Kombucha : home-made

It's finally summer and any reason to cool off is a good one. Kombucha drinks are becoming especially popular in the warmer months and you may want to brew your own to save a few dollars at the store but also to

the simple pleasure of flavoring your own kombucha.

After turning my kitchen into a home kombucha making factory, I'm sharing with you my tips and tricks for making a successful drink. I hope you enjoy brewing this delicious and refreshing drink
and probiotic-filled drink. The technique may seem a bit daunting at first, but making kombucha will quickly prove to be a source of real pleasure!

 

Kombucha is a naturally carbonated beverage resulting from the fermentation of a symbiotic culture between bacteria and yeast (scoby or mother). The finished product is slightly refreshing, energizing and full of probiotics.

The mother is the most important element of the process, it is the basis of the fermentation. It is somewhat temperamental and must be handled with care and kept away from direct light. The mother contains a multitude of organisms
and should not be stored in a dark place.

In any case, always handle the mother with clean, soap-free hands to avoid harming its bacterial integrity, and make sure that any surfaces it may come in contact with are free of soap and detergents.

To brew your tea, you will need the following materials:

 

 

Once you've got your hands on a mother, store her in her liquid away from light and direct heat until you're ready to start making kombucha.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Place your scoby and the two cups of reserved liquids in the infusion prepared in point 1 (of the 2nd fermentation) to start a new fermentation and maintain a continuous production.

 

A healthy mother will produce babies quickly. By having several scobies, you will have a greater production of kombucha. Babies are formed when the mother is mature. You can see a part of the mother breaking off or a new scoby forming at the bottom or top of the jar. Once well rounded and well formed, the baby can be separated from the mother and participate in making its own fermentations.

 

The formation of a thick residue at the bottom of the fermentation jar can also be used to form a mother. Simply keep the residue and offer it a sweet infusion, similar to a scoby, and you will see a mother form.
 

 

Your production can be so successful that many babies may be formed. Don't throw them away. Instead, store them in a hotel following these instructions:

 

 

Choice of sugar: It is good to prefer cane sugar fermentation. This generally offers the best fermentations and preserves the health of the scoby. However, from time to time, a coconut sugar fermentation can revitalize the mother kombucha and increase production.

 

Change in appearance: It is normal for the mother to float to the top, bottom or side of the fermentation jar. It is also normal for brownish chains to form on the underside of the scoby. If your scoby develops a hole, bumps, dry patches, dark brown spots or spots like light jelly, it is still healthy. These changes usually reflect small adjustments to the surrounding environment.

 

End of life: If the scoby turns black, this is a sign that it has reached its maximum lifespan and will need to be discarded. If the mother develops black or green mold, she should also be discarded.

 

Other fermentations: If you are a fan of fermentations and ferment other products in your kitchen, it is best to keep a distance between the different cultures, to avoid cross-contamination, which could negatively affect your productions.

Have a good time!