Lemon Ginger Kombucha
Lemon Ginger Kombucha
Kombucha is a fermented tea beverage that has Manchurian (Northeast Asia) origins. Unlike your typical alcoholic beverage, which is driven by yeast fermentation and contains over 5% alcohol, kombucha has a symbiotic fermentation with acetic acid bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, and yeasts (and contains 0.5% or less alcohol). The symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) sits on the surface of the tea fermentation. During fermentation they produce many acids including acetic, gluconic, tartaric, malic, and a little citric acid. The fermented tea also contains 14 amino acids, vitamins, and some healthy enzymes. All this leads to a probiotic powerhouse with live cultures of yeast and bacteria, which has great health benefits for your microbiome, but they also keep spoilage organisms out of the tea (natural preservative 🎉).
If you haven’t tried kombucha I urge you to go out and give it a go, as I used to think kombucha was just a bubbly sour tea, but its so much more, with complex flavors and aromas. You can also make kombucha with so many flavor combinations from your own tea choice to added flavorings during the secondary fermentation. There are some amazing local kombucha producers around Portland and you can even get a pint or growler of it at local bars and cafes.
If you are a kombucha convert, but you’re like me and realized that drinking store bought kombucha every day can become costly or you can't find your favorite flavor combination at the store, I’d recommend trying to make your own kombucha! Here at the Daily Cellar we have many incredible teas with flavors that are a great compliment to many kombucha flavors.
The SCOBY (symbiotic community of bacteria and yeast), which is what drives the fermentation, continues to grow and actually needs to be trimmed down over time, so if you have a friend with a SCOBY it’s very easy to divide it by peeling a 1” layer off. You can also buy a starter kit, or make your own; it will just take a few more weeks to get your first batch. When doing your primary ferment, you can make the volume larger or smaller, just stick to the ratio of 1.78 g of sugar and 0.15 g of tea per ounce of water. This recipe is for lemon ginger, but you can modify it for any flavors you want; just aim for around 16 grams of sugar per gallon of kombucha in your secondary fermentation. Also, if you’re not sure how quickly your kombucha will carbonate during your secondary fermentation, place some in a plastic soda bottle and once is becomes stiff (like how an unopened bottle of soda feels) you know you have enough carbonation.
By Alex Fredrickson, Ph.D. (Originally featured on Edible Portland)
Food Scientist, The Daily Cellar
MAKES 10, 12 OZ GLASSES
15 MIN PREPARATION
10 MIN COOKING
7-30 DAYS OF FERMENTATION
Ingredients:
SCOBY:
- 1 bottle of kombucha with active cultures, ideally unflavored or lightly flavored
- 1 tea bag (2.5 g), green or black
- 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
Kombucha:
Primary Fermentation (flavor/acid production):
- 1 gallon (128 oz or 3.79 L) of water
- 228 g (about 1 & ⅛ cups) of granulated sugar
- 7-8 bags (18 g) of Praana Tea’s Luxury Earl Gray, or your favorite tea.
- 1 cup store-bought kombucha or leftover from your last fermentation
- Secondary Fermentation (carbonation):
- ½ cup of lemon juice
- 4 Tbsp of ginger juice
- 4 tsp of sugar (16 g)
Method:
SCOBY:
1. Boil one cup of water, add sugar and tea, steep for 5-10 minutes, and ensure the sugar is dissolved. Cool to room temperature.
2. In a 1-quart mason jar, combine cooled sweetened tea with store-bought or leftover kombucha. Cover with something that allows air in (aerobic fermentation) like cheesecloth, a towel, or a coffee filter. Then place a rubber band around the top to keep anything from getting in.
3. Place the jar in a warm spot in your house, between 68-80°F and leave it to ferment. This could take as long as 30 days, but eventually you will see a SCOBY begin to form and once it is around ¼” thick, it should be good to go into your first fermentation.
Kombucha:
Note: The volumes can be adjusted depending on your container size, just stick to the ratio of 1.78 g of sugar and 0.15 g of tea per ounce of water. For reference, your standard tea bag has 2.5 grams of tea per bag.
1. Boil water with sugar, making sure to mix to ensure the sugar dissolves. Depending on the strength of the tea, you can add it right away or wait until the water boils.
2. Remove from heat and steep tea for as long as you like. I prefer my tea strong, so I leave it in until the tea cools to room temperature, but you can adjust the steep time to your liking. Cool to room temperature.
3. Transfer the cooled tea to your fermentation container, I used a gallon mason jar, but you can use whatever you have around that holds enough liquid and that you can cover. Add your SCOBY and leftover/store-bought kombucha. Cover the container with your cloth of choice and secure it with a rubber band.
4. Place in a 68-80°F area in your house that is out of direct sunlight and leave for 7-14 days. Taste after the first week and daily until the flavors are to your liking. The longer it sits the more sugar will be fermented into alcohol then converted to acid (i.e. the more tart it will become).
5. Once complete, remove your SCOBY and reserved a cup or two of the kombucha for your next batch, which you can make right away to keep your SCOBY happy. You can also store the SCOBY in an airtight container in your refrigerator.
6. Add ginger/lemon juice plus sugar to a bowl and mix into kombucha. Add mixture with ½” headspace and seal to flip-top bottles or containers that can hold some pressure.
7. Place in a 68-80°F area in your home and ferment for 2-10 days, until the kombucha is carbonated. Then enjoy! You can store it in the fridge, which will slow carbonation, but won’t stop it completely.