Bubble and brew, bubble and brew, this ferment is good for you!
If you are fortunate enough to get your hands on a kamboucha SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) and brave enough to give it a go, making your own kamboucha is fun and easy. I am fascinated by this proliferating mother and love watching her at work! I was given a SCOBY in March 2020, just as the world shut down due to Covid19, and to this day, 4 years later, I still have a flourishing culture.
What you will need:
- A 4 litre glass jar
- An active kamboucha SCOBY
- At least 1 cup of kamboucha ferment
- 8 bags organic black tea
- 1 cup sugar, I use cane sugar, but other sugars can be used. I have read that not all sugar creates the same kamboucha, so I would suggest white or cane sugar to be safe.
- Glass bottles or containers for storage.
- A warm, out of the way place and time.
Directions:
- First and most important, sterilize your glass brewing jar with boiling water then let cool.
- In a large pot, bring about 3 1/2 liters of water to a boil then turn off heat, add tea bags.
- Steep tea for 15-20 minutes before removing bags.
- Add sugar and stir to dissolve.
- Let cool completely.
- Pour tea into brewing jar then add 1 cup kamboucha liquid and your Mother SCOBY.
- Cover the top with a clean dish towel and secure with a band.
- Let sit in a warm, out of the way place, away from the sun or any mold spore producing spores, like a fruit basket, and brew for about 2 weeks.
- Nothing to do but check for any mold growth and let it do its thing!It will begin to smell like a strong vinegar.
What next?
- When it is time to decant your brew, place your SCOBY in a sterilized glass container with a cup of her liquid. She can live happily in her SCOBY hotel for months. Just remember to feed her on occasion with a little black tea and sugar mix or more fermented liquid.
- Pour the fermented tea into your sterilized glass bottles with a funnel and strainer and close the lid. If you have metal lids, use a piece of parchment paper to help with any erosion. I have collected some pop top bottles that work great for the job!
- Let the kamboucha sit for a another week and have a second ferment. It will develop more fizz and tang.
- Alternatively, if you like it at the flavour it is when you decant it, just place it in a cool storage or fridge to store.
- If you choose to leave it on the counter to brew longer, you may want to burb it every few days as it builds up pressure due to the carbon dioxide it is producing.
- Many people will add herbs or fruit directly to the liquid in its second phase to flavour it. I do not do this. I had a batch go moldy so I made the decision to do my flavour differently. Now I make flavoured tea such as mint and green tea and I mix the kamboucha and flavoured tea half and half and store in the fridge.
- Find your favourite flavour to match your kamboucha or simply add a squeeze of lemon and ice and enjoy straight up!
- I also, occasionally, replace vinegar in my salad dressings with kamboucha to add the benefit of its pro-biotic properties and a different flavour.
Learn more about Fabulous Ferments and why they are important in your diet.