KOMBUCHA

Equipment:

Large Mason Jar with spicket

Funnel

Small measure cup

5 Groelsch bottles (amber or clear, w/Bale handle)

Ingredients:

8 Black Tea bags

1 cup Demerara sugar

Black Cherry or Pomegranate Concentrate

Tangerine Oil (optional)

Getting Started:

1. Start with a fermenting scobi that you have gotten from a friend or purchased locally from a nature food store. Clean the large Mason Jar and rinse out well.  Add 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar.

2. Fill two quart Mason jars with hot water.  Add 1 cup Demerara sugar to one jar.  Shake to mix. Add 8 Black Tea bags to the other jar.  (You may use any type of tea that you prefer.  Tea that has caffeine might not be the right choice for you.)  Cover both jars. Put aside while the Black Tea steeps and the water cools to room temperature.

1^st Fermentation:

3. When the tea and sugar mixtures have cooled to room temp, fill the large Mason Jar with the Black Tea and sugar water. Continue to fill the jar almost to the top with room temperature water.

Place the scobi in the jar and fill to the bottom of the jar mouth with water.  Cover the jar with a coffee filter, secured with a rubber band.  (Or you may use a fermenting top.)

Cover the large Mason jar (with scobi) with a towel, or place in a cool dark cupboard.  The scobi should increase in size over the course of a few days, depending on how warm the room is.

2^nd Fermentation:

4. After 2-3 days, taste the fermenting liquid. It should be mildly flavored, not sweet and not vinegary.  Don’t wait too long to taste it, as it may turn to vinegar quickly if the room is very warm.

Once the liquid has a pleasant taste, wash the Groelsch bottles with hot soapy water and rinse out well.  Add 1.5 oz Pomegranate or Black Cherry concentrate to each bottle.  Add 8 drops of Tangerine Oil to each bottle (optional).  Continue to fill each bottle with kombucha from the fermenting jar.   Use 5  16 oz. bottles.  Cap as you fill each one.

5. Store in a dark, dry place for 3 days. (It may be less in the summer.)  Then refrigerate. Strain the kombucha before drinking, as each bottle will begin to grow its own scobi. Enjoy!

Replenishing the 1^st Fermentation

6. Once you have the process going, you will want to repeat step 2 before you fill the bottles for the 2^nd fermentation.  Be sure that the contents of the two Mason jars (Black Tea and the Sugar) has cooled to room temp before replacing the liquid in the fermenting jar. Once you have replaced the 1^st Fermentation,  cover the jar or return it to a dark storage space.  Repeat the process, starting with Step 4.