Never heard of it? Wondering what all the fuss is about? This ancient drink has been around for centuries, nick-named in China as the "Elixir of Life" it is staging a well-earned come back! Essentially it is a fermented tea drink made with a live culture called a SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacterial Yeast). This humble drink is SO full of goodness and here are some reasons why you should start drinking it today:
1. Detoxifies - supports liver, rich in vitamin B and antioxidants
2. Great for the gut and digestion - full of good bacteria, prebiotics and enzymes that your gut will love forever!
3. MORE Energy - sip away and feel invigorated!!
4. Increased metabolism - loads of enzymes working away for you which means boosted metabolism. Also all the little good guys (bacteria and enzymes) in the kombucha help your body work better, hooray!
We are just a tad Kombucha obsessed in our household at the moment. After starting our Kombucha making journey at home after getting the 'starter culture' in December we've been enjoying a nice cold glass every arvo. For me I definitely noticed more energy (which I need more of!) and now can't live without it - nature's energy drink.
It's really easy to make once you have the SCOBY. Plus the fun part is getting creative after the brew with the added flavours - our favourites are fresh passionfruit or a squeeze of lime juice and chopped ginger. If you live in Perth, I've got a SCOBY with your name on it so flick me an email. We have loads to give away as every time we brew it grows a 'baby' and gets bigger and bigger. Brewing is a journey and yes it will seem weird at first, it's completely normal to peer into the brewing jar, screw your nose up and wonder "is my SCOBY meant to look like this!!??" Give it a name and start bonding with it... because if it's giving us all these amazing health benefits it's welcome into the family!
K O M B U C H A R E C I P E
x12 tea bags or teaspoons of loose tea (white, black, green, herbal)
x1 cup organic raw sugar
3 litres filtered water
Large glass jar with cloth and rubber band
SCOBY with 1 cup of starter
1. Bring 750 mls of filtered water to a light simmer and take off stove top.
2. Add tea and sugar and let steep for 10 minutes stirring a few times.
3. Once the tea has cooled down below 20 degrees (if its too hot it can kill the SCOBY so place tea in fridge to help cooling period if needed) strain and add to large glass jar along with SCOBY and starter and the remaining 2.25 litres of water.
4. Brew for 6-10 days tasting until happy with the flavour, longer in the winter, less in the summer. Small SCOBY = brew for longer. Large SCOBY = brew less. Too vinegary = brewed for too long. Too sugary = not brewed for long enough. Cover with cloth so it can breathe.
5. Pour into containers to be refrigerated and add your extra flavourings. A sultana helps make it a bit fizzy. Keep 1 cup of starter and SCOBY for your next brew, and repeat from step 1.
6. Kick back and enjoy a nice cold glass of Kombucha and wait for all those awesome health benefits to kick in!
Every brew your SCOBY will get larger and larger and grow to the size of your container. Feel free to cut a bit off and share with friends with 1 cup of the fermented tea. It should keep for a few months if you want to have a break or haven't gotten around to making it yet! Happy brewing baby.