Herbalism and Kombucha

I have an herb problem.

Okay, more like a love affair. Not only are herbs tools for creating really unique flavor profiles, but they also add a great medicinal quality to your kombucha.

Sort of like homeopathy via beverage, I think about how I'm feeling physically and mentally and then cater to those needs by infusing my boocha with the appropriate herbs during the second fermentation.

Depressed? A little St. John's wort will do you wonders. Insomnia? Try lavender and chamomile. Feel a cold coming on? Cayenne pepper will ward it off, as well as stimulating the digestive track.

The possibilities are pretty much endless with herbal kombucha, and who doesn't want a be-well elixer on hand?

For those of you who are also garden enthusiasts, there's something really special about designing a magical drink with a fresh product grown right outside (or inside) your home.

A wise woman who works in one of my favorite local herb shops once said to me: "Just pick one herb and develop a relationship with it. Learn about it's strengths and weaknesses, explore all of the ways in which it can be used." I really enjoyed that concept, and it's something I've tried to connect with my kombucha exploration. So, here are some ideas that will perhaps ignite your own herbal journey.

Brewer: Sarah

herb & fruit combinations for second ferment

St. John's wort, lavender, lemon

strawberry, basil

jasmine, green tea, raspberry

strawberry, rose, hibiscous

tangerine, lemon, turmeric, ginger, cayenne
blackberry, mint, twig tea
cucumber, lime, mint, green apple
lemon verbena, ginger
jasmine green tea, white peach, rosemary
blackberry, sage
St. John's wort, red clover, chrysanthemum, sencha

Go forth and concoct!

(My herb collection pre-move, above, and post move)

SCOBY Candy

Batch 1

2 c. chopped SCOBY (use a long, serrated knife. Think filleting a fish)

1/2 lemon squeezed

1 tsp. grated ginger

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. water (roughly)

Combine all ingredients in saucepan and heat until liquid is mostly evaporated. 

Bake at 360° for 15"

Batch 2

2 c. chopped SCOBY

1  blood orange squeezed

1 tsp. grated ginger

1 c. sugar

1/2- 3/4 c. water

Combine all ingredients in saucepan and heat until liquid is mostly evaporated.

Bake at 360° for 15"

*Don't let them get brown and crusty- they stay pretty rubbery but if they start to look really cooked get them out of there. They will continue to cook a bit anyway and you don't want rubber. You may want them cooked less or more. There isn't a hard and fast rule for cooking these as they look pretty much the same until they've been in there 20" when they get brown and sad looking. 

SCOBY candy keeps best in the refrigerator. 

Notes

Overall a success, I honestly overdosed on eating them the first night and I don't think SCOBY digests very well if you don't chew it well. They're freakishly similar in flavor to home made jello (the kind you make into eggs for Easter). 

I don't think I'll make them again only because it's a lot of sugar and I just started 8 weeks of restricting my diet for a competition coming up (which includes no process sugar or candy). Several recipes suggested a 1:1 ratio SCOBY to sugar which is asinine and unnecessary. Next up to try is SCOBY scrub for your skin which I can use anytime regardless of training :) 

Cranberry Collins Kombucha

Indian Black Tea (decaf)

Brewer: Sarah

1st Fermentation 12/24-1/12

Steep: 4'

Bottled in: quart-sized mason jars

2nd Fermentation 1/12- 1/27

Batch 1 

cranberry pulp (used blender to bring berries to fine pulp)

1 slice of lemon

approx. 1 tsp. of pure lemon juice

fresh ginger root (several large chunks)

approx. 1 tbsp. pure maple syrup

dash of nutmeg

dash of cayenne pepper

flavor notes: tangy, sharp, cranberry, ginger

Notes

This brew was inspired by a seasonal longing to combine the flavor profile of a cranberry collins libation with that of a life-altering cranberry relish I cobbled together for Thanksgiving (will share that recipe on request.)

Highs:

It was everything I'd hoped and dreamed it would be - crisp, sharp, tangy, and mildly spicy. The flavors combined beautifully and created just the seasonal pick-me-up I was looking for. Additionally, the ginger and cayenne join forces to make a tummy-settling illness combatant. I served this boocha cold with frozen cranberries in the place of ice. By far one of my favorite brews, thus far.

