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Kombucha

Source of Recipe

Japan


Recipe Introduction

Kombucha Mushroom Tea Recipe - Quick Guide

List of Ingredients





Recipe


1. Bring to a Boil 3+ quarts good water. (2.84 Liters)
I no longer recommend boiling as continued boiling reduces oxygen and carbon necessary for proper kombucha fermenting. Use water of known quality. Heating the water to dissolve the 1 cup of sugar and extract the tea.
2. Add black Tea. 4-6 tea bags or 4-6 tsp. loose tea.
3. Steep 15 minutes. NOTE: refer to the specific tea brewing recommendations inside
4. Add the 1 cup Sugar (6-8 ounces / 200-300 grams)
5. Allow to cool to room temperature. Keep
Covered with a cloth and careful of contamination at this stage as the brew is a highly Sweet and Appetizing brew to fruit flies.
Be Sure everything is at the same temperature
7. Pour cooled, room temperature liquid into fermenting container, filter it if loose tea was used. (Gallon jar)
8. Add Kombucha (Mushroom or) scoby. (which is also at room temperature)
9. Add 2 cups Previously Fermented Kombucha Brew as a Starter. (25%)
[use the liquid that came with the mushroom starter ] or use 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar. (to reduce the pH and protect the ferment from pathogens). Do not use un-pasteurized non-distilled apple cider
10. Cover with a clean cloth, paper towel or coffee filter Set aside in a quiet undisturbed spot. Every time the liquid is disturbed the mushroom will begin to start forming over again and not form properly. (K-Tea may still be good)
11. Ferment. 5 - 8 days normal brew cycle at 80F constant temperature, 8-14 days in the 70’s). 60F or below is not recommended. First time may take longer. Temperature Range: 68-83 degrees Fahrenheit. (20 - 26 degrees Centigrade) The thin layer on top is a new mushroom forming. K-Tea should be sparkling, slightly acidic, semi-sweet in taste. The pH 2.7 to 3.2. (if it is too sweet wait a day or 2. Taste test, use a straw to get under the scoby and sip so as not to disturb the mushroom.
Save 1-2 cups (8-16 oz/240-500 ml) to begin another batch. Each batch should produce another mushroom (SCOBY). Save one mushroom and tea safely away in the event of some disaster. Use either mushroom to start another batch. You may also combine mushrooms or give away to friends.