Kombucha SCOBY
By Catherine Haug, December 11, 2016 (Image, right, from Wikimedia Commons)
Kombucha is one of my favorite fermented beverages, and a great way to add more fermented foods to your diet, to support your microbiome and immune system. But making serial batches can get old and tiresome. What if you could just make one batch and add to it regularly for a continuous brew?
Kombucha has many health benefits. It contains high levels of antioxidants, b-vitamins, probiotics and glucaric acid in addition to the beneficial microbes. It has been reported to have a variety of health benefits including (1):
- liver detoxification
- improved pancreas function
- increased energy
- better digestion
- improved mood (helps with anxiety/depression)
- keeps Candida (yeast) under control
- helps nutrient assimilation
See also Continuous Brewing: Tastier, Easier and Superior Kombucha, by John Moody (2) for the Weston A. Price Foundation (WAPF) website for more about the benefits of Kombucha and the continuous brewing method. Read on for a review of what is needed, and for references.
The starting point for kombucha is a SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast); ask a friend who makes kombucha for extra SCOBY, or order it online from a reputable source. You also need loose tea (green and/or black tea with optional added flavorings), water, 2 – 5 gallon brewing vessel (porcelain, stainless steel, stoneware or glass) with a spigot (stainless steel, wood or BPA-free plastic), a stand for the vessel, stirring utensil and fermentation cover.
If you’ve never made kombucha, I recommend making a single batch before investing in the special brewing vessel with spigot and stand.
For more information:
- Wellness Mamma (1); includes her recommended sources for tea and equipment.
- WAPF: Continuous Brewing: Tastier, Easier and Superior Kombucha (2)
- WAPF: Kvass and Kombucha: Gifts from Russia (3)
- The EssentiaList: Kombucha – Fermented Tea by Cat
- ESP Gathering Summary: Lacto-Fermentation, with Don Bates & Jeanette Cheney, August 17, 2011 for more about kombucha.
References:
- Wellness Mamma: wellnessmama.com/8638/continuous-brew-kombucha
- WAPF: westonaprice.org/health-topics/continuous-brewing-tastier-easier-and-superior-kombucha
- WAPF: westonaprice.org/food-features/kvass-and-kombucha
Tags: fermentation, kombucha