Lows:

For some reason, this was one of the slowest brews I've had yet. My brew times have definitely extended due to winter cold, but this was particularly slow. Honestly, I couldn't tell you why...but I'm definitely going to experiment with it more, come summer. Once it got there, though, it was both highly effervescent and incredible. 

from Sarah

Hello beautiful souls!

I am Jesse's less badass and slightly more granola counterpart. After a particularly hectic couple of months, I am finally coming out of the woodwork to begin sharing my 'boocha ideas with you all.

My brewing techniques are vastly different than Jesse's, which is one of the many reasons I value our partnership so much. I wholeheartedly embrace a freeform style...mostly because of my unexplained aversion to measuring. 

Kombucha brewing is my canvas for creativity. Some boocha brewers could be likened to tea sommeliers or scientists. Others, like myself, simply elaborate on a natural knack for combining flavor profiles.

So, if vague "recipes" and loose ingredient lists are your thing, I am your woman! With that, here are a few of my favorite combinations to spark your creations.

Lavender lemonade

Blackberry twig tea maple

Cucumber mint w/ a bit of green apple and lime

Wild violet peach w/ a hint of lemon

Lemon ginger turmeric w/ a subtle hint of cayenne

Jasmine green tea w/ raspberry

Cranberry turmeric ginger w/ microscopic hint of nutmeg

And, a few of my "secret" ingredients:
(these are all used during the second fermentation, as to not disturb the bacterial balance of your SCOBY)

- In nearly every batch, I use pure maple syrup. As a quintessential New England woman, I'm simply obsessed with maple. It seems to add a subtle woody, smokey, roasted type of flavor.

- Speaking of woody flavor, try Kukicha twig tea. I generally add a sprinkle of twigs straight into the jar during my second fermentation, but Kukicha can also be brewed as tea to use for the first ferment. It adds a nutty, almost creamy type of flavor. Think drinking coffee next to a campfire.

- If you're looking for a sharp zing, cayenne pepper is your friend. Not only is it fantastic for keeping sickness away, but it brings a real "kick" to your blends. Pairs well with lemon, ginger, turmeric, and cranberry.

And now, you're ready to hit the ground running with creating your own blends. Feel free to email me at boochababes@gmail.com to share any triumphs or failures.

Namasté
S

Pome Fruit Lemongrass

Gunpowder Green  (OG)

Brewer: Jesse

1st Fermentation 1/3?- 1/20

Tea: 0.08 lbs.

Temperature: 170°

Steep: 4'

Bottled in: 1/2 gal. jug

2nd Fermentation 1/20- 1/22

Batch 1 

3/4 c. bosc pear, diced

1 tsp. ginger, grated

1/2 of a 2" lemongrass stick

flavor notes: fragrant, summer pear

Batch 2

1/2 c. crispin apple, grated, packed into 1/2 c.

1.5 tsp. ginger, grated

1/4 of a 2" stick of lemongrass

1 tsp. sugar

flavor notes: biting into a bubbly apple. Seriously. 

Batch 3

3/4 of a 2" lemongrass stick

2 tsp. ginger, grated

 1 tsp. sugar

flavor notes: fresh ginger

Notes

Highs: Favorite was Batch tied for 1 & 2. The apple was much lighter tasting but both are light, airy flavors. 

- 

Changes: Yay! No lows, only small changes. As I've begun bottling in larger vessels, transitioning ingredient ratios for flavor and controlling effervescence has been an issue. I would definitely grate the pear next time so more of the sugars in the fruit can be readily consumed by the SCOBY and would also add more sugar to batch three. All three should have been fermented longer which may have helped add more C02 without those changes but I was going away for two days and didn't want to worry about bottles exploding while I was gone. Kombucha is not the hobby for a traveller.
- One more change... I decided to get a dedicated notebook and came up with a streamline workflow for the brewing process but not before I mixed up two batches because I didn't label two jars. I figured out the teas but not the first fermentation date. When life gets busy don't cheat on recording! 

