This post is created in partnership with Stemilt. Stemilt is a family-owned and operated fruit grower here in Washington State, dedicated to sustainability and social responsibility. Thanks for supporting the brands that keep the Flourishing Foodie delicious, and as always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
If you’ve been interested in making kombucha and don’t know where to begin, this guide will teach you everything you need to know about making the bubbly beverage at home. I’ve shared a recipe for my favorite apple cinnamon spiced kombucha using sweet Stemilt Honeycrisp apples for flavor. It’s the perfect refreshing drink!
What is Kombucha?
Kombucha or ‘booch’ is a carbonated beverage made by fermenting black or green tea and sugar with bacteria and yeast. It is sweet, slightly sour, and bubbly. It is the perfect drink for those look for an alternative to alcoholic beverages or those who just enjoy a bubbly beverage!
What is a SCOBY?
A SCOBY is a Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast. Meaning that the bacteria and yeast live together in a complex environment supporting and depending on each other. It is the most important part of brewing kombucha. In appearance, it is a thick pancake-size disc-shaped gelatinous structure. You can either purchase a SCOBY from a reputable manufacturer (this is my favorite SCOBY starter) or you can make your own at home. Once you’ve created a healthy SCOBY, it can be used for multiple kombucha batches. Your SCOBY will begin to create new cultures and multiply into new SCOBY’s over time. In order to survive and create new cultures, a SCOBY needs food in the form of sugar and nutrients found in the tea.
Why brew Kombucha at home?
The main reason to brew kombucha at home is because it’s fun! I love watching the SCOBY ferment the tea and sugar and grow a new healthy SCOBY over time. Taking care of your SCOBY is similar to taking care of a plant. You have to feed it and water it and make sure it has the right growing conditions. Being able to adjust and tweak the flavor by letting your kombucha brew longer or shorter and allowing you to narrow in on the perfect taste is also is an advantage. There is something so satisfying about being able to enjoy something that you put time and effort into making. Also, once you’ve bought your initial materials, brewing kombucha at home is much cheaper than buying kombucha in single-use containers.
Click here for the recipe.
