Kombucha

Kombucha is one of the only drinks that I enjoy. Here's a list of reasons I like it:

• It's fizzy
• It comes in a wide variety of flavours
• It feels more hydrating than soft drinks to me

A lot of the Internet push it as a health drink. I don't care about this aspect enough to investigate.

Note that the hydrating feeling is just a feeling. Usually when drinking soda or coffee I need water nearby to somehow balance a feeling I identify as dehydration. It could be that I'm responding to sugars or some other taste. Regardless I don't need that with kombucha, and that's a benefit.

First fermentation

Tools:

• Large jar for brewing
• Cloth to cover the jar
• Elastic bands to hold the cloth in place
• Large containers for holding water
• 1L container for starter liquid
• Metric measuring cups
• Water filter
• Wooden spoon
• Stove
• Pot for boiling

Ingredients (for a 4L batch):

• 800mL starter kombucha liquid (20% of the batch)
• 3.2L water (80% of the batch)
• 200g raw sugar (50g per litre)
• 16g black tea bags (4g per litre) (I use 8 Lipton black tea bags)

Instructions:

1. Wash the brewing jar using hot water and a cloth, no detergent or vinegar
2. Refrigerate and filter 2.6L (82% of the batch) filtered water
3. Boil 576mL (18% of the batch) water on the stove
4. Put the tea in the water
5. Close the lid on the pot and let it brew for 10 minutes
6. Add the sugar to the tea
7. Stir tea with wooden spoon until the sugar is dissolved
8. Pour chilled water in to the large jar
9. Pour tea in to large jar
10. Wait 5 minutes for the tea to cool
11. Pour starter liquid in to the jar
12. Cover the jar with cloth and elastic bands

Exact measurements don't matter that much, just approximate.

Second fermentation

Tools:

• TODO

Ingredients:

• 4L

Instructions:

• TODO