*Pome fruits are a general term for tree fruit with a tough membrane and core comprised of several small seeds. Pears and apples fall under this classification. 

White Tangerine Tea Kombucha

White Tangerine Tea

White Tangerine  (OG)

Brewer: Jesse

1st Fermentation 12/21-1/3

Tea: 2.4 oz.

Temperature: 175°

Steep: 4'

Bottled in: 33.75 oz. swing tops

2nd Fermentation 1/3- 1/8

Batch 1 

2 kumquats, quartered

3 kumquat skins only

flavor notes: sweet citrus

Batch 2

7 raspberries, quartered

1 ginger thumb *sliced not grated

flavor notes: dusky, strange undertones that overpower the fruit flavors

Batch 3 

1/2 meyer lemon, juice only

1.5 tsp. ginger, grated

2.5 tsp. turmeric, fresh & grated

flavor notes: light citrus, turmeric

Batch 4 

2.5 tsp. turmeric, powder

1/4 minneola tangerine

1 tsp. ginger, grated

flavor notes: strong turmeric, tangy

Batch 5 *Experimental

peaches

raspberries

flavor notes: GRAPEFRUIT

Notes

Highs: Favorite was Batch 4
- turmeric was excellent paired with the citrus

- overall very satisfied with the batch. Much better proportions and pairings. 

Lows: no least favorite
- Technically, batch 3 was last but only because it was similar to 4 but not as good.

*Batch 2 with the raspberries took on a strange flavor as it sat in the fridge for a few days. It reminds me of something a witch doctor would give you. Batch 5 was just extra I didn't have time to really bottle so I filled 1/2 gallon container

A Healthy SCOBY

 

One of the keys to a successful brew lies in how healthy your SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria & Yeast) is. This is vital to komucha. Try to get a healthy SCOBY from a person- not a dehydrated or one that is shipped. If you don't know anyone, Kombucha Brooklyn is an excellent resource and a reference for many kombucha questions. Oftentimes new growth looks like mold and they provide photographic examples of what mold is versus SCOBY growth. Kombucha Kamp also has some basic but solid info on signs of a healthy SCOBY. 

Think about your SCOBY like this: it's a growing amalgamation of bacteria and yeast. Both of those things thrive in nasty places in your daily life but set that aside and consider the physical properties of those environments:

warm 

damp/humid/moist

restricted airflow 

Ideal temperatures are 72-85°F: too high will kill it, too low will result in lower CO2 gas levels. Depending on airflow and humidity levels, covering your SCOBY could range from a thin t-shirt to a thick towel or blanket.

In another life when my kombucha was at work with me, the greenhouse monster fans exchanged far too much air and heavily slowed SCOBY growth. Batches did better with a thick terry cloth towel doubled over to maintain some moisture. Currently, the kitchen in my house where my kombucha is now has very little airflow this time of year with all the windows closed so it grows better with a thin flour sack towel and a Mexican blanket on top to keep heat in, but summer is different with higher humidity levels. The heat in the house is set to 65°F and I brew in the kitchen with huge glass double doors (that unfortunately quickly cool the room). My four jars of kombucha sit on a terry towel on a glass end table that is placed directly over the kitchen's heat vent. The jars are then wrapped in Christmas lights and have a blanket on top. It's cold and dry here in New York. 

I would highly recommend invest in a small kitchen thermometer to temp check the brew and while brewing the tea as tea should be brewed at varying temperatures. Thermometers are invaluable and rocked my brewing world. Problems with effervescence dissipated when I realized I was brewing the tea leaves too long and the tea with the SCOBY was too cold. Plus is just makes you feel like a good scientist checking on your experiments.

This all said, there is no formula that works for everyone. A SCOBY is relatively forgiving as far as all of these variables. SCOBY size does seem to impact fermentation- they prefer wide mouth containers and larger, more mature SCOBY ferment tea quicker. My tea is usually ready for a second fermentation after 7-9 days and the second fermentation after 3-5 days, depending on the amount of fruit added and if the pressure is becoming too much for the bottle to bear. I'm still working on keeping bottles from shattering under pressure. The first few days are fine but they've been hitting a point where I've had to strain the fruit out before I really want to just so the bottles don't continue to ferment at an exponential rate and explode. If anyone has experience with this feel free to leave a comment. 

