Kombucha round 2-second fermentation.
Ok, so last time we talked about how to initially brew Kombucha in it’s first stage of fermentation in my post Kombucha like crazy. Now we get to talk about the best part, second fermentation. This is where you get all the flavor and the fun (carbonation).
These are the 32oz. growlers I use. They are great!
Ok, so last time we talked about how to initially brew Kombucha in it’s first stage of fermentation in my post Kombucha like crazy. Now we get to talk about the best part, second fermentation. This is where you get all the flavor and the fun (carbonation). Just to recap, you've finished your first fermentation and set aside your SCOBY and 1 cup of the Kombucha tea from the batch. You now have your large container filled with the remaining tea and get to decide how you would like to flavor it. I typically use fruit juice to flavor mine, but you can also use fresh berries as well. I've found that I get better carbonation by adding juice rather than berries because the sugar content is a little higher and it ferments further, which creates better carbonation.
At this point you can choose to flavor your booch in the container it's already in, or pour it into smaller individual serving size bottles. If adding juice to individual bottles, aim for about 1/4 a cup of juice for every 8 oz of tea. So, add the juice first then fill the remainder with your Kombucha tea. Make sure to leave a little space at the top of each bottle for when the carbonation builds so your bottle doesn’t burst. If you’re adding berries, just drop a couple berries in the bottom of the bottle and then top it off with your Kombucha tea. Mason jars are an option, other jars with lids or you can buy some bottles like I did here.
So far, my favorite juice flavors to add have been peach and guava. I have also made blueberry acai and pomegranate. Now, I’m also trying out pineapple and pineapple/peach. I'm sure I'll branch out and do more, but I tend to find a favorite and roll with it for a while. I just added some passionfruit vines in the garden this year, so if it fruits well, I may try that as well. I'll let you know how it turns out if I do.
Ok, now that you're finished, just put the lid on your jar or bottles and seal it tight. Put your bottles back into the cabinet where you did the first fermentation and give it another 2-3 days to further ferment. (Don’t forget to put a note with the date you started your second fermentation) Again, depending on temperature and taste preference, it may require a little longer until its ready, but that's it! You now know how to complete the second fermentation process in making Kombucha.
Enjoy!
Kombucha like crazy…
I really like Kombucha. I like it enough that I pretty much drink a glass or bottle daily. So, I've decided to finally start making my own.
I really like Kombucha. I like it enough that I pretty much drink a glass or bottle daily. So, I've decided to finally start making my own. This is something I've wanted to do for quite a while now but never got around to actually doing it. I think it landed on my mental list of 'things I'd like to do', but never made it over to the "I'm doing this" phase. Until recently. So, to prepare I watched a couple videos on YouTube and then my awesome neighbor (and friend) came over and walked me through it. It's actually super easy! It's also pretty fun when you get to the second fermentation when you get to flavor it and it becomes carbonated. So, now that it’s my chance to share, let me make it easy for you and walk you through how I make it.
Here’s what you do:
Step 1: Get your materials together. You're going to need a teapot, a large glass container, cheesecloth and rubber band, a wooden spoon, 8 tea bags of black or green tea, a SCOBY and some starter tea, and 1 cup of sugar. I got a great kit that had the glass container, cheesecloth etc. on Amazon, which made it really simple. Here's the link in case you'd like to do the same. I’ve also included the link for the SCOBY and starter tea kit.
SCOBY link: click here
Large brewing jars and cloth link: click here
Step 2: Fill your teapot and bring it to a boil. While you're waiting for the water to boil, take your large glass container and run it under warm water to get it ready for the boiling water you'll soon pour in it. Also, open all your tea packets and have them ready to go.
Step 3: Place the tea bags in the large glass container and pour the hot water over the top of them. (I use a wooden clothes pin to hold the tea bags together and clip it to the mouth of the container) Pour in the sugar and gently stir it with your wooden spoon until it mostly dissolves. Now just set the tea aside until it completely cools. (insert pic of this step)
Step 4: Once the sweetened tea has completely cooled, add more water to the jar, leaving just enough space at the top for your SCOBY and starter tea.
