Kombucha Homebrew Update

To follow-up on my first attempt on brewing kombucha, IT WAS A SUCCESS!

I allowed the tea to ferment for 1 week and then removed the mother/scoby (which now, there were 2!) I had my dear friend Ruth come over for moral support as I peeled away the mothers/scobys from one another, thankfully it was not nearly as bad as I had envisioned, (I do have a sense of dramatization.)  The texture of the pancake-like mother/scoby was firmer than I anticipated, I was suspecting it to be ooey, gooey and slimetastic!

I then decided that I wanted to zing up the kombucha with a second fermentation by adding a pint of raspberries and a good-sized chunk of peeled and coarsely, chopped ginger.  This produces more sugars for the yeast to eat up, creating that fizziness that kombucha is known for.  I allowed this concoction to ferment for another week.  I did some reading and followed directions, yet still feared the molding of fruit.  I am happy to report that, it was another SUCCESS!  To my amazement the fruit-fermented kombucha produced a new mother all on its own!  I did not save this one because it was interspersed with raspberries and ginger.

My friend Ruth (as mentioned above) an outgoing ENFP who matches my ENFJ personality-type (Myers Briggs,) possesses similar quirks and qualities as myself.  We love food, culture, off-the-cuff cooking and our friendship generally balances one another.  A typical Ruthie-Michelle kitchen scene is as follows: Ruth sitting on the floor with her back propped against the fridge, me prepping and cooking.  We converse, listen to tunes like Gloria Gaynor and Celia Cruz’s rendition of, “I Will Survive” which involves a brief intermission of kitchen dancing, all while brainstorming pre-dinner cocktail/drink ideas with ingredients from Michelle’s cupboards and fridge.

This particular night Ruth was feeling a tad under the weather and we had some cheap whiskey.  Our minds instantly went to the Hot Toddy!  And so it began, the Ruth and Michelle Raspberry-Ginger Kombucha Hot Toddy garnished with Star Anise and Cinnamon Sticks, HUZZAH!  The bizarre angled picture does not do the cocktail justice but it was a darn good Hot Toddy.

The fruit-fermented kombucha sans alcohol was just as fabulous and the raspberries colored it a beautiful hue:

It was a fun process and the results turned out great!  A full-flavored kombucha with the perfect effervescent touch!