the mother of all tea

kombucha tea

Do you drink kombucha? I’ve seen it mentioned here and there over the past year, and when my CSA offered a class about it, I decided to learn more. I love tea — black, green, herbal, caff, decaf — I drink it all. How could I not be interested in a fermented tea drink?

Taking a class made me feel more confident that this is a really easy process. Tasting different brews gave me an idea how different tea leaves and brew time affect the end product. I was also glad to learn kombucha has a low pH, so I don’t have to be concerned about botulism. (Remember when I worried about that when I canned apples?)

Everyone in class left with a SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast) to start their own batch of tea. (That’s mine pictured above.) I’m brewing in a one gallon glass container and mine has already started to grow into a stereotypical round mushroom-looking mother. I guess that means I’m doing it right!

I have to say I’m a little nervous about this, like when I made yogurt for the first time. In a world that’s so anti-bacterial, it’s weird to invite it into your home and into your food.

What do you think about kombucha? Ever heard of it before? Do you buy it at the health food store? Brew it at home? I’m curious!

p.s. Here’s a sneak peek of my current knitting project.

One Reply to “the mother of all tea”

  1. I was brewing Kombucha for a few years about 18yrs ago. I moved, and gave it away, thinking that I could easily replace it, but when I got to my new home, nobody had heard of it. I finally acquired a new piece last week, and have it brewing in a herbal tea mix in a water cooler with a tap. I like to use the continuous brewing method, which means that you top it up with fresh tea and rarely empty out the container. It also means that you don’t run out, or run the risk of it exploding, or going bitter in the fridge. I can’t wait for it to be ready, and am trying to resist looking at it each day so that I notice growth :) Good luck with yours, be confident with it, experiment with different teas and enjoy!!

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