 200 BCE and then to Japan as a medicine by 400 CE, hence the name (cha = tea). From there it likely spread via trade routes to Russia and Eastern Europe [2 & 3]
Beneficial Effects: Non-pasteurized kombucha is a live culture that contains probiotics, the beneficial bacteria and yeast responsible for fermentation. These probiotics aid the digestive tract by predigesting food to increase bioavailability and help to maintain a healthy gut biome that acts like a first line of defense with the outside world. Our digestive tract is 20 times the surface area of our skin! Additional benefits of kombucha include: antioxidant activity, reduction of cholesterol levels and blood pressure, and improvement of liver function, however human health benefits still need testing in clinical trials [2].
[1] Jessica Martínez Leal, Lucía Valenzuela Suárez, Rasu Jayabalan, Joselina Huerta Oros & Anayansi Escalante-Aburto (2018) A review on health benefits of kombucha nutritional compounds and metabolites, CyTA – Journal of Food, 16:1, 390-399, DOI: 10.1080/19476337.2017.1410499
[2] Julie M. Kapp, Walton Sumner. Kombucha: a systematic review of the empirical evidence of human health benefit. Annals of Epidemiology, Volume 30, 2019, Pages 66-70, ISSN 1047-2797, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annepidem.2018.11.001
[3] Harald Tietze. Kombucha- Miracle Fungus, The Essential Handbook (1994). Gateway Books.
Cocktails and Mocktails
Boone Booch kombucha is also an excellent mixer!
Booch Booch Screwdriver
3 oz Tulsi Valley Booch
3 oz Orange Juice
1.5 oz. Vodka
Garnish with an orange slice
Add seltzer water as desired to increase carbonation.
Tulsi Valley Cherry-Rum
3oz Tulsi Valley Booch
3 oz Tart Cherry Juice
1.5 oz. Flor de Caña Rum (white rum like Bacardi) also works well
Garnish with a sprig of mint
Add seltzer water as desired to increase carbonation.
How to Make Kombucha Step-by-Step
Simple “Folk-Method” Kombucha recipe for brewing a well-balanced Booch at Home
The folk method refers to continuous brewing in a ceramic crock or glass vessel with a bottom center drain. Sweet tea is regularly added to the fermenting vessel and kombucha is removed from the bottom where it can then be mixed with juice, fruit, herbs, etc. Finished kombucha will carbonate easily in a keg or even a Soda Stream. Bottle conditioning is also possible too, though be very careful if using glass bottles, they can explode!
- Continuous fermentation vessel with capacity of 2 gallons (7.6 liters)
- 1 gallon (3.8 l) filtered water
- ½ cup sugar (125 mg)
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) of loose black tea or about 4 tea bags
- 1 cup fully fermented (acidic) kombucha tea (1 can of Boone Booch works great!)
- Kombucha Mother/SCOBY
Process
- Boil water in a small cooking pot.
- Remove from heat and steep tea (bags or tea ball) for 15 minutes.
- Remove tea and add sugar, stirring to fully dissolve
- Strain into fermenter vessel (glass, ceramic, stainless steel) and allow to cool to body temperature (<100F).
- Add the fully fermented kombucha tea and the Mother by gently placing on top of the liquid with the opaque side up. It will usually float, but if it sinks, no problem, a new layer will form on top on the coming days.
- Cover with a clean cloth and ferment in a warm spot (ideal temp is around 80F, lower temps will lead to longer ferment times). Use a string or rubber band around the cloth to prevent flies/insects from getting in. Fruit flies will be attracted to the sweet vinegar smell and can be a nuisance during the summer/warm months. Maintaining the cloth and keeping the SCOBY in active fermentation will limit fruit flies. Avoid moving, shaking, stirring as this will slow the time it takes to form a new raft or Mother on top of the liquid.
- After 1 week, check to see that the new skin of the Mother is forming and take a sample for tasting. The longer it ferments the more acidic it will become.
- Once it reaches desired acidity, pour off the fermented kombucha and store in the refrigerator. This will slow the fermentation way down (effectively stopped over a short period). You’re now ready to flavor your Booch with juices, herbs, fruits, etc. This is the creative part, have fun with it!
- Save at least 1 cup of fully fermented kombucha and the Mother for the next batch. Make sure you have enough liquid to submerge the Mother. It can be kept in this “dormant” stage for some time as long as it doesn’t dry up.
How to Make Kombucha
Step-by-Step
Simple “Folk-Method” Kombucha recipe for brewing a well-balanced Booch at Home
The folk method refers to continuous brewing in a ceramic crock or glass vessel with a bottom center drain. Sweet tea is regularly added to the fermenting vessel and kombucha is removed from the bottom where it can then be mixed with juice, fruit, herbs, etc. Finished kombucha will carbonate easily in a keg or even a Soda Stream. Bottle conditioning is also possible too, though be very careful if using glass bottles, they can explode!
- Continuous fermentation vessel with capacity of 2 gallons (7.6 liters)
- 1 gallon (3.8 l) filtered water
- ½ cup sugar (125 mg)
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) of loose black tea or about 4 tea bags
- 1 cup fully fermented (acidic) kombucha tea (1 can of Boone Booch works great!)
- Kombucha Mother/SCOBY
Process
- Boil water in a small cooking pot.
- Remove from heat and steep tea (bags or tea ball) for 15 minutes.
- Remove tea and add sugar, stirring to fully dissolve
- Strain into fermenter vessel (glass, ceramic, stainless steel) and allow to cool to body temperature (<100F).
- Add the fully fermented kombucha tea and the Mother by gently placing on top of the liquid with the opaque side up. It will usually float, but if it sinks, no problem, a new layer will form on top on the coming days.
- Cover with a clean cloth and ferment in a warm spot (ideal temp is around 80F, lower temps will lead to longer ferment times). Use a string or rubber band around the cloth to prevent flies/insects from getting in. Fruit flies will be attracted to the sweet vinegar smell and can be a nuisance during the summer/warm months. Maintaining the cloth and keeping the SCOBY in active fermentation will limit fruit flies. Avoid moving, shaking, stirring as this will slow the time it takes to form a new raft or Mother on top of the liquid.
- After 1 week, check to see that the new skin of the Mother is forming and take a sample for tasting. The longer it ferments the more acidic it will become.
- Once it reaches desired acidity, pour off the fermented kombucha and store in the refrigerator. This will slow the fermentation way down (effectively stopped over a short period). You’re now ready to flavor your Booch with juices, herbs, fruits, etc. This is the creative part, have fun with it!
- Save at least 1 cup of fully fermented kombucha and the Mother for the next batch. Make sure you have enough liquid to submerge the Mother. It can be kept in this “dormant” stage for some time as long as it doesn’t dry up.