Kombucha Brewing

THE OBSESSION My love of kombucha started a couple years ago when I went to a kombucha tasting.  I was absolutely hooked.  Additionally, there are many potential benefits to drinking kombucha (hello probiotics and staying ahem, regular) and I got hooked on drinking about 4-6 oz daily.  The thing is, kombucha is not cheap and if you refer back to my Welcome Back post...well, I don't have  job anymore.

GETTING STARTED I ordered a kit off of Amazon (don't judge me) from "The Kombucha Shop".  It was great because it included everything needed for the first brew and a step by step brewing instructions.  Now if you are thinking, this sounds great and want to jump on the "Booch Brewing Wagon" I suggest the very next thing you do after you order your kit is to join a Kombucha Brewing Facebook Group.  These people know their stuff and the second you see something funky floating in that jug you will freak out and want to be assured it is normal.

THE PROCESS The next thing you want to think about is if you are planning on drinking plain Kombucha or if you want to flavor it.  Don't kid yourself, of course you want to flavor it, so next you need to buy some bottles for fermentation 2 or F2.  That is the stage I am at today.  I am on batch #2, finished with F1 (or fermentation 1) and I chose to use Watermelon for F2.

Day 10 of Fermentation - Testing PH and Checking Flavor

Verifying PH is between 2.5-3.5 - Looks Good!

Batch #2 headed to F2, and starting F1 - Batch #3 & Batch #4

1/4 cup Immersion Blended Watermelon to each bottle

Start of Batch #3 & #4

 Before filling bottles for F2, you need to reserve some of the liquid from the batch for the starter for your next kit.  I reserve 2 cups per gallon and I decided to start 2 new batches.  My batch #4 will be the one with the spigot and is something called a continuous brew.  The picture above I have not yet added the SCOBY and starter because I am waiting for the sweet tea to cool to between 68-86 degrees F.

To finish up, the F2 Watermelon bottles will sit in a dark warm spot, (in our dining room in their original box covered with a towel) for 1-3 days or until I can't stand it anymore and then moved to the fridge which will then slow the fermentation process.    At this point I will have a cold, fizzy refreshing Watermelon drink that I can't wait to try!

This process is definitely not as difficult as I imagined and I'm so happy I was able to overcome my fear and give it a chance.  I still consider myself a beginner, but happy to have fresh homemade kombucha coming straight out of Momma G's Country Cafe!

Happy Sunday!

-Momma G