KombuchaCHIC

One Week Raw!

2009-02-02T19:23:00.000-08:00

My One Week Raw project launched last night! Read more about it on KombuchaCHIC.

Check out One Week Raw to download my FREE ebook!

I'm keeping this blog alive...

2008-12-03T13:48:00.000-08:00

Because I don't want it shut down! I've thought about importing all these posts into Wordpress, but I don't want the order to be disrupted. So, I'll link to a few of my latest posts on kombuchaCHIC.com.

I made a raw pumpkin pie.

Joe took some nice photos of me in belly garb.

I made enchiladas for a friend's birthday, super fast style!

Happy reading and thanks for stopping by!

New Blog Site

2006-12-23T11:21:00.000-08:00

I have a new blog, so I will no longer be posting to this one.

Here it is: http://www.kombuchachic.com

81 Different Names for Kombucha

2006-12-18T17:27:00.000-08:00

Kombucha has a vast history and is brewed all over the world. In its many homes and travels this fermented beverage has accumulated quite the load of names. For your curiosity, enjoyment and perhaps for your boredom, I have listed them below:

1. Algae Fungus
2. Algentee (German)
3. Brinum-Ssene (Latvian for wondrous mushroom)
4. Cajnyi Kvas (Russian)
5. Cajnyj Grib (Russian)
6. Chamboucho (Rumanian)
7. Champagne of Life
8. Champignon Miracle (French)
9. Champignon or Elixir de Longue Vie Combucha (French)
10. Chinapilz (German)
11. Chinesischer Teepilz (German)
12. Comboucha (French/Japanese)
13. CombuchagetrNnk (German)
14. Divine Che
15. Fungojapon (former commercial name)
16. Fungus Tea
17. Funko Cinese (Italian)
18. Gichtqualle (German for gout jellyfish)
19. Gift of Life
20. Godly Tshce
21. Gout/Hero Fungus
22. Haipao
23. Heldenpilz (German for hero's mushroom)
24. Hongo (Spanish)
25. Indian Wine Fungus/Mushroom
26. Indisch-Japanischer Teepilz (German)
27. Indischer Weinpilz (German)
28. Indischer Teeschwamm (German)
29. Indischer Teepilz (German)
30. Japanese Fungus/Sponge
31. Japanische Combucha (German)
32. Japanischer Teepilz (German)
33. Japanisches Mutterchen (German)
34. Japanpilz (German)
35. Japanskij Grib (Russian)
36. Kargasok Teepilz (German for tea mushroom)
37. Kargasok Schwamm (German for sponge)
38. Kargasoktee (German for tea)
39. Kouchakinoko (Japanese for black tea/mushroom)
40. Kombucha Sponge/Kvass
41. Kombucha Thee (Dutch)
42. Kombuchamost (German)
43. Kombucahschwamm (German)
44. Kombuchawein (German)
45. Kongo
46. Kvass/Kwas
47. K'un-Pu-Ch'a
48. Ling Zhi (Chinese)
49. Little Japanese Mother
50. Ma-Gu
51. Magic Mushroom
52. Manchurian Elixir/Fungus/Sponge/Tea
53. Medusa Tea
54. Miracle Mushroom
55. Mo-Gn (former commercial term)
56. Olinka (Bohemian)
57. Red Tea Fungus
58. Reishi (Japanese)
59. Russian Flower/Jelly-fish
60. Russian Tea-Vinegar
61. Russische Blume (German for Russian flower)
62. Russische Mutter (German for Russian mother)
63. Te-Aramoana
64. Tea Fungus/Wine/Beer/Cider
65. Tea Mould (Javanese)
66. Tea Plant/Beast
67. Tee Kwass
68. Teemost (German for tea must/cider)
69. Teyi Saki (Armenian)
70. Thee-Schimmel (Dutch)
71. Theebier (Dutch)
72. Theezwam Komboecha (Dutch)
73. Titania
74. Tschambucco
75. Tsche of Kombu
76. Volga Mushroom/Jellyfish
77. Wunderpilz (German for wondrous mushroom)
78. Yaponge
79. Zauberpilz (German for magic mushroom)
80. Zaubersaft (German for magic juice)
81. Zaubertrank (German for magic potion)

List taken from the book "Kombucha Rediscovered" by Klaus Kaufmann

#1 Kombucha Kit Sale!

2006-12-11T11:27:00.000-08:00

A huge thanks to Josh from Chicago for purchasing his own kombucha kit! He is now on his way to making his own fermented tea. Good luck, Josh and feel free to check in with any questions and updates! I hope this helps to bring you health and happiness!

