Blueberry Chamomile Kombucha

1

Boil 2 litres of water to a temperature of 180℉ and chill 2 litres of water for use later. Add the hot water to a 4-litre glass jar and steep the green tea in a disposable tea bag in the water for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bag and dispose of it.

2

Add the organic cane sugar to the jar and mix well with a wooden spoon until dissolved. Add the chilled water to the jar and mix well. Allow the mixture to cool to 74℉.

3

Add the starter kombucha and the SCOBY to the jar, gently stirring with a wooden spoon. Cover the jar with cheesecloth or a kitchen towel and secure with an elastic band. Store the jar away from direct sunlight in a space that is close to room temperature or slightly warmer. The colder the room, the longer it will take the kombucha to ferment. Your kombucha is now ready for its first fermentation process. After 6-7 days, use a straw and your finger to suction some of the kombucha out of the jar to taste. If the mixture tastes too sweet for your liking, let it ferment for one or two more days.

4

To flavour your kombucha, you will use your first fermentation to create a second fermentation of your kombucha. In this case we’ll be flavouring the kombucha with blueberries and chamomile tea.

5

Remove the SCOBY from the kombucha. You will notice that a second layer has grown on the SCOBY–this is great! You can separate this layer from the original and store it or give it away. For each SCOBY, retain 2 cups of the kombucha mixture and store this in a jar with the SCOBY in the fridge. Set aside the remaining 3 litres of kombucha.

6

Gather three 1-litre flip-top or resealable jars. Into each jar, use a funnel to add ½ cup of blueberries and 1 ½ tsp of chamomile tea. Then, pour approximately 1 litre of kombucha into each jar, being careful to leave at least 1 inch of space at the top of each bottle. Stir the kombucha with the blueberries and chamomile gently. Seal the bottles tightly and leave them in a warm place out of direct sunlight for 48-72 hours.

7

You may taste the kombucha using the same straw method to see if it fits your taste preference. If it’s too sweet, let it ferment for one more day. When it’s just right, refrigerate it before enjoying. You will notice that the kombucha is naturally effervescent.

8

When you’re ready to drink the kombucha, use a small strainer to strain the kombucha into a glass. This will help to remove any strains of yeast as well as the blueberries and chamomile tea. You may strain the whole batch into new bottle to remove all of the blueberries and chamomile tea, if you like, or leave it as is.

9

Substitutions: Use black tea instead of green tea for a more traditional kombucha and stronger flavour.

10

Notes: You can find an established SCOBY at some health food stores, from online retailers, from fellow friends who are avid kombucha makers or you can make your own with a kit. The “starter kombucha” listed in the ingredients above is the liquid that the SCOBY It will take a least a week and a half of fermentation before you are able to enjoy this kombucha recipe. Your patience will be worth it!

11

Avoid using tap water or chlorinated water in general as this can affect the fermentation process. Use filtered water only.

12

Avoid using metal utensils in the kombucha and when handling the SCOBY. Wooden utensils are best.