Showing posts with label how to. Show all posts
Showing posts with label how to. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Video How To Bottle Kombucha - Tips & Tricks


Fermenting kombucha at home is super exciting and once it's ready to bottle the drinking will begin! Since it's naturally gluten-free, and my kitchen is 100% gluten-free, it's going to be a heavenly experience for the next few weeks while the next batch is underway. Check out my GlutenFreeG YouTube Channel for all videos.

The kombucha bottling process continues to be simple yet tedious because it requires both cleanliness and necessary prep materials for bottling and future storage over the next few weeks for drinking and new batches.  At this stage you can bottle it in growlers, recycled liquor bottles and recycled tea or juice glass bottles (not plastic) that you can buy from the store or from friends and family to save a few dollars. Add the buch carefully with your spoon and funnel slowly into your glass bottles. As these new bottles are about to be closed you can place them into the same closed, dark but breathable kitchen storage area for 1-2 more days. This is the moment when you could add some flavors such as fruits, or spices, or keep it simple as is I prefer). After 1-2 days or so then refrigerate. Or you can place your buch directly into the back of the refrigerator immediately and keep it in the back because kombucha doesn't require light in fact too much light will damage the good bacteria.

Your scobie and a starter can be packed into a new, clean small glass jar with a breathable lid or seran wrap with holes in it and placed into the refrigerator. This process should be done carefuly and cleanly as preserving your scobie with buch (starter) for next time keeps the drinking process  ongoing ;) don't stop after one fermentation, that's crazy talk! This is an ongoing process every two weeks or so to enjoy kombucha instead of having to buy it regularly. If you don't have time to make another batch then just keep the gallon jar covered with your cheese cloth again in the refrigerator until ready, no worries.

Watch All Kombucha Tips/Videos









Remember, only sip kombucha and most drinks for that matter, haha. Don't chug kombucha as it contains healthy bacterias and you don't need to overload your tummy. Instead sip it as a daily ritual to allow the healthy cultures into your digestive system for balanced healthy living. 

Friday, December 27, 2013

Video How To Make Kombucha

Here is a new video posted to @GlutenFreeG YouTube Channel on how to make kombucha in the comfort of your own home. This is a short under two minute explanation, referencing ingredients and process for those interested in understanding more of the art of creating fermented tea. Let us know if this was helpful to your first or next batch of kombucha fermentation. This is a follow up to "How To Make Kombucha / Kombucha Guide" blog found here. Enjoy!

Where Can I Find A Scoby Kombucha?
For kombucha scoby in the tri-state area contact GlutenFreeG@Gmail.com or comment on our social sites to be in touch. There are many to share and I'd be happy to disperse them to you.

Watch All Kombucha Tips/Videos







Monday, November 4, 2013

How To Make Kombucha / Kombucha Guide



Kombucha (The immortal health elixir) is a super raw tea beverage and lucky for you it's both delicious and easy to create. Learn about kombucha health benefits and follow these simple steps to make your own at home every two weeks just like I do. Research has shown links to traditional ancient China over 2,000 years ago with research more recently done in Germany and Russia touting it's health benefits.

I feel mentally and physically "well" knowing that I'm regularly drinking kombucha. I've read and can fairly share that I sense the health of my tummy and my bathroom needs. It's as if I feel more in tune with my body when I have kombucha regularly in my diet. Often I refer to kombucha as the original natural beverage because it's naturally carbonated and has genuine health properties, unlike today's soda and sugary beverages which are laughably, the opposite of kombucha.

HEALTH FAQs

  • What Is Kombucha? Raw, fermented, probiotic, and naturally carbonated organic tea
  • Does Kombucha Have Healthy Properties? Full of amino acids, probiotics, antioxidants, glucuronic acid, B vitamins and much more
  • What Are The Health Benefits? Detoxification, joint care, aids digestion and gut health and immune boosting
  • Is Kombucha Dangerous? A healthy SCOBY that is made properly and drank periodically cannot be dangerous whatsoever
  • Should I Drink or Sip It? It's advised to sip kombucha throughout the day, don't chug anything ever actually
  • How Often Should I Consume It? Sipping adds constant aid to your GI for digestion



WHAT INGREDIENTS MAKE KOMBUCHA?

1) Organic green, black and/or white tea (4 bags)
2) SCOBY starter: Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria & Yeast often referred to as a "mushroom" or "mother"
3) One gallon glass jar for distilled water
4) Organic cane sugar for the kombucha to eat (1 cup)
5) Cheese cloth (cotton cloth) and rubber band
6) Wooden spoon clean to not disrupt the bacteria
7) Growler and/or glass jars for bottling

THE STEPS TO MAKE KOMBUCHA

Step 1: Boil approximately 12 cups of water and add to your glass jar.
Tips: Allow about 3+ inches empty space at the top for a Scoby and starter along with a cheese cloth to stay dry around the top

Step 2: Add four bags of organic tea (green, black and/or white) and allow to steep for at least two hours
Tips: Place the kombucha jar away from activity to not accidentally get dust or kitchen shwag into the jar while the tea steeps and begins to cool

Step 3: After two hours remove the tea bags and add 1 cup of organic cane sugar and mix thoroughly with your wooden spoon. Allow to cool for another two hours until near room temperature
Tips: Continue to keep your kombucha jar away from activity in your kitchen to avoid shwag entering the jar

Step 4: Add your SCOBY and starter kombucha to the top of the jar carefully and allow it to settle.
Tips: Occasionally I have added 1/2 cup or two of a room temperature kombucha to ensure it has enough starter bacteria brew

Step 5: Cover the top with a cheese cloth and a rubber band around the top diameter. Place in a dark ventilated area for approximately 10-14 days
Tips: Kombucha doesn't like the light. Sample your buch close to this time period for sweet and bitterness to your liking. I typically vary my buch in this time frame, but I prefer less sweet so go longer if needed to 14 days

Step 6: After 10-14 days bottle your buch in growler and/or jars. Strain your buch into bottles or just pour carefully with a funnel and seal. Keep these jars out of the refrigerator for 1-2 days for flavoring or more carbonation. Or simply placed new sealed bottles into the refrigerator to hault further fermentation
Tips: Keep your scoby and it's new baby in a jar as well for future brews and/or sharing with friends and family. Put the scoby and starter in the refrigerator and allow it to vent in a jar with hole or seran wrap
MORE  KOMBUCHA TIPS
  • Why Should I Use A Wooden Spoon? Wood is a natural source whereas steel, or plastic can interfere or leech with the bacteria SCOBY 
  • Can I Use Less Sugar? No. The recipe is standard and if you don't feed your scoby enough sugar it will not have the ingredient attributes to brew correctly
  • Where Can I find A SCOBY? Seek and you shall find from a friend, local health food store and/or you can seek ways to create a scoby from a previous kombucha product, but it's more difficult
  • How Often Should I Check My Kombucha? You can peek in to be sure the SCOBY at the top is growing into the diameter, but don't taste it for at least a week to allow it to ferment. Taste it regularly after that until you're ready via a wood spoon
  • Do I Need To Flavor My Kombucha? Not really. I don't flavor since the natural taste is already yummy and fresh. But you could add herbs and/or other sugars after you bottle not during the main fermentation
  • Should I Turn or Shake My Kombucha Bottle? Don't ever shake a bottle of kombucha as the carbonation will cause an explosive mess. Carefully turn the bottle slowly once or twice upside down to allow it to breathe