Snow, Stars and Speculations

2006-12-05T15:54:00.000-08:00

Two nights in a row we spend trudging in the white under our feet. I'm always amazed at the peace I feel when we do this at night. I let my eyes wander upward at the dark, velvety sky and our snowshoes crunch against the tough snow on the main road. Millcreek Canyon closes the road about 4 miles up during winter months. It becomes a haven for outdoor activities of the colder genre.

The cold is shocking at first. The crisp, biting breeze slaps against my face and we start our journey. Being our first time using poles, I feel awkward at first. I am sure I must look terribly silly with my arms all over the place, trying to keep rhythm with my feet. I put everything in order in the only way I know how at the moment. I start singing to myself. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. A slow, haunting melody helps keep my body in motion. My feet step with every beat and my arms moving on every other one.

How akin this is to dancing, I think. I set the beat deep inside me. I let my body flow. It keeps me moving. It keeps me moving. My focus is set.

As we stop to rest, I am able to relax my body and mind. Suddenly I am flushed with all sorts of great ideas. It's really amazing what a little exercise can do to stimulate your imagination. Joe and I brainstorm together, thinking ideas for business, home life and for fun. We come up with a great budget plan to regulate our outdoor activity spending. I feel so revived and innovative. I feel alive and renewed.

On our way back down to the car, we keep a look out for trails leading off that might take us through some delicious powder. We spot the infamous Pipeline and decided to take that, thinking it will lead us back to the car.

The Pipeline Trail take you up high and fast. All of a sudden we are up high above the road, looking far across the canyon and down into the valley. The trail dips deep into the canyon, undulating in and out, putting much more time on our trip than we expected. We finally see a break off and we take it, hoping that again, it will lead us to where we want to be.

I feel lost, not having seen this part of the canyon before. However, we are headed in the right direction and we have a little bit of powder to run in. Finally, we reach a beautiful peak that doesn't seem to have an escape route. Looking down to the bed of the canyon, we see the car not too far off. If we can just get down this mountain and walk up the road a few hundred feet, we'll be done!

There is no where to go but down, but there is no trail to be found. Joe spots some footprints in the now sparse, rocky snow and we decide to follow. Because it is so rocky and steep, we take off our snowshoes and hike down in our boots. Weaving back and forth down the mountain following some mad man's tracks, I wonder if we will reach the bottom in one peace.

The tracks end and all that is left before us is a very steep decline to the road below. It seems our only option is to slide down on our asses. I giggle and scream and I slip down the hillside, reminiscent of earlier days when I'd find myself in my own back yard doing this very thing. In a moment it is over and we are back in the warmth of the car. And for a minute, time stands still as I look into Joe's eyes and see him smiling back at me. Another starry night, another timeless adventure.

An Epiphany of Self Awareness

2006-11-20T16:40:00.000-08:00

Oh yes, I had a revelation. It came to me while in the midst of reading "Blatant Raw Foodist Propaganda" by Joe Alexander. I have been having a hard time staying on the all raw wagon. I went 28 days completely raw in October, then I broke it all Halloween weekend in Goblin Valley when I partook of some evil witches' brew (soup). It was good soup, and I enjoyed helping cook it and eating it with friends.

However, I have been trying to justify my addiction to cooked foods as a substitute for comfort. Yes, I like most people, find immense pleasure in both cooking and eating cooked foods. I rationalize eating it by saying that it makes me feel good to eat with friends, and it brings me comfort on cold days. To be a part of something so simple that can bring people together in such a way food can feels really nice. It feels good to make a big pot of soup on a cold day and eat until I feel warm all over.

The folly of these comforts is in that they are temporary. The feeling of ease and well being lasts only a moment and then I am back to feeling something else.

When I eat raw food for extended periods of time, something extraordinary happens within me. I feel alive, healthy, happy, and renewed. I am in a constant state of feeling emotionally stable. And when this happens, I feel at one with my body.

Many people out there knows how it feels to be in a battle with your own body. It is not a happy feeling. Even when I eat "healthy" cooked food, I feel dragged down, sluggish, bloated and even a bit guilty because I know what it does to me. When I eat a diet that is completely uncooked and completely nutritious, I feel completely comfortable in my own skin. In fact, it was this quote in Alexander's book that led me to this epiphany: "There's no pleasure greater than feeling comfortable in your own body."

And its true, painfully true. I've had my share of self-loathing. I've had my share of eating disorders. I've had my share of low self-esteem. I've had my share of demons surrounding every body image issue known. These feelings about myself is part of what prompted me to regain control over my body and myself.

So really, the trade off isn't such a bad one. A few small, short lasting comforts for many, long lasting ones. The rewards are there. The pleasures are vast and amazing. It's not hard to do once I get in the swing and get determined. Sometimes you just loose sight of what's really important: Feeling the best you possibly can. When you are at complete ease yourself and love who you are through and through, then everything else falls into place, and life is a sweet, fruit filled journey of amazing experiences.

