This year I discovered the glory of brewing kombucha from home. It is significantly cheaper, and best part is I can make any flavor I want.

Kombucha is tea that is fermented for one to two weeks by creating an optimal environment for a SCOBY or symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast. Kombucha is full of probiotics and antioxidants which help your gut fight off nasty harmful bacteria and keeps everything moving smoothly.

The kombucha goes through two fermentation processes, the first ranging anywhere from 5-10 days and the second from 2-4 days. The time it takes depends on a couple factors: the maturity of the mother pellicle and how carbonated you want your end product. (Pellicle: A gelatinous, cellulose-based biofilm which forms at the air-liquid interface).  The fun part of the brewing process begins when the second fermentation starts; that is when it is time to add a new sugar source for the yeast to feed off. I’ve been experimenting with fruits to feed the SCOBY during the second fermentation. Here is what the bottle looks like before I add the active culture to its food to start the second fermentation process.

I have been calling this flavor “red berry,” because it only contains pureed red berries. SHOCKING. I know.

Whole fruits don’t work as well, I have found; the flavors don’t come out as prominent as when I puree them. Here you can see how the strawberry and blueberry chunks sit at the bottom of the bottles and the liquid is still fairly transparent.