How Do You Make Homemade Kombucha?
Kombucha is a probiotic drink that proponents say offers health benefits such as improved digestion and energy. You can make your own kombucha by fermenting tea and sugar along with a special culture known as a “mushroom” or “scoby”–which stands for “symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast.” You can buy kombucha cultures in health food stores or online. Wash your hands and all utensils and containers in hot water and soap. Rinse well. Bring water to a rolling boil in a large pot and add sugar. Boil water and sugar for about 5 minutes. Remove water and sugar from heat and add tea bags. Allow to steep for at least 10 minutes. Make sure the tea has cooled to about room temperature. If the tea is too hot, you will kill the cultures in your scoby. Pour the tea into the wide-mouth glass jar. Add the kombucha scoby and the extra kombucha. Place the scoby with the smooth side facing up. If you do not have a scoby, add the cider vinegar instead. Cover the jar opening with the cloth and fasten
