Our Kombucha SCOBYS are grown in our miniature SCOBY farm, in jasmine green tea which is their favourite, and lovingly ignored until they form nice shiny discs of cellulose. Occasionally, you’ll receive a more raggedy piece, which will be a part of the “mothership” - the SCOBY that generates all of the others; it mightn’t be as beautiful but will be every bit as functional. I am secretly quite proud of the delicious kombucha my SCOBYs make - even though that’s down to the particular composition of microbes they contain, not me personally!
For thousands of years, kombucha SCOBYs have been passed between families friends and generations. Gradually, robust scientific evidence showing that it is more than a gimmick is emerging; glucuronic, gluconic and acetic acids all have physiological effects, and there is also growing interest in the potentially probiotic nature of some of the microbes.
There is little doubt that making your own kombucha will enable you to make the very best, both for your health, for flavour, and in terms of sustainability it’s a no brainier - no bought containers to contend with; just sugar, tea and water.
Kombucha develops through a two part microbial process: firstly, yeasts convert sugars in the sweetened tea into alcohol and carbon dioxide. The alcohol is subsequently converted to acetic acid by Acetic Acid Bacteria. If it becomes too acidic, it can still be used - either in cooking, dressings, sauces etc, or can be diluted with sparkling or still water and consumed as a lower-sugar version of itself ( most home brewed kombucha will contain about 2.5-3g of sugar per 100 ml).
Kombucha is delicious and endlessly versatile. It can be made in continuous culture in a vessel with a tap, or as a single batch. It can be flavoured with literally anything, and left at room temperature to build carbonation if desired.
All you will need is some tea tea ( black, green, oolong, puer, white - anything that is made from Camellia Sinensis), water, sugar, a strainer and a glass vessel of at least 2 L capacity.
As with anything you buy from me, you’ll get not only detailed instructions, but a hot-line to me if you have any questions or require further information.
KIT CONTAINS: SCOBY; 300ml acidic starter tea ( enough for an initial 1L batch of kombucha; thereafter 2 or 3L.); /Paper towel cover, rubber band, instructions.