Make Your Own Kombucha & Save $$$

I’m a fan of fermented foods–kombucha, kimchi, pickles, etc. have been in man’s diet for thousands of years, and these days, scientists are starting to learn why those types of food are actually *really* helpful to the digestive system.

Your digestive system, particularly your intestines, require certain “good bacteria” to break down food properly, move food matter through efficiently, etc.

I’m sure many of you have seen the disgusting colon cleanse pictures and videos where people pull absolutely DISGUSTING things out after a cleanse–it seems we may actually be able to prevent that and other problems.

I’m not talking about colon cleansing here–I’m talking about doing it right the first time, by making sure your gut gets the good bacteria it wants!  One of the best ways I have found to do this is to eat fermented foods on a regular basis.  If you do not feel comfortable fermenting on your own, you can buy foods with active cultures, such as: kefir, yogurt, kombucha, kimchi, miso, etc.

Maybe you DO want to ferment your own food/drink?  Here’s an easy method for making your own kombucha.  You will need to start with an actual PURCHASED bottle of kombucha to get the active culture going, but after that, this stuff pretty much regenerates:

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle (16 oz) GT’s raw kombucha (or kombucha you already made, plus the culture of bacteria that usually floats on top)
• 1 c sugar or agave nectar
• 6 tea bags (MUST be actual tea!  Flavored tea is fine, so long as it’s got real black, green or white tea as a base)
• 8 c water

Instructions

• In a large pan on the stove, boil the water, tea, and sugar.
• Let this mixture cool until lukewarm (important–you don’t want to kill the good bacteria in the next step)
• Once thoroughly cooled, pour in the bottle of ready-made kombucha.
• Pour everything into a gallon jar, and cover the top with a breathable cloth such as cheesecloth, and a rubber band.
• Let this ferment at warm room temperature (~72-80 degrees Fahrenheit) for at least 1 week.  The longer you ferment, the stronger the taste will be.
• Taste the kombucha to determine when it should be done.  There really is no magic amount of time, but you’re aiming for something that’s a bit carbonated and MUCH less sweet than what you started out with.
• To stop the fermentation process, just stick it in the fridge.  You may want to do this in individual bottles for easier storage.

I drink kombucha on a near daily basis.  It’s full of great probiotics and is super easy to brew on your own.

If you want to play around with flavor, there are a few fun things you can do:

Add a shot of your favorite fresh juice.  Ginger and lemon come to mind–this is a great combo.  If that’s not your cup of tea (no pun intended lol,) try some apple juice, or something sweeter.

Cut the flavor with fruit.  In a blender, or blend together with some peach slices, strawberries, or other fruit.  Think of the kombucha as the liquid you add to a smoothie!

Try brewing with flavored tea.  Flavored tea varieties that work well alongside the natural taste of kombucha include raspberry, blueberry, or lemon flavors.

Save