Isabel, West, Julia, and Joanna make Kombucha
On this day me and the interns learned how to make kombucha from West and Brian. To make kombucha you need sugar, black tea, and a SCOBY to start the fermentation process. SCOBY is a thick, slimy cellulose disk, that houses the bacteria and yeast. The SCOBY feeds on three things tea, sugar, and water. It is sometimes called the ‘mother’ because it can continuously replicate itself and create ‘babies. These babies become the layers that grow on top of the SCOBY and can be used to brew a new batch of kombucha. The yeast’ living on the SCOBY are needed to break down the sugars in the tea. The yeast’s waste becomes food for the bacteria, and in return the bacteria remove toxins from the chemical breakdown of the sugars, this helps the yeast survive. The broken-down sugars are converted into alcohol, carbon dioxide, and acids. This process gives the kombucha its fizzy, vinegar flavor.
Preventing the growth of mold is essential for healthy kombucha making. A low pH is typically unfavorable for mold (lower than 3.5). Storing your kombucha at temperatures between 60-85 degrees Fahrenheit is optimal. Flies or other microorganisms from the air can contaminate your kombucha batch, so covering it is important. Kombucha can be brewed for 7-30 days. A longer brewing time results in less sugar and a vinegary flavor.
Some of the health benefits of Kombucha are it’s a good source of probiotics from the bacteria and yeast. Probiotics help with gut balance and digestion. Kombucha made from black or green tea can also have a strong antibacterial effect. Specifically, against infectious bacteria and Candida yeast. Overall, I was amazed by the complexity of the unique symbiotic relationship needed to brew kombucha. I am very excited to see how our batch turns out!
Preventing the growth of mold is essential for healthy kombucha making. A low pH is typically unfavorable for mold (lower than 3.5). Storing your kombucha at temperatures between 60-85 degrees Fahrenheit is optimal. Flies or other microorganisms from the air can contaminate your kombucha batch, so covering it is important. Kombucha can be brewed for 7-30 days. A longer brewing time results in less sugar and a vinegary flavor.
Some of the health benefits of Kombucha are it’s a good source of probiotics from the bacteria and yeast. Probiotics help with gut balance and digestion. Kombucha made from black or green tea can also have a strong antibacterial effect. Specifically, against infectious bacteria and Candida yeast. Overall, I was amazed by the complexity of the unique symbiotic relationship needed to brew kombucha. I am very excited to see how our batch turns out!
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