Step 5: Now it's time to pour in the starter tea and SCOBY. This is what makes all the magic happen! Your SCOBY should float at the top of the container, but if it sinks to the bottom, don't worry. A new SCOBY will start to form at the top of the brew in a few days. Then you'll have 2!
Step 6: Now place the cheese cloth over top of the jar and secure it with the rubber band. Carefully pick the jar up and put it in a dark cabinet, or shelf that’s somewhere out of any direct sunlight. It also needs to be at a temperature of somewhere between 75-85 degrees Fahrenheit consistently. A cabinet above your fridge or a kitchen pantry would work beautifully.
Now all you need to do is let it do it's thing. You can start tasting your brew to see how things are progressing around day 8-10. You do this by carefully inserting a straw down the side of the jar and placing your thumb on top of the straw once it's full. Then gently pull the straw out and put in a glass to taste. Never drink from the straw or sip directly from your jar. You don’t want to contaminate or introduce bacteria to your booch! Usually it takes 12-14 days for my first fermentation to be done. I tend to like mine a bit more on the vinegar side, not too sweet, so I let it sit a little longer. That's it! Now you know how to brew Kombucha in its first fermentation.
If you're wondering what to do once your first brew is finished, take the SCOBY out (with clean hands) and set it in a glass dish along with 1 cup of the finished tea. This becomes the starter for your next batch and the fun continues! Now you can start the process again so its brewing while you're enjoying the batch you just finished. With the remaining tea you can either put it in the fridge or pour it in to single serving containers and do the same. Or, you can flavor them and do a second fermentation. That's what I do and is likely what you're used to if you've been buying your Kombucha from the store up until this point. I'll write about second fermentation in another post soon.
If you are a serious Kombucha lover like me, I hope you try it out. I think you'll really enjoy the process, especially when you discover how easy it really is. Have fun and let me know how yours turns out!
Cheers!
Kombucha…wait, Kom-who?
By this point, I assume most people either have tried, or at least heard of Kombucha. If you haven't, please consider this your official introduction…
By this point, I assume most people either have tried, or at least heard of Kombucha. If you haven't, please consider this your official introduction. Kombucha is basically a fermented sweet tea. It is made by taking sweetened tea and adding a SCOBY to it, then allowing it to ferment. SCOBY is an acronym for symbiotic culture of bacterial yeast. It is also what makes all the magic happen.
By mixing the sweet tea and SCOBY, it ferments and creates a delightful beverage that is full of probiotics and B vitamins, which are good for your gut and your brain. Adding fermented foods (think yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut) and beverages (water or yogurt kefir, Kombucha etc.) can be highly beneficial for our bodies and aid in digestion and overall good health. You may be wondering if it could really be all that healthy if its loaded with sugar (sweet tea) and does it contain alcohol if it's fermented?? Great questions, I'm glad you asked.
During the fermentation process, the SCOBY feeds on the sugar, depleting the sugar content to a minimal amount by the time it is finished brewing. As far as alcohol content, sure it's possible that it could turn in to alcohol if you let it go long enough, but if you follow the typical fermentation times there is only a trace amount. We're talking somewhere around 0.5%.
You may also be wondering, why make it at home? I have had some funny conversations with people when we've talked about home-brewing Kombucha. I think images of old timey, backwoods Moonshiner operations come to mind for them. But, this is totally different and completely legal, haha! It's also very enjoyable! Making it at home may not be for everyone, but for us it has been great. We drink it often enough that at $3-$4 a bottle, we can easily spend a small fortune each month on it. Making it at home only takes a few minutes of my time and costs a fraction of the amount. Plus, you get to tailor suit the flavors to what you know you like and the options are endless.
Well, I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing about it. If you're interested in learning about how to make Kombucha at home, stay tuned for those posts which are coming soon! Also, if you have any questions about it, please feel free to email me or leave a comment.
Enjoy!