Although we all ‘know’ what Kombucha is, do you really know as much as you think do? Sure it is a fizzy tea bottled that you see all over the shelves at health food store–heck they almost have their own cold section aisle to themselves now. But do you know what it actually is?
Kombucha is a fermented tea that is loaded full of good-for-you yeasts and bacteria. Kombucha is a tea but tastes nothing like tea. It has a very familiar taste to that of a Belgian lambic–sour, tart and can be sweet.
Where does the name Kombucha come from?
The name Kombucha is a bit unknown as to where it originated from. The name popped up around 1991 and is similar to the Japanese konbucha. Konbucha is a tea made of seaweed with a similar appearance to that of Kombucha. Although it is a bit unknown as to where it originates specifically, it is from somewhere in Asia and roughly translates to “red tea fungus,” “tea mold” and the like.
What the heck is a SCOBY?
The word SCOBY actually stands for something. I always just thought it was the name of the mother mushroom but it actually stands for Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast. The SCOBY is very important in the kombucha process due to the fact that it breaks down and eats the sugars during the fermentation process. Kombucha must have a SCOBY in order to transform into from tea into kombucha.
Where do I get a SCOBY?
This is kind of like which one came first, the chicken or the egg… you actually have to get your SCOBY from someone else. A friend or a trusted website are best options when trying to obtain your first SCOBY. Once you brew your first batch, your SCOBY will grow and produce more SCOBY that you can actually then give to a friend or keep or another batch.
Kombucha is great for cocktails.
It is a great liquid to use for cocktails instead of adding tons of simply syrups or juices. Adding Kombucha can reduce the amount of sugar in a cocktail, making it a bit healthier than the average cocktail or even mocktails. There are tons of recipes out there, ranging from bloody marys to mimosas! Try adding some fresh fruit to your non-alcoholic kombucha for a burst of flavor or adding it to the fermentation process of your kombucha.
Have you ever tried making your own Kombucha?
