Kombucha Starter Culture

Refreshing, healthy, versatile- the premiere probiotic beverage. Easy to make, and a whole lot cheaper too! All you need is black or green tea, sugar, and your Kombucha SCOBY.

Kombucha Starter Cultures shipped live.

You will receive:

1 live Kombucha SCOBY with starter liquid (do NOT discard liquid) and instructions

Kombucha has been around for centuries, with its earliest origins thought to be in China. Made simply with tea, sugar and the kombucha culture, this is a beverage you can feel good about drinking. It aids in digestion which, in turn, can help your general health. The Kombucha SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast) is often called a mushroom, but there is no relation. It's a cellulose zoogleal mat that converts the tea and sugar mixture into a healthy elixir. With each batch a new SCOBY "Mother" is formed. This allows you to always have a fresh culture while keeping a few for backup or to share. Finished Kombucha does have a trace amount of alcohol, usually under .5%. Not a lot, but something to be aware of if you're trying to avoid alcohol. You can drink your Kombucha as is, or flavor it to your taste with a second fermentation. Kombucha can also be used in recipes for salad dressing, marinades, mustard- any place vinegar would be used.

Note: if you're not planning to start your Kombucha SCOBY right away, store it in the refrigerator until you're ready.

You will need:

• one quart canning jar or other glass jar
• coffee filter or paper towel to cover jar, and elastic
• band to secure cover
• wooden or plastic spoon
• 1/4 cup sugar (evaporated cane sugar works best)
• 3 cups water (non-chlorinated & non-fluoridated is best)
• 2 tea bags (black or green tea is best) or 2 tablespoons
• loose leaf tea in a tea ball or reusable tea bag
• Kombucha starter (SCOBY)
• 1/4 cup plain, unflavored Kombucha (this is included with your NW Ferments starter - don't throw it away!)

1. Heat water to nearly boiling. Pour water into jar. Stir in sugar until dissolved, then add tea & allow to steep. When cooled to room temp, remove the tea bags.
2. Add Kombucha SCOBY and included liquid. Cover with coffee filter & secure with rubber band. Do not use an airtight lid- your Kombucha needs to breathe, but you want to keep out any contaminants.
3. Allow to culture at room temperature - 68° to 78° F. is ideal. Choose a draft-free spot, out of direct sunlight, where your Kombucha won't be disturbed. You will see another SCOBY begin to form on the surface of the liquid. In a quart sized jar it will take about 7 days. You can taste it at this point to see if it's to your liking. Longer fermentation times produce a more sour Kombucha, and shorter times produce a sweeter product.
4. After your first batch, you can move up to a larger container. You will have more starter liquid (finished Kombucha) and an extra SCOBY starter to work with. Just use the same ratios: 1/4 c. sugar, 2 tea bags and 1/4 c. finished Kombucha per quart.

If you're new to drinking Kombucha, start with a small amount each day. You can increase consumption as your body adjusts to the beneficial bacteria. There are many ways to flavor and use your finished Kombucha. Check out our instructions for a Second Fermentation.

Contains:

organic black tea, organic unbleached sugar, live active kombucha culture

Probiotic bacteria found: Acetobacter xylinum, xylinoides, aceti, pasteurianus, Bacterium gluconicum, and yeasts Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Kloeckera apiculata, Saccharomycodes ludwigii, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Zygosaccharomyces bailii, Brettanomyces bruxellensis, lambicus, custersii, and Pichia.

vegan, vegetarian, gluten free , non-GMO, reusable