How to Make Kombucha Tea
Directions to Make Kombucha Tea.
Be careful to keep everything really clean. I make each batch in a half-gallon canning jar, which produces enough for three 16-oz bottles.
Day 1:
Be careful to keep everything really clean. I make each batch in a half-gallon canning jar, which produces enough for three 16-oz bottles.
Day 1:
- Boil a quart of filtered water.
- Add 4 tea bags and let steep for 20 minutes.
- Stir in ¾ cup of sugar and let cool.
- Pour tea into a half-gallon glass canning jar and then fill the jar with cool filtered water.
- Add the SCOBY and ½ cup of kombucha from the last batch as a starter. (You can use store-bought kombucha the first time.)
- Cover jar with a muslin cloth or paper towel and secure it with a rubber band or the canning jar ring.
- Let it sit undisturbed in a dark place for about 5-10 days. The longer it sits, the less sweet it will be. I usually let it sit for 9 full days.
- Remove the SCOBY from the jar, and place it on a plate.
- Reserve a half cup of kombucha to start the next batch.
- Use a funnel and pour the kombucha into bottles or jars with lids. I use glass swing-top bottles with rubber gaskets. (I bought them from a homebrew store that sells equipment for making wine and beer.) A batch this size fills three 16-oz bottles.
- Add flavoring if you like. Since we like grape flavor, I add a little less than ¼ cup grape juice to each 16-oz bottle.
- Let the bottles sit at room temperature for 5 days. This improves the flavor and adds carbonation. (Make sure your bottles have tight-fitting lids to hold the carbonation.)
- After waiting 5 days for the bottles to sit on the shelf and improve carbonation, transfer the bottles to the refrigerator. They’re ready to drink!
***http://smallnotebook.org/2009/07/27/how-to-make-kombucha-tea/
How to make Kefir
Kefir, how do you make it?It is quite simple and a lot of fun. You can make kefir with a variety of milks, dairy and non-dairy.
There are two ways to make kefir.One way is with kefir grains that will reproduce and last a lifetime (if you don’t kill them with heat or starve them by not feeding them.) Or you can purchase kefir culture packages.
The culture packages is the method I used when I first started making kefir. I call this method “Kefir for Beginners.” It’s really easy, you can make as much as you want, and it doesn’t require you to make kefir every day. It comes in a powder form, and you basically just add milk and you’re done. Six packages can make up to 42 gallons of kefir. So if you’re struggling or feel overwhelmed, this is a great place to start.
Here’s my How to Make Kefir video from my DVD “The Trilogy”
Kefir Grains is the method I use now. It’s a little bit more involved, but it’s still really easy. You have to keep your grains fed and happy, but in return they will make you delicious kefir! The kefir made from grains is actually a lot stronger than kefir made from the powder packages. The powder packages have ten good bacteria, and I mean really good ones. However kefir made from kefir grains has over fifty!
When I switched to grains, I saw a big difference and never went back. I really love my kefir grains, almostas much as I love my children. If you take care of your kefir grains and love them half as much as I do, they will make you wonderful kefir for the rest of your life!
You will need to either find or purchase kefir grains. Donna’s Live Kefir Grains – My personal grains!
Toronto Advisors – An international sharing community!
Ok, let’s make some kefir!Here’s the methods for making kefir:
How to make milk kefir using live kefir grains
How to make milk kefir using Easy Kefir Powder PacketsSecond Ferment Your KefirOnce you get the hang of making kefir, I encourage you to start second fermenting it. Not only does second fermenting increase the nutrients in your kefir, it also make it taste a LOT better! I always second ferment my kefir. It’s not hard and I encourage you to try it and see the difference!
Click to learn moreStore your kefir while on vacationIf you are unable to make kefir with your live grains for a short period of time and would like to store it, place your grains in at least 2 cups of milk, remembering that if you have 1 Tbsp of grains to 1 cup of milk rule and adding a little more. I like to store mine in at least 3 cups of milk making sure that they have plenty of food to eat. Then you place this in the refrigerator. This will last for one week and then if you want to do it longer drain the milk and add new milk after 1 week. If you are going to be gone longer than a week double the milk you would add. Your grains eat the lactose (milk sugar) out of the milk and you want to be sure they have plenty to eat so they won’t die.
It is a living colony and needs food just as you do!
There are two ways to make kefir.One way is with kefir grains that will reproduce and last a lifetime (if you don’t kill them with heat or starve them by not feeding them.) Or you can purchase kefir culture packages.
The culture packages is the method I used when I first started making kefir. I call this method “Kefir for Beginners.” It’s really easy, you can make as much as you want, and it doesn’t require you to make kefir every day. It comes in a powder form, and you basically just add milk and you’re done. Six packages can make up to 42 gallons of kefir. So if you’re struggling or feel overwhelmed, this is a great place to start.
Here’s my How to Make Kefir video from my DVD “The Trilogy”
Kefir Grains is the method I use now. It’s a little bit more involved, but it’s still really easy. You have to keep your grains fed and happy, but in return they will make you delicious kefir! The kefir made from grains is actually a lot stronger than kefir made from the powder packages. The powder packages have ten good bacteria, and I mean really good ones. However kefir made from kefir grains has over fifty!
When I switched to grains, I saw a big difference and never went back. I really love my kefir grains, almostas much as I love my children. If you take care of your kefir grains and love them half as much as I do, they will make you wonderful kefir for the rest of your life!
You will need to either find or purchase kefir grains. Donna’s Live Kefir Grains – My personal grains!
Toronto Advisors – An international sharing community!
Ok, let’s make some kefir!Here’s the methods for making kefir:
How to make milk kefir using live kefir grains
How to make milk kefir using Easy Kefir Powder PacketsSecond Ferment Your KefirOnce you get the hang of making kefir, I encourage you to start second fermenting it. Not only does second fermenting increase the nutrients in your kefir, it also make it taste a LOT better! I always second ferment my kefir. It’s not hard and I encourage you to try it and see the difference!
Click to learn moreStore your kefir while on vacationIf you are unable to make kefir with your live grains for a short period of time and would like to store it, place your grains in at least 2 cups of milk, remembering that if you have 1 Tbsp of grains to 1 cup of milk rule and adding a little more. I like to store mine in at least 3 cups of milk making sure that they have plenty of food to eat. Then you place this in the refrigerator. This will last for one week and then if you want to do it longer drain the milk and add new milk after 1 week. If you are going to be gone longer than a week double the milk you would add. Your grains eat the lactose (milk sugar) out of the milk and you want to be sure they have plenty to eat so they won’t die.
It is a living colony and needs food just as you do!
