Page 71 - Fall2012

extracts. Common extracts include vanilla, it’s no surprise that the two sometimes overlap. When
almond, lemon and orange. To flavor kombucha When alterative and tonic herbs are included in alterative and
with an extract, brew and ferment according to your kombucha, they can become simple, health-
the basic recipe. Then, when bottling, for each promoting additions to your everyday routine. It’s tonic herbs
cup of finished kombucha add 1/8 teaspoon of especially rewarding to include herbs that you’ve are
your chosen extract. Place a sheet of waxed gathered or grown yourself. included in
paper under the lid, cap the bottles tightly, and My favorite medicinal herbs to include in
store them in the refrigerator. The flavor will be kombucha are calendula, chrysanthemum, dan- your

stable for up to one week. delion greens, ginger, jasmine, lemon verbena, kombucha,
Add grated, fresh ginger and raw honey for nettle, mint, red clover, sassafras bark, St. John’s they can
a sweet and spicy infused kombucha. To make wort, white tea and yarrow. Many of these herbs
ginger-honey kombucha, brew and ferment until have been used in fermentation historically and become
the tea tastes "finished" (pleasantly tart). When traditionally; think of yarrow ale, ginger ale and simple,
bottling, for each cup of kombucha combine root beer (made with sassafras bark). health-
in a small bowl 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly-grated Before making herbal kombucha set aside
ginger root, 1 1/2 teaspoons raw honey, and an additional kombucha culture (also known as promoting
1 1/2 teaspoons filtered water. Use a fork to stir a mother, SCOBY, or mushroom). This set-aside additions to
the mixture until evenly mixed. Then, strain and SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast) your everyday
funnel the mixture into a bottle with a tightly must never come in contact with the herbal brew.
fitting lid. Fill with kombucha, place a sheet of The properties and compounds in the herbs may routine.
waxed paper under the lid, and cap tightly. Store affect the balance of bacteria and yeast on the
in the refrigerator. The taste will be stable for up culture and impact the integrity of future batches.
to one week. To make herbal kombucha, first reduce the
amount of tea used by one-half. If you are using
A PHARMACY OF HERBAL ALLIES dried leafy herbs and/or dried flowers, add 2-5
Both herbalism and fermentation appeal to times as much herbs as tea. Intensely flavored,
health-conscious, do-it-yourself personalities, so finely-grated, dried barks and roots can be added

BOTTLING TIPS

Bottling kombucha makes the brew portable and can increase the carbonation. Follow these tips to ensure that your
bottled kombucha stays tightly closed, doesn’t corrode your lids, and has carbonation without exploding!

1. Use a jar with a tightly fitting lid. I recommend using regular-mouth mason jars, glass mineral-water bottles and twist top
kombucha bottles (save, wash and re-use them). All are inexpensive and ubiquitous. Another option for bottling kombucha
tea is to use bottles with a flip-top lids. Many German brands of beer are sold in bottles that can be washed and re-used.
New flip-top beer bottles can also be purchased at most kitchen supply and brewery supply stores.

2. Use a funnel to fill the jars or bottles. Kombucha can safely come into brief contact with high-quality stainless steel and
food-grade plastic. Look for Norpro brand stainless steel funnels. Their funnel and strainer combination really simplifies
kombucha bottling!

3. Fill the jars or bottles to the top, leaving only about 1/4 inch of headspace. Fill the jars to help create an oxygen-deprived
environment where carbonation-producing yeasts can multiply (when the jar is tightly capped). This also prevents the
buildup of a large amount of gas under the cap. When the air space is small, there is much less chance of violent explo-
sions resulting from pressure built-up under the cap.

4. Use a sheet of waxed paper under the lid. Kombucha is acidic and over time it will corrode metal lids. The waxed
paper will protect the lid so that it can be reused indefinitely. It also helps to create a leak-proof gasket to trap the drink
and carbonation inside.

5. Cap the bottles or jars tightly to keep the carbonation and the kombucha trapped inside!

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