An EASY way to make LOADS of Kombucha: CONTINUOUS BREW
What is Kombucha?!
Well, it is a pretty awesome drink!
Kombucha is a fermented tea that has been around for a loooong time. Some say it originated around 2000 years ago in China. It has endured through the centuries because it has a long list of alleged health benefits, and of course, it just tastes great!
People claim that Kombucha:
- reverses signs of aging
- lowers cholesterol and blood pressure
- increases blood circulation
- relieves menopausal symptoms
- dissolved gallstones
- improves digestion and liver functions
- detoxifies the body and prevents cancer
- the list goes on, depending on who you talk to...
Of course, like with most natural products, no major studies have been done, so none of this has been 'proven'.
People DO agree though, that the drink is full of antioxidants, B vitamins, and probiotics. We all need these!
Rather than delve into the specifics of Kombucha, what it is and what it isn't, I am just going to tell you how to make continuous-brew Kombucha, rather than one small batch at a time. This is an easier, lower-maintenance way of brewing 'booch' if you use a lot of it, like we do.
First, you need a large jar.
Preferably a jar big enough to supply your needs, and with a spigot at the bottom to drain off a couple jars of booch a day.
I have a 2 gallon jar that I found at Walmart.
It is important to cover your jar with some kind of breathable fabric, rather than a lid, since the brew needs oxygen to do its thing. I use two washcloths, secured with a rubber band. No gnats or flies can get through that!
You need your starter SCOBY, (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast), and some starter tea.
You can buy these online if you aren't already brewing or know someone who is.
This is my huge SCOBY, which actually needs trimmed back. Once it gets this big, I rip off the top layer, keep that, and ditch the rest. The chickens usually get it. Scobies do not typically look spotted like this one; this is the result of a tea bag bursting and tea leaves getting in there.
When you are first beginning, you will want to put the SCOBY and starter in the jar, and then fill it up about a quarter of the way full with sweet tea. You need to use plain tea, nothing flavored or with additives. Green or black tea both work well. I actually use a mix of black and green, but I have, in the past, used them separately as well. I generally make a gallon of tea at a time, with about 1 and 3/4 cups of sugar per gallon.
After a couple days, add more tea to your big jar, to about halfway. Do this again every other day until your jar is full.
Let it sit a day or two more, and then you are in business!
Every day my Kombucha routine goes like this. It doesn't take long at all, 5 min or less...
- Put my booch jar up on a pot to make filling jars easier.
- get out 2-3 jars and put some kind of fruit in the bottom
You don't have to add fruit; it is good without, but we like fruity better! - Start filling the jars from the spigot.
- Once jars are full, set them aside and cover them. I use old salsa jars mostly.
- Your big jar should be down to 2/3 or half a jar.
- Time to refill the big jar with fresh, sweet tea. Can be room temp or from the fridge.
- Once filled, replace the cover and put your booch back to wherever you keep it.
- DONE
Now, the jars you just put on the counter are in their second ferment, known as F2, by booch brewers.
I let mine sit on the counter for two days before sticking them in the fridge and enjoying. So each day consists of putting the day-two jars in the fridge, scootching the day-one jars over, and filling up more jars. Doing it this way gives you a continuous supply of Kombucha to enjoy. ♥
During F2, the small jars usually begin to grow a new SCOBY. You can eat it if you want, and the fermented fruit as well, but I generally throw that to the chickens.
You can experiment with different kinds of fruit for your F2.
People use all manner of fresh fruit, fruit puree, fruit juices, and herbs for flavoring. I suggest you play around with different combinations to find out which ones you like best.
That's how I do continuous-brew Kombucha!
Thanks for reading! I hope you found this helpful!
Let me know in the comments if you have any questions about Kombucha!
Have a blessed day, Steemians!
badges courtesy of @daddykirbs
Great post, I have not made any yet, but am hoping to soon. Very helpful and informational. Thank you!
Thank you! :)
Best of luck!
Hurray! I love anything that makes fermentation less fussy. I've been doing a lemongrass kombucha lately, it's tasty!
That sounds yummy! Do you just add lemongrass to the tea?
I think I need to try this...
I just use sweetened lemongrass tea instead of black tea. Thinking of trying ginger tea next!
Really? I thought you had to use black or green tea to keep the bacteria alive.
Ginger sounds yummy! There are so many possibilities! ♥
I did too . . . But a friend gifted me SCOBY and swore it would work with lemongrass and since I've got loads growing in the garden I thought I'd give it a shot. Lo and behold, it works!
That is amazing! Thanks for telling me, now I have something new to try! I wonder what all herbs would work for kombucha then. If lemongrass works, surely there are others...
There must be. It wouldn't have occurred to me either, especially as so many greens have antimicrobial properties. I've had difficulties with other herbal fermentations in the past but it was neat to do discover that it works in kombucha
Looks like a great drink, I love all those natural remedies.
Thanks! It is really good stuff. It tastes great so I would keep brewing it even without all the health perks. :D
Can you buy it in the shops anywhere?
Well, I have heard of people finding starter SCOBYs and tea in health food stores, but I have never seen this. I ordered my original one off of amazon.
You can also use Kombucha purchased in the store to start making your own. (You can find it in grocery stores in the refrigerator section with other health drinks.)
Pour it into a jar, add sweetened tea and leave it out on the counter. It will begin making a scoby of its own, and as it grows, you can use it to make continuous brew, or just brew it in small jars.
Great thanks for the info, I’ll definitely look into it it looks great.
Sounds like you have a good system going! I make kombucha too. I just do the first fermentation and don't add any fruit because I like the sour taste. Sometimes I mix it just before drinking, with orange or grapefruit juice, or soda water if it's really warm outside. Do you find the spigot on your jar gets clogged up at times?
Yes, it finally works reliably for me! It took me a little bit to get it going with good results every time.
I find mine is too sweet still after the first ferment, so I need the second to get it to the tartness I like. And I just love the fruity flavor! Fresh, raw fruit seems to give the best flavor, but I keep a bag of frozen fruit on hand in case I don't have fresh fruit ready. (The kids eat a LOT of fruit!)
Yes, the spigot clogs up reliably. It actually grows a tiny scoby blob in there. I have to clean out the jar about twice a year. In the pictures you can see it kind of needs it now. I probably should have done that before taking pictures... LOL
When I clean the jar I clean the spigot out with hot water. I usually have to blow on it and use something pointy to get the scoby out.
I'm the only one drinking it here and as a result it goes real sour before I can finish it all. I have used it as a vinegar substitute on salads too.
Ooo that's a great idea! My hubby and kids all like the kombucha, so we run through lots and sometimes do not have enough, so I haven't had that issue yet... LOL
Oh, and I forgot to add that the fruit seems to add to the carbonation. If I dont put fruit in there, the end result isnt nearly as bubbly as with fruit. And I like the bubbles! ♥