![]() Because it kept fermenting in the bottle, some brands’ product became more alcoholic-sometimes up to 3 percent alcohol-over time. In June, Whole Foods voluntarily pulled all kombucha products from its shelves, citing concern that the alcohol levels had surpassed the legal limit of 0.5 percent. This lack of control recently led to some problems among kombucha manufacturers and sellers. ![]() Would I kill my SCOBY if I shook it? Would my SCOBY wither and die in my chilly Victorian house? I voiced my anxieties to Brad, who shot me back a text that said: “Patience grasshopper.” I could do nothing but wait and see if the “mother” would work her magic, and I’d have little control over the results. Maybe because kombucha brewers refer to this mass as the “mother,” I couldn’t help feeling like I was caring for a pet. I brewed about a gallon of green tea, added eight tablespoons of sugar, and poured all the liquid that would fit into the gallon jar with the SCOBY, making sure to cover the top of the mason jar with a thin cloth to prevent fruit fly infestation. ![]() Brad Koester, a local kombucha brewer who also sells pickled beans and onions to San Francisco restaurants, presented me with my very own “mother” SCOBY a gelatinous mass that resembled a small jellyfish asleep in amniotic fluid. others trace its roots to Russia-and enthusiasts prize the drink for its beneficial probiotics, organic acids, vitamins and antioxidants.īecause the fermentation happens naturally, I needed no special equipment besides a one-gallon mason jar to get the project bubbling. Kombucha has been consumed for thousands of years- some say it originated in Manchuria in 220 B.C. “But really, it’s no more frightful than when yogurt first reared its head in health stores across America in the 1970s,” states one Whole Foods website. Remnants of the living mass make their way into bottled kombucha, which creeps some people out. After 10 days of natural fermentation, the amalgam forms a thin pancake-looking colony referred to as a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) surrounded by a fizzy, vinegar-like tonic-the stuff you drink. Often mistaken for a mushroom, the culture used to make kombucha is actually a collection of yeast and bacteria. I also wondered whether the claims about kombucha’s health-enhancing properties had any merit. But after spending as much as five bucks for a 16-ounce bottle of the stuff, I decided to see if I could successfully-and safely-brew my own batch. Depending on how long it's been "sleeping," it may take a few batches for it to make really good kombucha again.Fight disinformation: Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter and follow the news that matters.Īs an occasional kombucha drinker, I enjoy the strange, sour aftertaste of the trendy fermented beverage. Want to take a break from brewing? Store the jarred scoby and mother tea in the refrigerator.Open it to release pressure, then reseal and return it to the refrigerator. When storing kombucha for more than one month, "burp" it every few weeks to prevent an explosion.Black, blue, green, or orange spots on the scoby may indicate mold, and it's best to get a new scoby and try again. Discard the kombucha and start a fresh batch of tea with the scoby if subsequent batches get worse, discard the scoby. Signs that something has gone wrong include a rotten, cheesy, or any unpleasant aroma.The ideal range is between 2.7 and 3.2 pH. You can use a pH strip to test the kombucha's doneness.Cheesecloth is not ideal because the insects can get through the layers. Coffee filters, a clean bandana, or lint-free kitchen towel work, too. To reduce the chance of fruit flies and other small insects invading your kombucha, use a cloth with a tight weave or a few layers of paper towels. ![]()
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