HOW TO MAKE KOMBUCHA TEA

A Wonderful Tonic & Natural “Soda Pop”

Ingredients:

· Kombucha mushrooms (can be purchased online by googling “buy Kombucha  mushroom.”)

· ¾ – 1 cup white sugar

· 5 tea bags of conventional tea ( such as Lipton)

· Boil 3 quarts of water

· Add ¾ cups of sugar (once the mushroom works on the white sugar it transforms it to good food, including lactic acid and a potent detoxifying substance called glucuronic acid). Don’t use maple syrup or whole sugar, since it’s difficult to insure consistency. More sugar may be used for added sweetness

· Simmer for 5 minutes or less to dissolve the sugar

· Remove from heat & add 5 tea bags (remove paper labels first)

· Remove tea bags after 10 minutes

· Allow the tea to cool to room temperature

· Pour the room temperature tea into a 4 quart glass or plastic container such as a bowl. This allows the mushroom lots of room to grow. The mouth of the bowl should be as great, or greater than the depth of the tea.

Kombucha mushrooms are alive so certain conditions need to be followed

· Gently place the mushroom into the room temperature tea with your fingers. Sometimes it sinks sometimes not. It will right itself within a few days.

· Do not use any metal on or around the mushroom; for example, metal tongs. Even a small contact can cause trouble for the mushroom.

· Cover the bowl with cheese cloth or a cotton or linen dish towel. Secure with clothes pins and place in undisturbed rather comfortable warm room for example the laundry room.

· Place the date you made tea, stated on a note card on top of the cloth and the date you expect it to be completed. (Usually one week or more) if it is summer it often ferments before that time. If you want it less sweet, keep it covered longer. It should be fizzy a bit, sweet and sour and have no taste of tea.

· To taste it don’t use a metal dipper, use a coffee cup, ect. that has no metal on it.

· After the Kombucha is completed a week (sometimes less, sometimes more) remove the mushroom. Look on the underside of it and you’ll find a second mushroom attached to the bottom. Pull it apart from the “mother” and make two batches next time or pass on to a friend. The same mushroom can be used again and again.

· Refrigerate the tea in a capped glass pitcher. The mushroom can also be refrigerated in a class bowl and kept for several months. Kombucha beverage will lose its effervescence within one week.

· Four ounces is usually best amount to drink daily. (Your body would have told you this because of its powerful flavor and sensation). For a child ½ that amount is advisable. It is a good idea to work up to four ounces slowly over a period of 1-2 weeks.

· For animals dilute 50% with water

· Most people with yeast allergies tolerate Kombucha but it is best to start with a very small amount first, then build.

· An excellent variation (especially to aid in digestion) is to add 1-cup freshly peeled ginger, coarsely chopped to brewing Kombucha. Serve in a delicate stemmed liqueur glass to honor your work

· Enjoy!