A few months ago I was in my local Whole Foods when I came across the juice aisle and noticed bottles of something called Kombucha. What is Kombucha you ask? Well, Wikipedia explains it as, “a fermented tea that is imbibed for medicinal purposes. Although there is limited specific scientific information supporting any purported benefits due to a lack of studies being conducted, there does exist much anecdotal information purporting its historical medicinal value. fermenting tea using a visible solid mass of microorganisms called a kombucha culture (SCOBY) or mushroom. Kombucha is available commercially, but can be made at home ” Sounds intriguing, doesn’t it? So, I set out to see if anyone locally was making the stuff so I could see how it was done…and what that “solid mass of micro-organisms” thing looked like. As it turned out, my friend, Dan Streib, was in fact making Kombucha on a regular basis. He was willing to show me step by step the ins and outs of making my own Kombucha. My interview with him follows:

Shirle: So, the first thing you need is to get that SCOBY thing, right? Why’s it called that?

Dan: SCOBY stands for Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast. It’s like it’s own “home” or “planet.”

S: So, where did you get yours from?

D: I got mine from someone on Craigslist who was just giving his up, but you can buy them on line as well or get them from a friend, like you will from me.

S: OK. So, you said “the very first thing you need to do is to brew some tea.”

D: Yes. You can brew whatever kind of tea you like. Decafe, caffinated, herbal, anything, whatever…Lipton, if that’s what you like.

S: How do you brew the tea? Is there a specific method?

D: Yeah. You need to cold brew the tea over night or at least 4 hours, and leave it out so it’s at room temp. Don’t refrigerated it. Then you add simple syrup.

S: Simple syrup is just equal parts granulated sugar to hot water.

D: Yep. You’re gonna want to use regular white sugar mixed with hot water and then let it come to room temp before you add it.

S: Is there a ratio of sugar to tea?

D: No, it’s all to your taste. Some people might like a sweeter Kombucha than I or vice-versa. The sugar is what feeds the SCOBY, so you need to add more. A Cup to every gallon works well. It’s trial and error.

S: So, then you need a large container to make this in?

D: Yeah, I got a large glass jar that I cleaned to make sure its sterile.

S: Then what?

D: You can make your tea in the jar, then add your other ingredients and the SCOBY with the liquid it came in. That’s important to keep the old liquid to add to the next batch. It’s very ancestral in a way. The SCOBY are passed down from generations of batches, so the one I have here has micro-organisms from ancient “mothers.” It’s pretty cool.

S: Yeah, that is! It’s like cleaning a fish tank in a way…keeping some of the old water, the fish and add it to the new water.

D: What’s cool too is that you could actually make a new SCOBY from the store bought Kombucha, but it takes forever.

S: Wow! So, you have to keep feeding the kombucha till you get a baby?

D: Yes. It will create a film on top that will turn into another “daughter” or SCOBY, but like I said, it takes forever.

S: That’s for the adventurous to try! (laughter)

D: So, next you take your jar, say with 8 cups of tea. Then you might add 4-6 cups of purified, filtered water that’s room temp.

S: Then what?

D: Then you add the vinegar. It’s suggested to make it to your taste.

S: Like if you like it “zingy” then you would add more?

D: Yeah, for me, I might do 12 cups tea to 1 and 1/2 cup vinegar to 1 cup of sugar.

S: Then what’s next.

D: After you have your tea, water, vinegar and sugar mixed well you can add your SCOBY and then you need to cover it with a clean linen towel, preferable like a linen napkin, so it can breath. I use a rubber band to make sure that no dirt gets in there. And don’t use cheese cloth. Or you could use a clean cotton t-shirt.

S: Then you let it sit or ferment, I should say?

D: Yes. It’s going to need to ferment for 7-14 days. Out of direct sun, but not in the dark either. Make sure you write down when you made it, when it needs to be bottled as well. I leave a piece of paper on top with the date so I know.

S: So you could even write when you need to bottle it, so that you project it out.

D: Yeah, that way you don’t have to do the math. Just figure it out when you create the batch. Obviously, if you only brew for say 7 days your going to get a weaker batch than one that goes for 14 day.

S: Does it have more fizz to it the longer its fermenting?

D: Yep. It’s like almost a finished product at that stage.

S: Then what?

D: OK. So you’re going to remove the SCOBY into a clean sterile container covered with it’s own liquid.

S: So it doesnt die, so to speak.

D: Right. Then you need to pour your Kombucha into sterile bottles. I use a funnel, and some people use a cheese cloth to strain out the bits, but I don’t mind them.

S: The bits are good for you. But some people might find them slimy. (laughter)

D: The ones at Whole Foods are barely strained, or maybe they have sat for a while and are growing new SCOBYs. (laughter) I’m just going with what I’ve seen. Now, when it’s done brewing before you bottle it you are going to see a film, or as it’s called, a “daughter,” and that’s how you share SCOBYs with people. It freaks some people out and they think that there is some mold growing, butit’s just another SCOBY being created on top. If you see “FUR” growing on top, like true fuzzy fur, then GAME OVER…it’s bad. But you will see splotches, maybe brown, and that OK…that’s just the SCOBY doing it’s thing. But FUR is BAD. Chuck it.

S: So sad… but the film is good….Sans FUR.

D: Yes. You want the mother to be floating. That’s a good sign. If it’s on the bottom, it’s not bad, but it should rise to meet the daughter. A SCOBY is like a bunch of daughters grown together, but you can separate them.

S: So they get fused together.

D: It’s a good idea to keep either a mother or daughter in another container so that if one dies you have another to work with. Then it’s cyclical.

S: You have 3 going right now.

D: Yep.

S: Then how long do you bottle it?

D: You want to let the bottles ferment another 7 days, room temp.

S: Then do you fridge it?

D: Yes. You can then put it in the fridge and enjoy it straight out of the bottle or over ice. However you like it.

S: So, what are the healing properties of Kombucha?

D: They say this is good for your liver, kidneys, even the guys who created the brand you drink from Whole Foods subscribes to the theory that giving this to his mother during her bout with cancer healed her.

S: What do you mean?

D: He said she now cancer free. That the antioxidants in the Kombucha cured her.

S: What about a hangover cure?

D: Sure. I even have a friend that has lost significant weight from drinking it, but naturally, it was a regiment he had with the kombucha.

S: Well thanks Dan for showing me how to make my own Kombucha and I am sure this will help all the RTS (Rockin’ The Stove) people start their own batches.

D: No problem. Enjoy.