TEA
-What kind of tea should I use for my kombucha?
I have found that black tea is the best! You can use any of the “true teas” that are from the camellia sinensis plant: black tea, green tea, oolong, white tea, etc. The tea provides the micronutrients of tannins and caffeine for your SCOBY. Save the flavors for your secondary fermentation. Flavored tea like “peach black tea” can mess with the health of your SCOBY. Any herbal teas like chamomile, lavender and rose, I also save for my secondary fermentation.
SUGAR
-How much sugar should I use?
Lila’s golden ratio is 1 cup of sugar per one gallon of kombucha. You can adjust it depending how much kombucha you are brewing.
-What kind of sugar should I use for brewing kombucha?
Organic cane sugar! It is tempting to want to use brown sugar, turbinado or coconut sugar for a “healthier brew,” but these sugars are too challenging for the SCOBY to break down. I have also found that the super mineral rich sugars (like coconut sugar) make my batches too yeasty and have an off flavor.
-Do I have to use sugar to feed my SCOBY?
Yes! Don't worry, all that sugar isn't for you, it's food for your SCOBY. Sugar is a vital part of the fermentation picture. The yeast in the kombucha eat the sugar for energy and in turn create CO2 (carbonation!) and alcohol. If you reduce the amount of sugar in your brew, you will only hinder the fermentation process. Keep in mind that by the time your kombucha is finished fermenting and is ready to drink, much of the sugar will have been processed out.
-What if I don’t want my kombucha to be too sweet?
A longer brewing time will produce less sugar in the final product. A 14-day brew will yield approx. 3 to 6 grams of sugar per 8 oz of plain kombucha. I also recommend using herbal flavorings that don’t add any extra sugar in your secondary fermentation.
If you add fruit juice or fruit during the second fermentation, the yeasts will transform a lot of that sugar into carbonation. A small amount of natural sugars from the fruit may remain. Some of my favorite flavorings that have natural yeast to boost carbonation are ginger and elderflower. STARTER LIQUID
Starter liquid/tea is already brewed kombucha. You should always save 1 cup per gallon of starter liquid for your next brew to immediately lower the pH of your kombucha and kick start the next batch. I recommend using the top liquid from your previous batch as your starter liquid because the bottom of the batch can often be much more populated with yeast. Another option is to stir up your brew with a clean utensil before bottling to disperse the yeast particles throughout the brew.
