characteristics.
The earliest records of kombucha are from 414 BC in Korea, where it eventually migrated to China, Japan, Russia, and India. Itâs known for its antiaging properties, removes heavy metals and toxins from our bodies, and is a powerful detoxifier. It increases stamina, thins our blood, improves skin elasticity, tone, and color, helps our body flush acidic toxins, and even combats depression.
Kombucha is high in hyaluronic acid, which helps connective tissues and the collagen in skin stay moist and youthful. It can also be applied topically as a compress and is used in cultured food recipes as a starter to speed up the fermentation process.
The âmother mushroomâ culture is a jellylike membrane that will constantly grow. You can grow your own mother from scratch, using unpasturized kombucha tea in place of the mother when brewing. This process takes longer to brew because of the
small amount of bacteria and yeast. Whereas it takes about two weeks when you start from a mother, it will take about a month when starting from scratch.
Kombucha can be made with caffeinated or caffeine-free teas. Drink a maximum of two cups per day as a preventative. Kombucha is similar to vinegar in that it contains a high amount of acetic acid, so Iâd recommend a maximum of two cups a day.
KOMBUCHA
MAKES 1 GALLON
Â
Make your kombucha with black, oolong, or green tea. The culture prefers to have at least some black tea in the mix. Using caffeine-free tea can be more challenging because it lacks tannin, and youâll need to use about six times more than caffeinated tea. Avoid using herbs and aromatic teas such as Earl Grey, as the aromatic oils can kill your kombucha culture.
Use spring water; avoid distilled or reverse osmosis water, as the brew needs the trace minerals in the water. Use a wide-topped glass, china, or enamel bowl to brew; this will allow for good breathing of the culture, plus itâll be easier to remove the mother culture later. Or, use a wide-mouthe gallon jug. Avoid using metal bowls or spoons when making this recipe, as it will damage the culture.
The longer kombucha is left, the more sour and vinegary the taste, and the less sugar it will contain. Factors such as not using enough starter, poor hygiene, cigarette smoke, sunlight, contact with metal, and water without minerals can spoil a culture. A dead culture will darken and sink to the bottom.
Order kombucha mushrooms online at www.stichingtime.com . You can start with the stringy culture found in a bottle of kombucha drink, but it will take much longer to brew that way because of the small amount of bacteria and yeast. Remember, whereas it takes about two weeks when you start from a mother, it will take about a month when starting from scratch.
2½ quarts spring water
¼ cup loose tea leaves, or 6 regular tea bags
1 cup raw sugar, Sucanat, or turbinado sugar
Kombucha mushroom culture from the previous brew, about the size of a saucer
1½ cups kombucha from the previous brew, or ½ cup white vinegar as a starter substitute
Boil your water for at least 5 minutes, then turn off the heat. Add the tea and sugar, and let steep until completely cool before removing the leaves or bags. Remember,
the sugar is for the culture to eat and will help grow a new baby culture on top of the tea, creating enzymes and other beneficial properties. Although Iâve not had much success with these, you can try to use agave or honey, but their bacterial contaminants may degrade the culture over time.
Â
Pour 2½ quarts of your room-temperature tea into a 1-gallon wide-mouthed glass jar, or a glass or ceramic bowl. Make sure to leave air on the surface, not filling your container completely.
Â
Add the mushroom and the starter. Taste once with a clean spoon to make sure it tastes slightly tart. If not, add ¼ cup of white vinegar to prevent mold.
Â
Cover the jar with a new coffee filter and secure it with a rubber band.
The earliest records of kombucha are from 414 BC in Korea, where it eventually migrated to China, Japan, Russia, and India. Itâs known for its antiaging properties, removes heavy metals and toxins from our bodies, and is a powerful detoxifier. It increases stamina, thins our blood, improves skin elasticity, tone, and color, helps our body flush acidic toxins, and even combats depression.
Kombucha is high in hyaluronic acid, which helps connective tissues and the collagen in skin stay moist and youthful. It can also be applied topically as a compress and is used in cultured food recipes as a starter to speed up the fermentation process.
The âmother mushroomâ culture is a jellylike membrane that will constantly grow. You can grow your own mother from scratch, using unpasturized kombucha tea in place of the mother when brewing. This process takes longer to brew because of the
small amount of bacteria and yeast. Whereas it takes about two weeks when you start from a mother, it will take about a month when starting from scratch.
Kombucha can be made with caffeinated or caffeine-free teas. Drink a maximum of two cups per day as a preventative. Kombucha is similar to vinegar in that it contains a high amount of acetic acid, so Iâd recommend a maximum of two cups a day.
KOMBUCHA
MAKES 1 GALLON
Â
Make your kombucha with black, oolong, or green tea. The culture prefers to have at least some black tea in the mix. Using caffeine-free tea can be more challenging because it lacks tannin, and youâll need to use about six times more than caffeinated tea. Avoid using herbs and aromatic teas such as Earl Grey, as the aromatic oils can kill your kombucha culture.
Use spring water; avoid distilled or reverse osmosis water, as the brew needs the trace minerals in the water. Use a wide-topped glass, china, or enamel bowl to brew; this will allow for good breathing of the culture, plus itâll be easier to remove the mother culture later. Or, use a wide-mouthe gallon jug. Avoid using metal bowls or spoons when making this recipe, as it will damage the culture.
The longer kombucha is left, the more sour and vinegary the taste, and the less sugar it will contain. Factors such as not using enough starter, poor hygiene, cigarette smoke, sunlight, contact with metal, and water without minerals can spoil a culture. A dead culture will darken and sink to the bottom.
Order kombucha mushrooms online at www.stichingtime.com . You can start with the stringy culture found in a bottle of kombucha drink, but it will take much longer to brew that way because of the small amount of bacteria and yeast. Remember, whereas it takes about two weeks when you start from a mother, it will take about a month when starting from scratch.
2½ quarts spring water
¼ cup loose tea leaves, or 6 regular tea bags
1 cup raw sugar, Sucanat, or turbinado sugar
Kombucha mushroom culture from the previous brew, about the size of a saucer
1½ cups kombucha from the previous brew, or ½ cup white vinegar as a starter substitute
Boil your water for at least 5 minutes, then turn off the heat. Add the tea and sugar, and let steep until completely cool before removing the leaves or bags. Remember,
the sugar is for the culture to eat and will help grow a new baby culture on top of the tea, creating enzymes and other beneficial properties. Although Iâve not had much success with these, you can try to use agave or honey, but their bacterial contaminants may degrade the culture over time.
Â
Pour 2½ quarts of your room-temperature tea into a 1-gallon wide-mouthed glass jar, or a glass or ceramic bowl. Make sure to leave air on the surface, not filling your container completely.
Â
Add the mushroom and the starter. Taste once with a clean spoon to make sure it tastes slightly tart. If not, add ¼ cup of white vinegar to prevent mold.
Â
Cover the jar with a new coffee filter and secure it with a rubber band.
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