Kombucha anyone?

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Carolla

Carolla

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My neighbour makes Kombucha - and I tried some this week - very tasty! It's "fermented tea" - basically, brew some tea (black, white, green), sweeten it with quite a lot of sugar (1 cup/gallon) let it cool. Put it into a jar (make sure glass is lead-free). Add a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast - sounds disgusting - looks like a slippery pancake) to the jar. Cover the top with a teatowel or cheescloth, or permeable paper (like a coffee filter) & store in a warm dark place to let it ferment. When ready - (at least 5 days I think I read) - transfer to smaller bottles & start brewing again :-)

Anybody tried it? Anybody make it? I think I will give it a whirl - have to get the stuff together on the weekend.
 
I've tried some that was from a store. From what I've heard of the homemade stuff you can never be certain if it's safe.
 
That's true ChemGal. There's a potential risk with any food product - made at home or elsewhere. There's lots of debate about that point on-line. We do eat many fermented products - like pickles, saurkraut, yogurt, beer ... often home-made. In one article I read, they commented that Kombucha has been made for eons, often in places with far less sanitation than we have in North America, without huge consequences. I think it's likely one could tell if the flavour or smell was off. I've had kombucha from our local market - it was tasty, but I actually like my neighbour's better.
 
Carolla said:
That's true ChemGal. There's a potential risk with any food product - made at home or elsewhere. There's lots of debate about that point on-line. We do eat many fermented products - like pickles, saurkraut, yogurt, beer ... often home-made. In one article I read, they commented that Kombucha has been made for eons, often in places with far less sanitation than we have in North America, without huge consequences. I think it's likely one could tell if the flavour or smell was off. I've had kombucha from our local market - it was tasty, but I actually like my neighbour's better.
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From what I've read the risk is higher than what it is for something like homemade pickles. I haven't looked into it in great detail though.
 
I don't relish the thought of concocting my own slime beverage to down. If I really wanted a beverage with bacteria swimming around in it, I'd just buy one of the many commercial yogurt drinks available at my local grocery shoppe.
 
Pr. Jae said:
It is. No slippery bacteria pancake required.
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Right, but her point is that fermentation necessary requires bacterial action of some form, even if it does not contain a "bacteria pancake". So kimchi (damn, now this is making me hungry) has bacteria in it unless it is cooked in some way at some point to kill them.
 
Mendalla said:
Right, but her point is that fermentation necessary requires bacterial action of some form, even if it does not contain a "bacteria pancake". So kimchi (damn, now this is making me hungry) has bacteria in it unless it is cooked in some way at some point to kill them.
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Okay. So your and her point would be...? All I was saying is I imagine that food preparation using a slimy bacteria disk would be rather repugnant. Nothing wrong with that, unless the bacteria are offended. In which case, my apologies to the slimy bacteria.
 
It is an odd thing to us North Americans - that SCOBY. With our penchant for "anti-bacterial" everything ... People in other parts of the world eat and drink quite differently.
 
So how did it turn out?? I confess, I was curious at first and could drop by for a taste, but I hear your road is all torn up - no place to park. Darn. Maybe I'll have to take a pass. (Slimy pancake ewwwwwww)

haha- I could be brave.
 
:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO: Birthstone! It sure smells like it's fermenting well! I haven't tasted it yet - will get to that tomorrow evening ... stay tuned!
 
Mmm ... well, it looks okay - as far as I know! I'm going to ask my neighbour to come give it a peek - she's the one who gave me the SCOBY. It smells pretty good. And I took a small taste - I like it! Once it gets the stamp of approval from 'the experienced one' - I will bottle it up & start enjoying.
 
Well, yogurt is full of bacteria - and there are yogurt drinks. But...I am used to consuming yogurt...since I was young, way before I ever knew what it is or how it is made. So, the kombacha thing...maaaybee not for me. there are lots of other good drinks to choose from. I don't feel I have run out of options.
 
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