Kombucha Kit Sales!

2006-11-12T12:48:00.000-08:00

I've decided to start selling kits online. I have sold them locally before and to some friends, but I think now its time to start selling on a broader scale. I will be selling them on eBay but they can also be purchased directly from me. The kits include everything you need to get kombucha started: a glass jar, organic green or black tea, a breathable cloth, a few rubber bands, an organic kombucha starter tea and culture and detailed instructions on how to brew the tea and how long to ferment it. The organic kombucha kit costs $20 plus shipping.

If you are interested, drop me an email: shadiyahnawaar @ gmail.com

Bike

2006-10-12T00:02:00.000-07:00

Pink bar tape and pink chain.

I like it a lot. Next up...pink saddle. :)

Organic Endeavors.

2006-10-11T23:58:00.000-07:00

All of my previous brews of kombucha have been used with conventional tea and tap water. I finally decided to break down and try out using organic tea and filtered water. So, why not go an extra step and try out two different kinds of organic tea?

After fermenting both organic black and green brews of kombucha, I have to say that this is my most tastiest, most pure, and most flavorful kombucha brew I have made yet. All of my previous brews had a funny aftertaste to them. Organic really does make a huge difference! No after taste, just pure kombucha goodness! :)

Spicy Raw Truffles!

2006-10-11T23:38:00.000-07:00

One of my latest raw food obessions is spicy chocolate date balls! They are ohhh so yummy and provide that cravable lucious flavor of cocoa with a smooth creamy filling.

These are super easy to make, and super good for you too!

I grind about 1/2 cup each of raw pecans and cashews in a food processor and set it aside. Then I blend up about 1 1/2 cups of coarsely chopped dates and about 1/4 cup of water, 2 tbsp of honey, and 2 red jalapeno peppers until the it is all blended well. Then I add about 3/4 cup of cocao powder to the mixture and mix until all is blended.

It will end up super sticky, but I roll these around in dried coconut and it makes a most delicious shell to hold it all together. Very, very, very good! :)

Sword!

2006-09-24T19:22:00.000-07:00

I bought a new sword this past week. I have never danced with a sword before, so I am very excited about this. It is something I have wanted to do in a long time. Here are a few low quality pics. I will take some better ones soon.

DAY 9

2006-08-13T23:03:00.000-07:00

Our final day is spent traveling the rest of the way home through Idaho. I know this state has a lot to offer, but you will not find any of this on Highway 84. This is a good stretch of land to relax and read a book while driving through.

The closer and closer we get to Utah, the more I miss home and the more I miss my kitties. As we finally pass over the border I smile because I know we will be home soon.

Finally I catch that first glimpse of those mountains in the Salt Lake Valley that I love and adore. Finally we step in through the door of the loft and we are greeted by cute, furry lovable faces. Finally, we are laying in our own bed again and enjoying what we see as familiar.

It is wonderful to go out and see new places and things that will forever shape who I am. But it is also wonderful to be drawn back to that one place that I will always call my home. We will cuddle up and sleep well tonight and remember all that we have done and seen this past week. We will look into the future with eyes that have seen a little more and our minds will always be enriched with all that has happened before today. All that is will become a past and all that we did will become a memory. Wherever you go, there you are.

There are a lot more photos from this journey and they can be seen here:

http://www.joe-gardner.com/road-trip/

DAY 8

2006-08-13T22:36:00.000-07:00

We awaken from the only motel with a vacany after miles and hours of looking. They in fact had several vacancies with our choice of beds, and smoking or nonsmoking. It seems there is a reason for its unpopularity and it probably had something to do with its uncomfortable sleeping quarters and its particle board flea market furniture. Still, any bed after a day of travel is a welcomed one.

The day is spent travelling back towards home without the luxury of stopping to see sights. Lucky for us, there are no sights to see on this stretch of highway. The most amusement I get out of the day is when we stopped in Pendleton, Oregon at a gas station to fill up.

I walked inside and laughed to myself as I stared at a wall full of "fantasy weapons". Axes, swords, daggers and more all put on display fo rme with their amazingly low price tags in clear view. It took all the will power I had to not purchase the numchucks I was holding and walk outside with them, twirling them around in a sort of predatory dance to give Joe a laugh or two. It was probably best that I didn't, because the amused trucker who saw me with them in my hands told me that they shouldn't be used on my boyfriend.

We find a bit of nourishment in Boise, Idaho, or as I like to call it "The Unfriendliest Town in the U.S." We head up inot the Boise Mountains for a night of "fun" camping with a real fire and even some veggie dogs. They were the first cooked food I had eaten in 8 days and I began to regret it soon after.

