Although I have recently posted about jun—a lighter sister of kombucha that is also a live, fermented probiotic drink but with a softer taste + milder effect—I still indulge in my regular cup of kombucha. I have been experimenting with it more recently + have delved deeper into increasing its healing effects. I had infused my kombucha with chamomile flowers before and recently have been adding a variety of different herbs—often dried—and savouring its effects. Adding adaptogenic and calming herbs is the ultimate solution to regularise the energy that kombucha provides.
Homemade Kombucha
ingredients
8 cups of pure water
1 kombucha scoby + 1/2 cup of kombucha tea from an already-cultured batch
2 teaspoons loose leaf black tea or 4 bags of organic black tea
1/2 cup of organic raw cane sugar
Herb of your choosing | chamomile, hibiscus, or ginger are some ideas
directions
Boil eight cups of water. Take it off the heat and add in your tea to steep for ten minutes. Then remove the tea + pour it into your container, which should be a large glass jar or jug of some sort. Pour in the honey and let the tea wait until it's cool to the touch. Add in the kombucha scoby along with the 1/2 cup of its tea. Place it away from direct light at room temperature. Some people let it sit for only three days, but that's not sufficient enough time to let it truly ferment. I let it go for a while, but find a medium that works for you—try it at a week's mark and adjust accordingly.
Once it's ready pour into glass bottles or jars. If you want it to be fizzy, leave about three inches of space, + put the lid on to let it wait in room temperature, away from light for 2-3 days. If you'd like it without the fizz, just bottle the tea [leaving 1/2 cup in the jug for future use] then refrigerate.
To make the kombucha with herbs, add in the herb of choice into the bottles of ready kombucha to be infused for the 2-3 days.
