Kombucha Starter Kit

Everything you need to get started but the jar! Refreshing, healthy, versatile- the premiere probiotic beverage. Easy to make at home (and a whole lot cheaper too).

Kombucha SCOBY is shipped live.

Kit includes:

• live Kombucha starter (SCOBY)
• organic sugar & black tea for first batch
• plastic strainer
• reusable jar cover & elastic band
• instructions & recipes

You will need:

• one quart canning jar or other glass jar
• reusable jar cover and elastic band to secure cover (included with kit)
• 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 in the pouch with the SCOBY- don't throw it away!)

Directions:

1. Heat water to nearly boiling. Pour water into jar. Sprinkle in the sugar and stir 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 jar cover or coffee filter & secure with rubber band. Do not use an airtight lid- your kombucha needs to breathe, but you need 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. In 7-10 days, you should start to see another SCOBY begin to form on the surface of the liquid. It will become thicker each day, if not disturbed (the thicker you allow it get, the more bacteria there will be, allowing you to make a larger batch next time if you choose). 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, if you've got a new thicker SCOBY, 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.
5. 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 below for a Second Fermentation.

Second Fermentation Instructions:

So you've made Kombucha or Water Kefir. Now what? Of course, you can drink it as is, but you can make it even more delicious with a second fermentation!

Be sure to remove your grains or SCOBY and start them in a fresh batch of sugared water or tea. The finished product is what you're going to flavor. Fresh fruit or juice are most commonly used. Be sure to wash your fruit well, and organic is always preferable. You don't want any pesticides or residue adding to the mix.

Basically what you're doing is adding additional sugar from the fruit or juice, which causes fermentation to start up again.

Cut your fruit into chunks or slices. More surface area will help the flavor infuse faster. If using blueberries, crush them a bit first to crack the outer skin.

Use 1 to 2 cups of fruit, depending on the flavor level you'd like.

If using juice, add a cup or more of juice. The more juice you add, the less you will taste the Kombucha or Water Kefir. This can be to your taste, depending on how tart or sweet you want your finished product to be.

Add the fruit or juice, then seal tight with a canning lid or other airtight lid. This will allow the carbon dioxide gases to build up as the fermentation begins again, creating more bubbles. Be sure to allow a couple of inches head space, this will reduce the chances of a volcanic eruption, as pressure will build up a bit.

Place the jar on your counter for another 2 days, at about 68° - 78° F. Keep an eye on it - if you see the lid start to bulge, unscrew it to release some of the pressure, then reseal. On the rare occasion, if left too long or the temperature is high, carbonation can build up too much & become mildly explosive. You can drape a kitchen towel over the top of the jar for extra insurance.

After a couple of days, your delicious elixir will be ready. Be careful when you open the finished product, it can become very fizzy, like soda pop. Store in the refrigerator to stop the fermentation process.

Enjoy as is, or you can also mix with alcohol for a not-so-guilty cocktail!

Flavoring Ideas:
strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries (or a mix)
citrus slices
ginger slices
pineapple chunks or slices
mango
peaches, nectarines, apricots
grape juice
pineapple juice
raw jalapeno slices
herbs- basil, thyme, lavender

The possibilities are endless, only limited by your imagination!

Ingredients:

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