KOMBUCHA DIY GUIDE

Congratulations on deciding to brew your very own elixir! If you have purchased a a Happy Belly Kombucha Starter Culture, which includes a SCOBY and starter liquid, then you are ready to brew! Just follow the steps below and enjoy the brewing adventure!
You can purchase a Happy Belly Kombucha Starter Culture online or stop over at our Brewery & Taproom to pick one up!
Now, let’s get started!

Kombucha is a fermented tea that has been made and enjoyed by many cultures all over the world for thousands of years. It is easy to prepare at home and offers immediate and long term benefits to the regular drinker.Having said that, care should be taken anytime food is prepared at home. Follow these instructions carefully and happy brewing!

THIS RECIPE YIELD 4L OF SWEET TEA WHICH WILL BREW INTO 4L OF KOMBUCHA.
*This recipe is totally scalable. So feel free to scale up or down as required.


--- SUPPLIES ---

  • A Kettle or A PotBrewing Vessel (at lease 5L capacity)
  • Cloth Cover (tight weave 100% cotton cloth is preferred)
  • Rubber Band
  • Thermometer (optional, but recommended)
  • Funnel (not needed until bottling stage)

    --- INGREDIENTS ---

    • 1 Cup Organic Cane Sugar (250 grams)
    • 15 grams or 4–6 Bags Of Tea (black, green, or a combination)
    • 1 Pack of Happy Belly Kombucha Starter Culture
    • 4L of Purified Water (free of chlorine)

      STEP #1: MAKE SWEET TEA SOLUTION.

      Boil 4 cups of purified water. Add hot water & tea bags to clean and sanitized brewing vessel. Steep 5 – 10 minutes, then remove tea bags.Add sugar and stir until sugar granules are fully dissolved.Top up brewing vessel with 3L of purified cold water to bring down the temperature of the sweet tea you just made so it is ready for the kombucha culture.

      *NOTE: If the sweet tea is now below body temperature, proceed to the next step. If it is not, please put it in the fridge to cool it down a bit, or simply wait until it is cooled below body temperature before proceeding to the next step.

       

      STEP #2: ADD KOMBUCHA CULTURE 

      Cut the bag and gently pour the starter liquid and SCOBY into the sweet tea mixture you have prepared.Cover with cotton cloth, and secure tightly with rubber band.Say a prayer, send good vibes, commune with your culture, or simply set an intention for the brew you are brewing. (Optional but recommend. After all, your brew is now filled with millions of live microbes converting your sweet tea into a tasty elixir we call Kombucha for your enjoyment in a few days!)Place your brewing vessel in a warm, airy location that is out of direct sunlight & away from aromatic or greasy food preparation. Do NOT disturb for 7 days.

      *NOTE: This can be very difficult for a newbie brewer, but wait for the full 7 days before peeking at your brew. This will make the process go more smoothly. Set a reminder on your smart phone to check your brew on the 8th day!

       

      STEP #3: TASTING TIME!

      On day 8, gently move the SCOBY aside and scoop some liquid out from the top of the vessel to taste. Too tart? Reduce your brewing cycle next time. Too sweet? Taste each day until it reaches the optimum flavour. Brewing cycle normally ranges between 7 days – 14 days, varying greatly by temperature.A few brewing cycles may be required to discover the exact taste and timing of your brew. Be patient. Keep brewing and keep tasting! You will know when you tasted the perfect balanced taste for you!

      Properly brewed Kombucha offers a perfect balance taste of just a bit of sweetness accompanied by a nice tartness. Keep tasting daily starting Day #8, make a note of the taste profile each day. Soon enough you will become a master Kombucha taster and know exactly when it taste perfect for you to either enjoy directly OR harvest to bottle with flavourings. Not to worry about not knowing how it should taste on your first cycle. After all, you now have your very own Kombucha brewing setup. Keep brewing and tasting! This is the fun part!

       

      STEP #4: BOTTLING + FLAVOURING TIME!

      With clean hands, remove the culture(s) and place in a clean bowl. Ladle or pour 2 cups of liquid from the top of the brew into the bowl where you place you culture(s). This will serve as starter liquid for your next batch. Cover culture(s) in bowl with cotton cloth or plastic wrap and set aside. Find clean, sanitized, suitable bottles with tight fitting lids. Recycle bottles are fine, but avoid metal lids that may corrode. Flip top bottles are preferred. If flavouring the Kombucha, place the fruit/juice/flowers/herbs/etc. directly into bottles. A little goes a long way.

      Place bottles in the sink, insert a clean funnel into your first bottle and ladle or pour your Kombucha into the bottle. Make sure to leave about 2” – 3” of air space in your flavouring bottle.

