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After having seen in our previous article "Where can one obtain a kombucha mother on the market?"Today, we are going to show you how you can prepare your own" kombucha mother at home. As you all know, kombucha is the result of a complex alchemy between sweet tea and the kombucha mother, also known as the SCOBY. This sparkling beverage has gained popularity thanks to its numerous health benefits, its potential to strengthen the immune system, and its soothing effect on the digestive system.
The preparation of kombucha begins with the creation and maintenance of the kombucha mother. In this article, we will provide you with practical advice and tips to help you cultivate a thriving kombucha mother and produce a delicious and nutritious beverage.
What is scoby ?
The SCOBY or "Sure, I'd be happy to help. Could you please provide the full text you would like translated?Symbiotic Sure, please provide the text you would like to be translated from French to English.It seems like there might be a typo in your text. Did you mean "culture"? If so, the translation from French to English is "culture." If you meant something else, please provide more context or correct the typo. oIt seems like there might have been a mistake, as "f" is not a complete text in French. Could you please provide the full text you would like translated? It seems like you only provided the letter "B." Could you please provide the full text you would like translated?It seems like your text is incomplete. Could you please provide the full text that you would like translated from French to English? It seems like your message is incomplete. Could you please provide the full text you would like translated from French to English?"SCOBY," which stands for "Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast," is a gelatinous and rubbery substance ranging in color from clear to brown that floats on the surface of the liquid during the fermentation of kombucha. More commonly known as the "mother of kombucha," the SCOBY is the essential ingredient for making kombucha; without it, your drink is nothing more than sweetened tea.
The SCOBY hosts a multitude of bacteria and yeasts. These microorganisms work in communities to transform the sweetened tea into kombucha by converting the sugar in the tea into lactic acid. The fermentation of these microorganisms occurs in symbiosis, which creates a hostile environment for harmful bacteria and allows the kombucha to ferment safely.
The kombucha mother is sometimes mistakenly considered a "mushroom," which is completely FALSE! The term "mushroom" can be incorrectly used in the case of the SCOBY. Mushrooms are organisms from the fungal kingdom, whereas the kombucha mother is a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast that work together to ferment sweetened tea and produce kombucha. Therefore, they are not the same living organisms.
The SCOBY is often reused from one batch of kombucha to the next, allowing it to grow as new microorganisms are added to it. As such, it is a central element in the continuous production of this beverage.
What are the ingredients to make a kombucha mother ?
To make a kombucha mother It's very simple and easy, you only need a few basic ingredients and kitchen utensils:
Black tea or green tea: You will need about 4 to 6 bags of unflavored tea or kombucha tea.
Sugar: You will need 100 to 120 grams of sugar per liter of water. You can use any type of sugar, as several types can be used, such as organic cane sugar, white sugar, or beet sugar. The sugar serves to feed the bacteria and yeast present in the SCOBY, and it is essential for fermentation.
Water: Use dechlorinated water or spring water.
Kombucha starter liquid: You will need a store-bought bottle of kombucha, used as a kombucha base, which you can find in a health food store, already fermented (unpasteurized) to start the fermentation process. This will help lower the pH and create an environment conducive to the growth of the SCOBY.
A piece of breathable fabric: like a coffee filter, a clean cloth, or a clean cotton rag.
A rubber band.
A clean glass jar: with a capacity of at least 1 liter.
What are the steps to make a kombucha mother ?
Here are the basic steps to prepare a kombucha mother:
- Boil water to remove the chlorine, then let it cool to room temperature. Add the tea bags to the glass jar, then pour the hot water over them and let it steep. Add the sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
- Filter the mixture to remove the tea bags.
- Let the sweetened tea cool completely.
- Once the tea mixture has cooled, add the store-bought bottled kombucha to the jar.
- Next, cover the jar with the piece of breathable fabric or clean cotton cloth, securing it to the jar's opening with a rubber band. The mixture needs to breathe, which is why we don't use bottles with caps.
- Place the jar in a dark and warm place at a temperature of about 24 to 27°C, and let it ferment for about 3 to 5 weeks. A SCOBY will begin to form on the surface of the liquid as a very thin and translucent layer that thickens over time.
What is the preparation time for a kombucha mother ?
The preparation of a SCOBY sometimes requires a lot of time due to the fermentation process, which can last several weeks. However, the preparation time for the kombucha mother can be determined based on whether you prefer to use the SCOBY in its initial form or when it is mature. It generally takes 1 to 4 weeks for the SCOBY to start forming on the surface of the liquid. During this period, the layer can be very thin and translucent but gradually thickens. To obtain a well-developed and solid kombucha culture, you will need to wait a total of 4 to 8 weeks (or even longer), at which point you will have a thick and robust SCOBY.
It is important to know that the time required to form a kombucha mother depends on several factors, including the ambient temperature and the quality of the ingredients. The higher the ambient temperature, the faster the SCOBY forms. Therefore, the preparation time for the SCOBY will ultimately depend on the conditions and your personal preferences.
How to feed a kombucha mother ?
Feeding a kombucha mother is essential to maintaining its health and vitality. If the SCOBY is well-fed, it will ensure a successful fermentation of the kombucha.
To feed the SCOBY, you simply need to add sweetened tea or tea and sugar. Yes, you read that right! Just add a bit of tea and sugar every 3 or 4 weeks. Indeed, the SCOBY uses sugar as an energy source for fermentation. The microorganisms present in the SCOBY transform the sugar (lactic fermentation) to produce kombucha. Regarding the amount of sugar you add, you can add as much as you want! Don't worry, your drink won't be sweet because at the end of the fermentation cycle, there is very little sugar left in the kombucha. You can experiment with different types of sugar and see how the kombucha reacts and which one you like the most.
How to tell if the kombucha mother is alive ?
To determine if your kombucha mother is alive or not, you need to consider several indicators which are: visual, olfactory, and gustatory. Here is how you can assess the vitality of your kombucha mother:
The appearance The normal appearance of a healthy SCOBY should be thick, cream to brown in color, and have a rubbery texture. Otherwise, if your SCOBY is black, green, or shows mold, it is likely contaminated or dead.
Texture A fresh kombucha mother should be firm but flexible at the same time. If it is slimy and soft, it might be unhealthy.
Thickness A healthy SCOBY should thicken over time. If it remains very thin or shows no signs of growth after several fermentation cycles, this may indicate a problem.
Smell A SCOBY should emit a pleasant sour and slightly vinegary smell. If you detect a moldy or rotten odor, it could indicate an issue with your SCOBY.
Taste and appearance of kombucha The normal taste of kombucha is slightly acidic and fizzy. However, if its taste is bitter and unpleasant, this could indicate that the SCOBY you used to make your own kombucha is unhealthy. If you do not see bubbles during the fermentation of your kombucha or if it does not become fizzy, the SCOBY may not be active.
How long does it take to ferment kombucha ?
With our complete kombucha kit, you will only need 7 days for the 1st and 2nd fermentation of kombucha. You can check out our full article on "Where to buy a kombucha mother ?"to learn in detail how to use our kit and prepare a homemade kombucha recipe."
Generally, the fermentation time for a kombucha drink takes between 7 and 21 days for the 1st and 2nd fermentation. It is important to know that the higher the temperature, the faster the fermentation process. To determine when you should stop the fermentation within the 7 to 21-day interval, you need to taste your kombucha regularly starting from the 7th day. When you feel that your drink has reached the desired level of fizziness, you can then stop the fermentation and enjoy your sparkling and delicious drink, which contains many good probiotics for health.
