Raw Kombucha Recipes

HOMEMADE KOMBUCHA

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Once boiling, remove from heat and stir in sugar, then add tea bags.
• Allow the tea to cool to room temperature, 2 to 3 hours. Remove the tea bags, then pour the tea into a 1-gallon glass jar. Gently pour scoby and starter kombucha into the jar.
• Cover the jar with a paper towel or clean tea towel and affix it with a rubber band. Place the jar in a warm (the ideal temperature is 75 degrees F), dark location until it is tangy and fruity, about 8 days. Avoid cool locations, which can lead to mold. Note: During fermenting, the scoby may float on top or sink to the bottom and, after a few days, a new scoby layer will form.
• After 8 days, taste the kombucha for doneness. If it tastes sweeter than you prefer, allow the kombucha to ferment for another day or two. If necessary, continue tasting for up to 14 days until the desired flavor is reached.
• When the kombucha is done, remove the scoby and place it in sealable container with 1 cup of the kombucha to store. (Store it, refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks until you're ready to make the next batch of kombucha. If, over time, the scoby grows several layers thick, remove a layer and discard it, or share it with a friend.)
• Pour the kombucha through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher or large measuring cup(s) to filter out any sediment. Using a funnel, pour the kombucha into sealable glass bottles.
• Close the bottles and return them to the warm, dark storage location until carbonated, 1 to 2 weeks.

RAW KOMBUCHA

Steps:

• Make the Tea Base: Bring the water to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar to dissolve. Drop in the tea and allow it to steep until the water has cooled. Depending on the size of your pot, this will take a few hours. You can speed up the cooling process by placing the pot in an ice bath.
• Add the Starter Tea: Once the tea is cool, remove the tea bags or strain out the loose tea. Stir in the starter tea. (The starter tea makes the liquid acidic, which prevents unfriendly bacteria from taking up residence in the first few days of fermentation.).
• Transfer to Jars and Add the Scoby: Pour the mixture into a 1-gallon glass jar (or divide between two 2-quart jars, in which case you'll need 2 scobys) and gently slide the scoby into the jar with clean hands. Cover the mouth of the jar with a few layers of cheesecloth or paper towels secured with a rubber band.
• Ferment for 7 to 10 Days: Keep the jar at room temperature, out of direct sunlight, and where it won't get jostled. Ferment for 7 to 10 days, checking the kombucha and the scoby periodically.
• Remove the Scoby: Before proceeding, prepare and cool another pot of strong tea for your next batch of kombucha, as outlined above. With clean hands, gently lift the scoby out of the kombucha and set it on a clean plate. As you do, check it over and remove the bottom layer if the scoby is getting very thick.
• Bottle the Finished Kombucha: Measure out your starter tea from this batch of kombucha and set it aside for the next batch. Pour the fermented kombucha (straining, if desired) into bottles, along with any juice, herbs, or fruit you may want to use as flavoring. Leave about a half inch of head room in each bottle. (Alternatively, infuse the kombucha with flavorings for a day or two in another jar covered with cheesecloth, strain, and then bottle. This makes a cleaner kombucha without "stuff" in it.).
• Carbonate and Refrigerate the Finished Kombucha: Store the bottled kombucha at room-temperature out of direct sunlight and allow 1 to 3 days for the kombucha to carbonate. Until you get a feel for how quickly your kombucha carbonates, it's helpful to keep it in plastic bottles; the kombucha is carbonated when the bottles feel rock solid. Refrigerate to stop fermentation and carbonation, and then consume your kombucha within a month.
• Make a Fresh Batch of Kombucha: Clean the jar being used for kombucha fermentation. Combine the starter tea from your last batch of kombucha with the fresh batch of sugary tea, and pour it into the fermentation jar. Slide the scoby on top, cover, and ferment for 7 to 10 days.