Kombucha
Read Morebringing your baby home
1st
remove lid and make sure the Kombucha Starter jar AKA : "Scoby" ( the nasty thing in the jar) is covered with a cloth or pager towel so it can breath (its living) or fruitflys will try to get it...yuck!!!
2nd
while you collect the stuff below cover with a cloth and rubber band
-1 LARGE glass jar 2-3 gallons
-green tea bags ( and a flavored tea.... optional)
-white Sugar
-cloth and Rubber band to cover brew
- 9-15 (about 12oz. jars) mason jars or recycled Kombucha jars)
- Optional Fruits to use after it brews about for 2 weeks
OK the steps are listed after each photo... Be creative and have FUN!!!www.studiokyk.com.life.2014Real PhotographySacramento Callifornis AreaStudio KYK photographynatural light photographytraveling photography
keep covered at all times!!!
I use cloth just torn pieces its light you can use a paper towel but watch for holes where bugs can get in.
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must use GLASS
look for a GLASS jar (NOT plastic or metal) I use this 2 gallon and a Sun Tea Jar about 1.5 gallons
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collect jars for bottling
you will need jars for your own batch. I have between 9-15 bottles I rotate through - I buy Knmbucha at the store and save the bottles for my home brew - you can also use mason jars.
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ready set brew...
if you have a 3 gallon jar boil 3 gallons of water, 2 gallon jar boil 2 gallons of water. ( 1 gallon will be a small batch but will work)
bring water to a boil, add 3 tea bags for every gallon (I use 2 green tea and 1 peach or mango ) let steep, and then let cool.www.studiokyk.com.life.2014Real PhotographySacramento Callifornis AreaStudio KYK photographynatural light photographytraveling photography
Sugar
use 1 cup of sugar for every gallon on tea.
cover sugar with water boil, devolve and remove from heat.
dump sugar into the tea when its all room temp ( I let it sit over night and then mix.)www.studiokyk.com.life.2014Real PhotographySacramento Callifornis AreaStudio KYK photographynatural light photographytraveling photography
Mixing to all together
when the tea is cooled, add sugar and mix, then poor the starter Scoby, licquid and ll (what you got from me) into the glass Jar, poor in your roomtemp tea and sugar mix. Cover with cloth and rubberband, place in an area Cool and room temp and let it do its thing for a week - 3 weeks.
every batch has a different brewing time. smaller batches take less time. I taste after about 2 weeks looking for a sweet carbonated taste. if you wait too long it will start to taste like Vinegar. dont be alarmed if a white slimy membrain develops on the top. It should... just give that "scoby" to a friend. and share the LOVEwww.studiokyk.com.life.2014Real PhotographySacramento Callifornis AreaStudio KYK photographynatural light photographytraveling photography
almost ready ....
after a few weeks, when i like the taste I poor the big bottle into little bottles and add a tight lid. (you can leave it like this) and let it sit for a few more days or add YUmmY stuff... (see next photo)
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yummy stuff to add
I add all kinds of things to my bottles like
blueberries
raspberries
strawberries
cranberries
mint
oranges
cherries
ginger
candied ginger
chia seeds
peach
mango
dried mango
add any of the stuff above that sounds good. I mix and match no 2 bottles are the same. :)www.studiokyk.com.life.2014Real PhotographySacramento Callifornis AreaStudio KYK photographynatural light photographytraveling photography
added goodies
It will look like this after you add stuff
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Chia seeds are good
I like Chia Seeds but it adds a funny texture... Try it! Chia Seeds are good for you.
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don't fill this full
this bottle has too much in it.... it will not work. remove a few oz. I just drink it off... :)
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add the lid and wait
cap these babies and store at room temp for a few more days and then move to the fridge. they are ready to drink ... YUMMM!!!! they could be carbonated when you open to drink so be aware.
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save Bottles
I save the bottles and reuse then over and over.
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do it again
after I move all the brew from the BIG jar to the little jars I start over by boiling the water, adding tea bags and doing the sugar thing. let sit for a few weeks and then rebottle with yummy stuff if wanted .
when you get it down its really easy and SUPER yummy-
has great probiotics, awesome for digestion and SO MUCH MORE!!! look up Kombucha on line for other ideas. do be freaked out its easy and fun... you cant really go wrong unless you wait to long and it turns to vinegar .www.studiokyk.com.life.2014Real PhotographySacramento Callifornis AreaStudio KYK photographynatural light photographytraveling photography