Kombucha: Why You Should Try Making Your Own Fizzy Health Brew

By Linn Chapel | September 30, 2019 | Comments 0 Comment

Kombucha supplies pictured along with finish jar of probiotic healthy drink

Vintage drawing of Victorian woman author at her desk — ***Hmmm… I think I’ll take a break and pour myself some homemade Kombucha***

I always feel mentally refreshed after drinking my homemade Kombucha. Why not try making this popular health brew yourself?

Its stimulating effect must come from something other than it’s caffeine content, for the small amount in Kombucha is not enough to make me jittery. That makes it a great choice for those times of day when (sadly) coffee would be too much for me. Way too much. And while I’m working on the publication details of my upcoming novel, Threshold of Destiny, anything that gives me a mental boost is more than welcome.

If you haven’t tried Kombucha yet, I can testify that it’s delicious, fizzy and full of healthy probiotics. It’s also simple to make your own at home.

Good news for the waistline: Kombucha is LOWER IN CALORIES than soda and many other drinks. If you follow a standard recipe, your brew will have around 48 calories per 8 0z serving.

The Strange Mushroom Does All the Work

A very strange-looking but perfectly benign pad called a “mushroom” (or Scoby) floats at the top of a jar of sweetened black tea. This floating pad does the job of fermenting the tea into Kombucha.

The Kombucha mushroom looks outlandish as it floats at the top of a brewing jar, but it works.

Supplies for Making Homemade Kombucha

You’ll need black tea leaves or bags, white sugar and a Kombucha mushroom.

***You’ll need a gallon glass jar, black tea, white sugar and a Kombucha mushroom, along with a piece of fabric and rubber band to cover the*** **jar**

I ordered my “mushroom” online from Poseymom and I’ve been happily brewing with it for 3 years now.

As for the gallon glass jar, you can order one from many sites online, or you can use this thrifty tip I came across – Walmart carries a brand of dill pickles in an identical large gallon jar for about $5. Buy one of these jars, store the pickles in another container in your fridge, and “repurpose” the jar for Kombucha. I tried this tip myself and it worked.

Money-saving bonus: you’ll be able to reuse your “mushroom” and jar for all your batches. Set up your supplies and start production!

Have Fun with Your Kombucha: Try Some Flavor Infusions

My family loves Kombucha as much as I do, especially when I bottle it for a second ferment. Sometimes I add a small amount of grape or apple juice at this point, or an infusion of fresh ginger root.

Want to know more about fermenting and infusing?

All the Steps and More are Explained in This Great Resource

Instructions on making Kombucha are easy to find on the Internet. I personally got started with the tips that came with the mushroom I ordered online from Posymom.

True Brews cover image with bottled brews — ***A super-helpful book with a good chapter on Kombucha***

Here’s a great book I eventually bought and can heartily recommend: True Brews by Emma Christiansen. In it you’ll find all you need to know about making Kombucha, adding flavors, doing a second ferment, etc. The author is both experienced and witty.