For its health benefits, kombucha is a popular drink.It is perfectly safe to make at home if you take the necessary precautions.Black tea, sugar, a starter liquid and a little patience are all you need.
Step 1: Bring 3.5 US quarts of water to boil in a tea kettle.
Place the kettle over the heat to boil the water.If you want to ferment your tea, make sure there is no chlorine in the water.The minerals in the water may affect the flavor of your beverage.This is the amount of water you need to make kombucha in a glass jar.
Step 2: After removing the water from heat, steep your tea bags for 5 minutes.
Since you don't need the water to be boiling in order to steep the tea bags, take the kettle off heat first.Set the tea bags aside after 5 minutes.If you want your tea to be bitter, avoid over-steeping it.
Step 3: Add 200 grams of sugar to the tea and stir it up.
You can stir the sugar into the tea with a wooden spoon.Add 12 cup (100 grams) of sugar to the tea to make it less sweet.The sugar should be dissolved in the tea in a few minutes.
Step 4: Pour the tea into the jar after it cools to room temperature.
It will take a few hours for the tea to cool down.It is very important that you wait until the tea has cooled before moving on to the next step because the SCOBY is sensitive to high temperatures.You can speed up the cooling process by placing your kettle in an ice bath.Before adding the SCOBY, make sure the tea is at least 85 F.If the side of the kettle feels hot to the touch, make sure it's below 85 F.
Step 5: The SCOBY should be added to the glass jar.
Before handling the SCOBY, you should wash your hands with soap and water.Take the starter liquid and put it on top of the tea in your glass jar.It is normal for the SCOBY to float, sink, or even go sideways when it is in the tea.
Step 6: To cover the jar with a tight weave cloth, pour the starter liquid into it.
If you want your jar to be full, add enough starter liquid to the tea.Use a rubber band to secure the jar after laying the cloth over it.A tight weave cloth has strands of fabric in close proximity to each other and will keep bugs out of your brew.Coffee filters will work, but cheese cloth is the best cloth to use.It's important to make sure the cloth you use is clean.In order for your tea to brew properly, you need some exposure to air.
Step 7: To brew, place the jar in a room with no direct sunlight.
The jar should be kept away from sources of fluctuating temperatures.It is guaranteed to stay at a temperature of around 75 to 84 F for up to 2 weeks.The tea should be left to brew for 7 to 14 days.It's a bad idea to put your jar in a closet or cupboard because it needs good air to brew.
Step 8: After 7 days, taste your tea to see if it is ready to be consumed.
If you want to taste the tea, sip it with a straw.Remove the jar if you like the taste of the tea.After a few days, test it again if it needs more time to ferment.The longer it ferments, the less sweet it will taste.
Step 9: If you want to use it again, put the SCOBY aside.
Put the SCOBY in its own jar after taking it out of the glass jar.If you want to keep it alive, put some in the jar.You can use a store-bought SCOBY Hotel to store your leftover brew.
Step 10: Store your drink in the fridge.
The kombucha can be poured into smaller glass bottles using a funnel.If you want to make a flavor of kombucha, add flavoring to each bottle.It won't go bad in the fridge.It may become too sour to drink.Depending on the brew, how long this takes varies.Fruit juice, fruit syrups, and herbs are some things you can add to your kombucha to make it better.