I’ve been planning on homebrewing kombucha again. Mainly because kefir (though more probiotic in nature) would mean drinking way more milk then my system could handle, and Kombucha has just that right blend of beneficial acids, carbonation and low alcohol that keeps my digestive system happy. My end goal is to one day brew beer or mead, but it’s too complicated a setup for a newbie like me. Not to mention the extended brewing time and higher cost of equipment and ingredients.
I find the process of fermentation absolutely fascinating. Like a mad cross between science experiment and culinary art form. This is especially true when it comes to Kombucha, since you’re pretty much brewing with a squid alien:
This is a SCOBY, which stands for “Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast”. For the curious, It’s actually not too dissimilar from a mother of vinegar. This is essentially the “beehive” of the bacteria and yeast and mostly made from cellulose.
Kefir cultures look like large, spongy curds of cottage cheese, while beer/wine/mead yeast looks like what you’d use for baking.
A note on kombucha: while I’m over the moon about it, my mother doesn’t like it at all. I would say it reminds me of black tea married to a hard cider (less sweet, more tang.) I enjoy most fermented foods/drinks, so I guess that’s to my favor. My favorite store bought kombucha flavors also have an added yeasty quality that reminds me of beer.
For those curious about giving it a go, GT’s Kombucha “original” and “ginger” are my favorites, but their “Mystic Mango” is nice and lite for a newbie.
jbbartram-illu
germansingergirl
jacobvanloon
stormborns
tangentwithtanner
