Organic Breakfast Tea Kombucha Recipe
Sometimes little things make a big difference. So is the case with introducing a SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony Of Bacteria & Yeast) to sweetened, unflavored black or green tea. The microbes consume the sugar and other compounds, transforming the tea in a process known as fermentation into kombucha, a lightly fizzy, tart drink.
Kombucha is believed to have probiotic properties, as the bacteria and yeast responsible for the fermentation remain present in the beverage when you drink it, and contribute to your gut flora. While it might not be a cure-all, it is refreshing.
The most basic form of kombucha is produced with just one round of fermentation, known as a primary ferment. Once this fermentation takes place, a secondary fermentation can be done with additional ingredients like fruit, juice, or herbal tisanes to increase effervescence and add flavor.
SCOBY cultures can be purchased online—or even found for free through neighborhood share groups. Alternatively, many commercially available unflavored kombuchas can be used to start up a culture.
Organic Breakfast Tea Kombucha
Primary ferment
Ingredients:
- 32 oz. 200°F water
- 10g Mighty Leaf Organic Breakfast tea
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 SCOBY
- 1-2 cups kombucha starter (plain kombucha from a previous batch)
Make it:
- Steep tea in hot water for 10 minutes.
- Strain tea and transfer to a one gallon jar.
- Stir in white sugar until dissolved.
- Add cold filtered water to the jar to the halfway point and add SCOBY and kombucha starter.
- Top off with more cold, filtered water.
- Cover with cheesecloth and store in a warm, dark place for 1-2 weeks.