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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Oh How I LOVE Kombucha!

I started making my own Kombucha a few months ago, after my husband and I fell in love with it's taste.  However, it was so expensive in stores that it was a once or twice a week treat.  We would buy them for each other as little "I love you's".  That was until a friend of mine offered me one of her "mothers/SCOBY's" and then I was hooked.  I actually have two 2.5 gallon containers and a 1 gallon container going all the time now because we all enjoy drinking it and now we can!  Making Kombucha at home is not only easy but very cost effective, a single 2 gallon batch costs me much less than one little bottle from the health food store (around here they sell for about $3.00).  And being fermented it does wonders for gut health as well as being touted as being high in B vitamins.  My kids ask for it and I am so happy to be able to freely give them something so good for their little (and big) bodies.  
My favorite is to stuff some thawed, mashed frozen blueberries in the bottom of the bottle and then some fresh  ginger, mmm...so refreshing and tasty. Or our other favorite is unsweetened cranberry juice and fresh ginger.  Using juice is very economical and budget friendly since you only use 1/4 cup per bottle.  Another money saver I discovered is buying bottled sparkling juices in the flip top bottles, letting the kids drink the contents and then soaking off the labels and reusing them.  I found the bottles to be much cheaper that way ( and I'm paying for more than a bottle).  I can get really large bottles that way and for around $2.00 a bottle I now have some nice 34 ounce bottles.  
My children also enjoy "helping" me to bottle the Kombucha for the second ferment and look forward impatiently to when they can drink it!

 One of my 2.5 gallon Jars.
 My little one gallon jar.
 Supplies to bottle the Kombucha.
 My little 4 year "helper".
 My helper showing a finished bottle ready for the second ferment.
 Kombucha from one 2.5 gallon and the 1 gallon.
 Blueberry Ginger and Apple Ginger Kombucha.
 Apple Ginger Kombucha ready for the second ferment, so pretty!
Blueberry Ginger Kombucha ready for second ferment.
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2 comments:

  1. TamaraFebruary 2, 2012 at 8:08 AM

    Do you find that the berries in the bottom get too slimy/fermented to drink? I have tried some fruit in my kombucha before but it seems to get too funky.

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  2. Salinger mammaFebruary 2, 2012 at 5:08 PM

    Tamara, I haven't had any problems with them getting slimy, but we strain off the stuff at the very bottom when we drink it. Sometimes we just retrieve the berries and ginger if they pour into our cup. So I guess the answer to your question is no. I only leave mine at room temp for 1-2 days and then let them finish in the refrigerator, that may be why. If you use fresh fruit the recommendation is that they only sit at room temp for 24 hours, maybe try that?

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