KOMBUCHA
You need a scoby and a bit of the tea that the scoby came from known as the starter liquid. You take 5 rooibos tea bags, one cup of sugar and a liter of boiling water. Mix together and let it cool completely before adding to your glass bottle with your scoby.
Once cooled remove the tea bags and add the cooled tea to the jar. Fill the jar with water up to the neck of the jar.
Cover with a cotton cloth and ferment for 8 – 14 days. This depends on personal preference. Once done fermenting strain kombucha and retain at least two cups of kombucha with scoby for new fermentation and for each new scoby to start a new fermentation. Use a 3 litre jar.
Extra scobies that are not going to be used for immediate fermenting can be stored in a scoby hotel.
Add some fresh sweet tea every 4 – 8 weeks. Discarding some of the liquid keeping no less than about 20% of the old liquid.
And this is the end result a lovely refreshing sweet kombucha.
For a second ferment, add fruit to a airtight glass bottle, add kombucha and seal. Open once a day to ensure the pressure is not excessive. The second ferment will be done when the level of desired carbonation has been reached.
I use these beer bottles since I know they can withstand the pressure.
Recipe and photos: Nicolette Papas
