There is a sweetened tisane in the tea.Plain kombucha has a similar flavor to the original sweet tea flavor.The strength of the tea flavor can be adjusted with the amount of tea bags.Most health food stores and some regular grocery stores have Kombucha.There are some steps to follow to make it at home.
Step 1: Use hot water to wash your hands and don't use antibacterial soap because it can cause harm to the culture.
It's a good idea to use plain or apple cider vinegar to wash your hands.If touching the culture directly, use of non-latex gloves is recommended.
Step 2: Put the stove to high and fill your pot with 3 liters of water.
Step 3: The water should be boiled for at least 5 minutes.
Step 4: The tea bags should be placed in the hot water.
You can either leave tea in for the next two steps or remove it immediately.
Step 5: Add 1 cup sugar when the heat is turned off.
The sugar is a necessary part of the process.If the water continues to boil, you should turn off the heat.
Step 6: Let the tea sit until it is room temperature.
Adding culture when the water is too hot will kill it.
Step 7: Use very hot water to wash a jar in the sink.
If you don't have enough water for cleaning or rinsing, put 2 drops of iodine into a jar and add water.Keep waiting as you rinse out the jar.If the jar is only made of glass or ceramic, you can put it in the oven for 10 minutes.
Step 8: When the tea is cool, pour it into the glass jar and add the starter tea, which should make up 10% of the liquid.
It works if you use about a quarter of a cup of vinegar per gallon of tea.While the tea is getting started, the pH should be kept low to prevent foreign molds or yeast from growing.Measure the pH to make sure it's acidic.It should be under 4.5 pH.Adding starter tea, vinegar, or citric acid until the desired pH is reached is the best way to go.
Step 9: Put the SCOBY into the tea, cover the top of the jar with cloth, and secure it with a rubber band.
Step 10: The jar should be put somewhere warm and dark.
The temperature needs to be at least 70oF.It's best if you can manage.It is more likely that unwanted organisms will start growing if it is below 70oF.
Step 11: Wait about a week.
Tasting and checking the pH levels can be done when the tea starts to get smelly.The culture will either sink or float.It is better if the mushroom floats on top.A straw is the best way to pull a sample.Don't drink tea directly from the straw.Do not put the test strip in the brew vessel.You can drink the liquid from the test strip if you dip the straw halfway into the tea and cover the end with your finger.The culture needs more time to consume the sugar if the kombucha tastes very sweet.The tea is at the correct point to drink if the pH is 3.It can be different to suit your needs and taste.Either the tea needs a few more days to brew or it should be chucked if the final pH is too high.
Step 12: Remove the mother and baby cultures with clean hands and place them in a bowl.
They may be stuck together.If you want to keep them protected, cover the bowl with a little of the kombucha.
Step 13: Pour tea into a container using a funnel.
You can fill it all the way to the top.It will take forever if you don't.Smaller containers are available if there isn't enough.If there is a slight gap, fill it with juice or tea.You risk watering down the tea if you use too much.The tea should be left in the jar for about 10% to start the new tea.Put the culture back in, begin the cycle again by pouring in tea.Some people recommend using the new layer of culture instead of the old one in order to make a new batches of tea.It isn't necessary to put both layers of culture back into a single new batches.A new child is born from the mother.Once you have made your first batches, you will have two mothers, one from the original mother and the other from a new child.Every subsequent fermentation will see this multiplication.
Step 14: It's a good idea to cap your bottles of finished kombucha.
For safety, cap them tightly and let them sit for about 2 - 5 days at room temperature.
Step 15: It's best to keep it cold.
It's best enjoyed cold.