Kombucha

Happy Easter to everyone! It is a warm and sunny day here in Lac Qui Parle, we hope you are experiencing the same enjoyable weather! Today we are making lard, kombucha and kifer, as well as working a little in the garden.

We have had several questions regarding Kombucha and Kifer. We will explain some of the health benefits, how to grow them, and where to get the cultures to get started.

We will talk about Kombucha this week and Kifer next week as we do not want these blogs to get too long.

Kombucha is fermented tea. You can use green or black, doesn't matter. Kombucha has a wide range of organic acids, vitamins and enzymes that give it its extraordinary value. It contains the range of B vitamins, particularly B1, B2, B6 and B12, that provide the body with energy, help to process fats and proteins, and which are vital for the normal functioning of the nervous system. There is also vitamin C which is a potent detoxifier, immune booster and enhancer of vitality.
The probiotic case for Kombucha is that it encourages healthier intestinal flora by introducing lactic acid-producing bacteria. These work in a similar way to acidophilus bacteria, the active ingredient in live yogurt. An old saying, ‘healthy gut, healthy body,’ puts it simply. The acidity level of the gut is all-important, as is the health of its microbial flora which play a crucial role in the functioning of the whole body. There are many other benefits to Kombucha, but I think you get the idea, it makes you belly and body happy!!

To make Kombucha, you first have to obtain a SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast). Make sure that you clean all the pots, jars and utensils that you will be using to make the Kombucha. You don't want to introduce foreign bacteria, or things that might hinder or kill the fermentation. After you have done that, bring to a boil 1 gallon of distilled or filtered water in a stainless steel pot. Do not use city tap water as the chlorine and other additives in it will kill the SCOBY or not allow the tea to ferment. Once the water comes to a boil, add 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups of sugar and stir it in till it dissolves. We recommend organic cane sugar, but you can use white sugar as it is all used up in the fermentation process and you won't be ingesting it as sugar. Turn the heat off and add 6 bags of green or black tea, or 6 teaspoons of loose tea and let it steep for at least 10 minutes. We let it steep for about 20 minutes. The reason we do this is because the longer you steep it, the more nutrients you get from the leaves for the SCOBY to grow. Do not use herbal teas, some of them contain oils that the SCOBY does not like. Once you have made a few batches, feel free to experiment though.

Once the tea had cooled to room temperature, add 10 to 15% of already made kombucha (roughly 2 cups) and the SCOBY mushroom. If you get the SCOBY from someone, it should come with enough liquid to start your fermentation. If it doesn't, you can just use white vinegar. Cover your jar with a cloth and place a rubber band around it to hold it in place and to keep bugs and flies out Let it sit in a warm and dark place for 5 to 10 days. 70 to 85 degrees works the best. The longer you let it sit, the stronger and less sweet it will taste. Experiment with this as well to find the taste that you like. Your Kombucha will produce a second SCOBY every time you make some. The original is called the mother, and the second one is called the daughter. You can use this to make additional batches, or to replace older ones. You can use them in cosmetic applications, or they make great compost for your garden. Some people even grow extremely large SCOBY's, dry them to a leather state and makes sculptures out of them, pretty cool looking!!!

If you let your kombucha ferment for a lot longer, don't throw it out. It will turn into a living culture of vinegar. This has it's own health benefits that we are very excited about.

Please, do some research on Kombucha as there is a lot of information out there, as we just scratched the surface here today.

If you are wondering where to get your Kombucha SCOBY or your Kifer grains. We have them for sale. Please contact us at pineandprairietradingpost@yahoo.com if your interested in purchasing some. Or, just leave us a note here on the blog. Feel free to contact us if you have other organic and healthy living questions as well. We love to help.

Have a great week everyone! Live happy and healthy!!

Ed and Amy