Hello,
I was wondering if anyone makes their own Kombucha tea, and if so, how to do this? I've read a lot about the benefits of Kombucha and would like to make my own (the live cultures being a plus, as well!). Any information would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/26/2009 04:06AM by light dreamer.

Light dreamer,
I would love to help you! ***Caution*** The process of making Kombucha involves using heat. I do not want to violate the terms of the board. I can PM you my experiences if you want.

Thanks
newhoove

Oh, dear--it requires heat? I didn't know! I wonder if there's a way to make it cold...I've done fermentation in biology laboratory before and all that required was centrifugation, not heat. Hmm...I'll have to research raw methods! But yes, if you could please PM with your experiences, it would be wonderful! Then maybe I can try to research some alternative raw methods. I'll post them here if I find any, for sure! There must be a way to brew it cold!

Light dreamer,
I sent you a PM! You could make sun tea instead of boiling the tea. I would be extra careful about cleaning your container though before preparing to make the sun tea. I would hate to see other harmful creatures feeding off the sugar while fermenting the tea!

If you find any raw ways to make kombucha let me know too!

Good luck!

P.S. I really enjoy the quote in your first message. Its very powerful.

"By sustained effort, earnestness, discipline, and self-control, let the wise man make for himself an island, which no flood overwhelms."--The Buddha, Dhammapada Verse 25

Kombucha is about personal stance on the issue of raw. There are mainly two camps in the living foods community - one that says it is NOT living and one that says it certainly is. I am of the "it is" camp, personally.

Actually, GT Dave's -and many other brands- have "Organic, RAW" on their labels in the name of their product.

BUT, that being said, if you are opposed to heat being used to steep the tea for the original food for the SCOBY, then you could not incorporate it, at least not in the conventional way of preparing. I do believe it could be made with tea steeped at temperatures within an acceptable "living foods temperature range" but have never done so - I boil the water and just go from there. I am still quite content that the resultant beverage AFTER fermentation IS living. The living SCOBY is what makes the beneficial conversions and produces the wonderful probiotic benefits of this beverage.

And it is SO much fun to make!!!