*This SCOBY has been split numerous times. The light pink top layer has formed in the last couple of weeks since I added Christmas lights which have expedited SCOBY growth. If I had the original SCOBY I received in October 2014, it would likely fill 3/4 of a 2 gallon jar. 

Assam Black Tea

Assam Black Tea Kombucha (OG)

Brewer: Jesse

1st Fermentation 12/17- 12/29

Tea: 2.4 oz.

Temperature: 208°F

Steep: 4'

2nd Fermentation 12/29- 1/2

Batch 1 

0.25 c. mango

1 tsp. ginger, grated

0.5 tsp. sugar

flavor notes: strong, smooth mango

Batch 2

0.5 c. pomegranate crushed

0.25 tsp. sugar

1.5 tsp. ginger, grated

flavor notes: dusky pomegranate

Batch 3 * Exploded

5 blackberries crushed

0.5 tsp. sugar

flavor notes: NA

Batch 4 

0.5 c. peaches, chopped

1.5 tsp. ginger, grated

flavor notes: peach (orange pekoe with peach and ginger was better)

Batch 5 (16 oz. swing top)

1 tsp. rose petals

1 tsp. ginger, grated

0.25 tsp. sugar

flavor notes: black tea flavor with floral notes

Batch 6 (16 oz. swing top)

0.25 c. peaches

1 tsp. ginger

0.25 tsp. sugar

flavor notes: earthy peach

Notes

Highs: Favorite was Batch 2
- All decent black tea flavors, however subpar to the Orange Pekoe. Only one person preferred the pomegranate/ginger (batch 2) over any of the same combinations used for Orange Pekoe

Lows: Least favorite was Batch 6
- All were decent, there was nothing wrong with batch 6 except too much going on flavor-wise. 

- Batch 3 exploded on day two of the second fermentation. I burped all the bottles before going to bed but one swing top exploded overnight regardless. 

Orange Pekoe Black

Orange Pekoe Tea Kombucha (OG)

Brewer: Jesse

1st Fermentation 12/17- 12/29

Tea: 2.4 oz. 

Temperature: 208°F

Steep: 4'

2nd Fermentation (12/29- 1/1)

Batch 1 

1/2 c. peaches, chopped

1 tsp. ginger, grated

1/4 tsp. sugar

flavor notes: strong typical black peach tea 

Batch 2 

1/2 c. mango

1 tsp. meyer lemon, juice

flavor notes: tart mango

Batch 3

3 slices meyer lemon

2 tsp. ginger, grated

flavor notes: pungent ginger with a tart black tea finish

Batch 4 

1/2 c. pomegranate

1 tsp. rose petals

flavor notes: floral, tart

Batch 5 

1/2 c. seckel pear, cored & chopped

1 tsp. ginger, grated

1 tsp. honey, orange blossom

flavor notes: summery sweet pears

Batch 6 

1 Tbs. ginger, grated

1/4 tsp. sugar

flavor notes: 

Batch 7 (GT's bottle recycled)

1/8 c. mango, atafulo 

1/4 c. peach, not quite ripe

1/2 tsp. ginger, grated

flavor notes: smooth, tropical 

Batch 8 (GT's bottle recycled)

2 blackberries, crushed

1/4 c. peaches, chopped

1/2 tsp. honey, orange blossom

flavor: berry, sweet 

Batch 9 (32 oz. sauce jar recycled)

3 Tbs. pomegranate, juice only

1/4 c. peach

1/4 c. ginger, grated

1/4 tsp. sugar

flavor notes: dirty fruit

Notes

Highs: Favorite was Batch 5
- Honey was a delicious addition to both batches, best with batch 5
- overall a successful batch, superior to Assam

Lows: Least favorite was Batch 9
- Again, too  many fruits added blurs flavor profiles
- pomegranate was not good with the orange pekoe tea and was the only one that goes better with the assam tea.