Milk Kefir Part 2 - Separating the Grains, Cream, & Some of the Whey

Milk Kefir Part 1 - Starting a New Batch

The Ugly Truth about the Amazing Drinks - Kombucha

If you've tried homemade kombucha and fell in love with it, or read/heard about all the health benefits, you might be ready to start your own brew.  

It is a wonderful thing: much cheaper than almost any store-bought drink, be it soda, flavored water, juice, or pre-made kombucha and more health benefits that any other drink that I know of.

But as we know, sometimes the magic behind the curtain is not nearly as attractive as the finished product.  This is certainly one of those cases.

I mentioned in a previous post my difficulty in dealing with the wonderful SCOBY that makes the delicious and healthy drink possible.

I'm going to share with you some of photos of my healthy SCOBY in order to prepare you.  Again, this is a healthy SCOBY.  Remind yourself that it is similar to making beer and just jump into making it.  The squeamishness about it goes away very quickly.

The first photo is of a SCOBY sitting in starter liquid while I prepare a fresh batch of tea.

Healthy SCOBY

Obtaining a SCOBY & Making Your First Batch

The first step to making great Kombucha is getting a SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast).  If you are really lucky, you have a friend already brewing.  If not, I suggest that you order from a reputable supplier.  Here is a link to a great starter SCOBY:

Kombucha Kamp Genuine KOMBUCHA CULTURE (1 Lrg SCOBY + 1 Cup Strong STARTER LIQUID - Makes 1 Gallon)

As soon as you receive your SCOBY, check it to make sure that it is sealed tight and the starter fluid is all around it.  If it looks like it made the trip safely, it is time to sterilize your equipment (which we will cover in another post) and to consider the liquid you will use for your brew.  We will cover several ideas, but today we will start with the most basic.
A Black Tea Brew

Fermenting Equipment

Supplies, supplies, supplies!

Even before you order/get your SCOBY, you need to have the right supplies on hand. 

To get a good idea of what to expect of your SCOBY if you have not worked with one before, read this post.
To read about my first experience with my SCOBY's, click here.
Once you have your supplies and are ready to brew and ferment your first batch of kombucha, click here.
For your first batch of Milk Kefir, click here.

 - Very Important -

NO METAL SHOULD BE USED NEAR YOUR SCOBY!  I honestly, can not explain the science behind this statement, but all the fermenting gurus are quite emphatic about it.  I trusting them on this and passing it along to you.

Also, do not wash any of the equipment, bottles, or your hands with soap right before caring for your SCOBY.  We are working with bacteria and yeast.  Soap could harm them.  Instead clean with very hot water and a scrub brush dedicated to cleaning fermented beverages/foods equipment, then rinse everything (including the scrub brush) with vinegar.  Rinse your hands with vinegar, as well, especially before handling the SCOBY.

Click the Read More below to see my list of essential equipment.

So, you want to home brew? Here's my first experience with it.

Kombucha and kefirs are old, old, drinks that are becoming increasingly popular in Western culture as people learn about the many health benefits of eating and drinking cultured foods.  (more about the history of the drinks in a future post)

Before I started brewing my own, we bought cases of milk kefir from Costco because I knew the probiotics were so good for our digestion.  Unfortunately, the sugar content is higher than the value of probiotics.  I had no idea how sugary sweet the commercial products were until I started making my own.  I now drink one large glass, the equivalent of one travel bottle of kefir a day (OK, maybe two sometimes, I really enjoy it.) and it only costs me the price of the milk.  Huge cost savings, plus the amount of probiotics in homemade vs store-bought can't even be compared.  The probiotic levels in homemade kefir greatly out-number store-bought.  The longer you allow the kefir to brew, the higher the probiotic level.

As far as Kombucha, I had never even tried it!  I had one friend that is a firm believer in the health benefits and she twisted my arm until I gave in.  The first SCOBY she sent home with me sat on our kitchen counter for 2 months while I tried to work up the courage to handle that slimy pancake and drink something that was its by-product.  I eventually gave-up and threw it away.  I cringe at the thought of throwing it away now, but I just could not do deal that slimy, jellyfish looking, thing.

Three months later, after researching extensively the safety and health benefits, I decided to take the plunge.