Hinotori
Sustainability Master
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2011
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- On the foot of Mt Rainier
Wow! You have had a busy couple of days! I've always wanted to try. Kombucha. I have no idea how to get started. Where to get the starter... what do they call that? The mother?
My husband doesn't like kombucha*. He doesn't like shrub drinks either. He says it tastes too much like vinegar to him. I just don't see it, but I also like vinegar.
*he liked the kombucha that I made with green tea and matcha. It tastes very different than the regular stuff I make with black and green tea.
The gelatinous mass is called a scoby - symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast.
People even sell scobys on Amazon. Need some white vinegar as well to start using those. Takes a brewing or two to get good, drinkable kombucha.
DO NOT DUMP KOMBUCHA DOWN THE DRAIN ON SEPTIC! I've heard horror stories about what can happen in the septic tank. I'll dump it on the ground outside rather than the drain if needed.
Easily is to find someone near you to get a start off of. Can get the cup of kombucha needed to start a new batch as well so no vinegar needed. Healthy scoby multiplies pretty fast.
You don't have to use a gallon jar but most people do. I've been making it successfully in half gallons for years with cloth rubber banded over the top. Switched from clear to amber jars when those came out. I drink quite a bit so have 8 jars going. It seems to help my blood sugars.