My Kombucha Story

It was about the time my forth (and youngest) child turned one, I recall telling my mom that my body was falling apart on me... I was 29. Her response to me was, "Just wait until you're 50." At the time, I was having digestive issues- I blamed it on the fact that I was chasing around 4 small children, running a home, and starting to homeschool my oldest son. I just didn't have the time to eat right, much less find the extra energy to exercise!


I started researching herbs and natural "remedies" for the issues I was faced with. The one thing that kept coming to my attention was an ancient fermented drink from Asia called kombucha. I was a bit sceptical of the claims being made of this drink's health benefits but decided to try it anyway...

Here's the first step to making homemade "Booch"- the SCOBY ("Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast). It looks and feels like wet, slimy, dense Jello. Apart from its mucus-like appearance, this little guy is packed full of beneficial probiotics! The SCOBY is used to turn regular black and green teas into the epitome of digestive aids.

Here's the SCOBY at work on a freshly brewed batch of black tea. While the tea was still hot, I added 1/2 c white sugar (don't worry, the microbes in the SCOBY will consume all the sugar during the fermentation process). The general rule is 1 c sugar per gallon of tea. When the tea cooled to about 100F, I added my SCOBY and about 1 c booch, reserved from a previous batch. The extra booch is to help lower the ph and discourage mold growth.

Next step is covering your container with a clean cloth, securing it with a rubber band. Then, move your booch to a cool, dark place. I have the best results when I store mine in the pantry on the top shelf. This way, there is plenty of air circulation but it won't be near any sunlight that could harm my culture. I let my booch ferment for about a week to 10 days before I bottle it. As you can see in the first picture, I re-use bottles and cork them for an airtight seal. I like to add a fresh squeeze of lemon to the bottle before corking, then leave the bottle out for 2 more days before refrigeration. This way, the booch has extra time to produce a nice effervescence. Yes, it even has bubbles!

I drink my kombucha every day. It is great over ice with dinner or in the morning before breakfast! It's my coffee replacement and my tummy's best friend :)

If you are planning on making your own kombucha, there are many helpful sites online. One of my favorites is http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/. This wonderful site has informative videos on kombucha-making that will get you on your way! If your body is "falling apart" like mine was, this is the natural way to boost your energy and pull yourself back together.

By the way, you don't have to buy a $20-$30 SCOBY online! Make your own from a $3 bottle of booch from your local healthfood store... http://purpledancingdahlias.blogspot.com/2010/12/how-to-make-your-own-kombucha-mother.html