      Repeat for the other bottles, strain out the yeast if you prefer. Screw the lids on and set aside at room temperature (by your brewing vessel) for 1 – 3 days, burping the bottles to release carbonation and prevent explosions daily!

      Move bottles to the fridge as they reach your desired carbonation/flavour. Colder temperature in the fridge will significantly slow down fermentation due to flavouring. Celebrate your accomplishment with a chilled homemade kombucha! 🎉

       

      STEP #5: RINSE + REPEAT!

      Rinse out your brewing vessel with filtered water (chlorine free) and repeat for the next batch starting from STEP #1 again. 

       

       

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      BREWING TIPS

      • kombucha starter in jar with juices in jar and glass and passion fruit, orange and pineapple and tea ingredients

        Kombucha culture thrives between 72F – 85F. This temperature range is what we call the “Kombucha Scoby Happy Zone”. Do your best to make sure your brewing vessel stays in the “Kombucha Scoby Happy Zone” at all times for the best result and long term brewing success!


        — HBK Brew Crew

      • washing hands in a faucet with soap and bubbles

        Clean hands with a non anti-microbial soap! Rinse well then cure hands with filtered water (chlorine free) or distilled vinegar before touching your SCOBY!

        — HBK Brew Crew

      • strawberries and haskap berries

        “BREW TIP!”Ginger, strawberry and blueberry cause fast CO2 build up. Use with caution! Bottles can overflow when opened or explode during secondary fermentation. Please open bottles with care!

        — HBK Brew Crew

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      KOMBUCHA NUTRITION

      • PROBIOTICS

        Kombucha is a fantastic source of probiotics. Maintaining a healthy mycobiome has been shown to decrease disease, improve mood and support digestion.

      • AMINO ACIDS

        Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and a kombucha SCOBY contains all 9 of the essential amino acids. The acids found in fermented foods provide a range of health benefits from improved mood to reduced chloesterol.

      • VITAMINS AND ANTIOXIDANTS

        Fermentation has been shown to increase B vitamin content. B vitamins support a range of functions in the the body, boosting energy, and improving gut health. Antioxidants prevent disease by combating oxidative stress, and the fermentation process increases them.

      • ENZYMES

        Enzymes are protein molecules that act as catalysts for innumerable physical processes. Enzymes are present in kombucha because the SCOBY produces them during the fermentation process.

      • LOW CALORIE AND SUGAR

        Kombucha is lower in calories and sugar than many other carbonated beverages, such as soft drinks. Kombucha typically contains about 50 calories per 12 ounces / 355 ml.

      • NO BAD STUFF

        Kombucha is plant-based, fat-free, nut free, soy free, gluten free, and dairy free. You can nothing but good stuff with every delightful sip!

      Source: The Big Book Of Kombucha

      KOMBUCHA BENEFITS

      • GUT HEALTH

        Kombucha can help nutrient absorption, improve digestion, reduce acid reflux, and support a healthy gut microbiome.

      • ENERGY

        Kombucha helps us digest food and when digestion is easier the body has more energy to send elsewhere. And because it helps detox our liver it purifies our blood which frees up energy for our muscles and our our brain.

      • MOOD

        When we're not so toxic in our blood our cells are much happier. Additionally, healthy gut flora has been shown to improve mood. When we have more energy, we feel better, when we feel better we are much happier.

      • WEIGHT MANAGMENT

        Kombucha contains natural alpha-hydroxy acids, the synthetic version of which are used by both dieters and weight lifters alike to improve the effectiveness of their regimes. The low calories and low sugar in Kombucha make it a wonderful replacement for soft drinks which can impact weight management.

      • HEART HEALTH

        Drinking kombucha regularly has been linked to lower LDL rates (bad cholesterol). this means there are fewer fatty deposits in the bloodstream which can cause artery blockage. Additionally, regular consumption of kombucha has been shown to improve HDL levels (good cholesterol).

      • IMMUNE SYSTEM

        The high antioxidant levels in kombucha help clean up free radicals and the antimicrobial effects prevent infection from pathogenic organisms like listeria. Benzoic acid and itaconic acid found in kombucha also play a role in boosting the immune system.

      Source: The Big Book Of Kombucha

      KOMBUCHA AND PREGNANCY

      Is kombucha safe to drink during pregnancy and breast feeding? Here is a very well written article on this topic. [Click here to read more…]

      * Statements above have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Happy Belly Kombucha recognizes that every body is different. Although there are many claims in regards to kombucha’s health benefits, the Happy Belly Kombucha Team highly recommends that one seeks advice from a health care professional when it comes to treating, curing, or preventing any disease.