How To Make Your Own Kombucha With Pomegranate Green Tea
by Meagan •
Guest Contributor: Kristy Howard
Occasionally, a friend or reader will ask if I make my own kombucha. The answer is YES!
I was first introduced to kombucha by a friend several years ago, and I rather reluctantly tried a few sips of the tangy, fizzy drink. Despite my initial dislike of the taste, the more I learned about the health benefits of kombucha, the more I decided it was worth implementing it into my daily diet of "supplements".
Two or three years ago, I finally tried my hand at making my own kombucha. The process is amazingly simple and the health benefits to the digestive tract are amazing. As a mother who has battled chronic digestive issues myself and with my young children, I can personally testify that the raw probiotics and enzymes found in kombucha are unsurpassed.
Our family drinks about one gallon of kombucha per week. Through trial and erorr, the following method is our favorite way of enjoying this fermented tea. (Note: the fermentation is non-alcoholic.)
DIY Tutorial: How to Make Your Own Kombucha
Ingredients
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3 or 4 tea bags (or about 2 TBSP loose leaf) Organic Pomegranate Green Tea
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1 kombucha starter (also called a scoby) plus about 1 cup of kombucha from a previous batch
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filtered water
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slices of lemon, lime, or strawberries
Instructions
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The method of making your own kombucha is actually quite simple: you are going to make tea! In a large pot, bring about 1 quart of filtered water to a boil; remove from heat and steep your tea bags until a moderately strong tea has brewed.
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Allow tea to cool completely to room temperature (you don't want to kill the live enzymes and probiotics in your scoby when you add it in the next step).
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Once tea has cooled, transfer to a large (1 gallon size) GLASS jar or pitcher (do not use plastic!). Add sugar cane crystals and stir until completely combined, then add enough filtered water to fill jar nearly to the top.
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Lastly, add your kombucha starter or scoby, plus about 1 cup of kombucha from a previous batch. You can order starters online, or get one from a friend who also makes kombucha.
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Cover the jar or pitcher lightly with cheese clothe and place in a cool, dark place, away from sunlight.
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Now you are going to let the tea ferment for at least one week! This process creates a health fermentation that will infuse your tea with all the enzymes and probiotics found in the kombucha scoby.
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After 7 days, your kombucha is ready to drink. Remove the scoby and about 1/2 cup of the fermented tea and place it in a jar; this is your new starter, and you will need to keep it in the fridge until you're ready to make another batch of kombucha.
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Our family enjoys adding fresh lemons, limes, or strawberry slices to our kombucha.
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Simply store it in the fridge and drink as much as you like in the morning or throughout the day for a refreshing digestive tonic.
If you've never tried kombucha, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
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Expect it to taste a bit sour at first! Using organic, flavored green tea, and incorporating sliced fruit in the finished product, is by far the most tasty option we've tried. My children actually enjoy this drink and ask for it on a daily basis!
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Expect it to be slightly fizzy! It's okay, actually good, when it turns out this way since it means the fermentation process was successful.
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A second scoby will "grow" on the top of your tea while it ferments. It will look sort of like a big, flat mushroom. Simply remove both "mushrooms" and save them in the fridge with a starter cup of kombucha for another batch. You'll end up with a fresh scoby each time you make a batch of kombucha... just pass it along to a friend who complains of tummy aches! ;)
The organic pomegranate green tea our family most enjoys is from Bulk Herb Store!
Do you make your own kombucha? If so, what kind of tea do you use?
Kristy Howard is a pastor's wife and homeschool mom to 4 (soon to be 5) little ones. She's passionate about living simply, naturally, and Biblically for the glory of God. She's the author of the Cottage Mama e-books and she blogs atLittleNaturalCottage.com.
I have heard some reviews on kombucha saying that if you make your own it can become "contaminated". This has made me curious as to what that would mean, or if that's just a "scare tactic" used to keep you buying the store bought kombucha rather than make your own.
Also, I've read conflicting information that people struggling with candida shouldn't drink this, and yet others claim it can help with candida. I'm currently having to purchase very expensive probiotics to help with my candida, and was looking into making my own kombucha as a supplement so I won't have to buy as many probiotics, so that is why I'm asking. Thanks.
Hi Sara! Thanks for your comments. As far as contaminated kombucha goes... I've never dealt with that, and I'm not the most careful with mine. My SIL did just have a batch of hers turn out really smelly... like rotten eggs... so she threw the batch out and started over with a new scoby. She said she did everything just like she always did so she didn't know what was wrong. I've always had the same one and mine has never had any problems. Maybe someone else knows how you can contaminate them.
As for it being good or bad when it comes to candida... I'm on the side that it's good and helps with it. From my research (and I've dealt with candida personally), healthy gut flora keeps yeast at a healthy level and doesn't let it over populate. Cultured and fermented foods are an excellent way to keep your intestinal flora in good working order. As for it being bad and causing candida... I'd say that comes from the fact that to make kombucha you need to use a lot of sugar. The thing is, the scoby feeds off of the sugar and is what's used to ferment the tea and make it healthy for you. I don't think you end up with very much sugar in your final product. It doesn't taste sweet anyway.
I'd say, save yourself a whole lot of money girlfriend and start making your own! Just my thoughts and opinions. Hope they help you some.
Hi, I was wondering. . . I made kombucha awhile back, then stopped but saved the scoby and some of the kombucha in a glass jar in the fridge. Is it safe to start making it again with the same scoby? does it last awhile, it's been in there quite a few months (maybe almost a year).
thanks!