I wonder if this meal had something to do with the strange dreams I had through the scattered sleep patterns I had in that freezing tent that night. Dreams of baby owl-parrots in my hair, dreams of ridiculous parties, and dreams of dancing upside down in closets. I think I'll refrain from the veggie dogs and high fructose sugar buns in the future and stick to the raw basics.

DAY 7

2006-08-13T22:25:00.000-07:00

A perfect way to start the day, we hunted down Seattle's only cafe that has an organic raw menu. I ordered my first raw pizza and Joe had a vegan pesto melt. We rummaged through some pictures as we sipped our coffee and the many different options left me salivating! I wish there was a place like this in downtown SLC!

After many unsuccessful attempts at catching a whale watching boat, we finally opted for a kayak tour in Anacortes. This turned out to be a high point on the trip and I'm very glad we chose this option.

We barely squoze into the last tour of the day with another family of 7. Our tour guide was named Jesse and he was very friendly and helpful. We paddled all around the coast and even ventured into the bay a bit. I was surprised at how easy and enjoyable the motions of the my first kayak trip came to me.

Joe and I made an excellent team on the water. He steered the rudder in the back, and I set the pace in the front. Once were were back on shore again, I found myself aching to go back out on the waves. This will surely turn into an enjoyable pastime for me.

DAY 6

2006-08-13T22:10:00.000-07:00

Crossing over to Washington was something I looked forward to, but it ended up depressing me. The logging industry seemed so much more apparent of this side. Every few miles was a clearcut space of land, empty and vacant like a gaping sore torn across the skin of the earth. Piles of debris scattered across the naked surface, I could almost hear and feel the silent screams of her destruction from the past.

A stop into my frist rain forest brightened my day. It was a forest of life and constant renewal. It was a forest of rich green lush ferns and moss, and she lifted my spirits as I played in the soft earth, climbing giant roots and laying myself down into hollowed out tree trunks.

The cross over from Kingston to Edmund on the ferry was amazing! It was a first experience for me and we caught the sunset as we slowly coasted over the bay. Seattle was easier to navigate, but I found Portland much more charming.

DAY 5

2006-08-13T22:01:00.000-07:00

We camped overnight in a campground near Bagby Hot Springs. In the morning, we packed up and hiked 1 1/2 miles to the springs. Such a beautiful area! Moss and ferns covered the ground and huge trees surrounded us. A lovely river ran along side the trail and where it pooled up, you could see fish swimming.

There is one major spring area and then there are 5 separate enclosed handmade baths. A simple rounded stick stops the hot water from flowing into the tub. There is a hole in the bottom of the tub and a handmade wooden plug keeps the water in.

There is such an assortment of people that come to these springs! We saw a few hippie families complete with their dogs, and several older couples which included two lesbians and a polygamist triad! A very interesting place indeed!

Portland and Astoria are both cities that I found charming in their own ways. With its historical downtown district, Portland reminded me a lot of downtown SLC, but more bicycle friendly and clean. Nicknamed the "Little San Fransisco of the Northwest", Astoria is a beautiful town with a high bridge and an old neighborhood twisting and winding its way up a lush green hill. Both of these lovely cities will be forever imprinted in my mind.

DAY 4

2006-08-13T21:53:00.000-07:00

Jagged cliffs and white capped waves stretch for miles in front of me. We get sucked into tourist traps like Sea Lion Caves and Aquariums, both of which we throuroughly enjoy. We take in the local color at a funny seafood restaurant in Lincoln City, Oregon.

The lush green berry-filled forests makes my heart skip a beat with each bend we go around. But with each empty patch of cut down land I see my heart breaks a little. I am reminded of how delicate these forests are. I mourn for the loss of the ecosystems that took so many years to develop and that will take so much longer to regrow.

DAY 3

2006-08-13T21:12:00.000-07:00

We finally made it to the magnificent Redwood Forest in the middle of the night looking for a camping spot. There was one spot left in Richardson Grove on account of a reggae festival going on nearby. I finished Tom's square as we drove through the Avenue of Giants, and then we hiked through the breathtaking Fern Canyon.

We decided to keep going and we made it to Oregon where we saw a few lighthouses. On one of our first Oregon stops, we filled an entire Nalgene bottle full of fresh, wild blackberries. These bushes grew everywhere!

DAY 2

2006-08-13T20:58:00.000-07:00

Made it to San Fransisco where we ate lunch at an overpriced touristy restaurant. We found the beautiful Sonoma Valley to be much more quiet and pleasant. I had my first wine tasting as well as my first chocolate tasting. We indulged ourselves and bought a few cappacino truffles and chocolate bars.

In the backyard of these adorable shops we shared a delicious fruit salad on a patio overlooking a little stream. Blackberries, rosemary and lavender were growing everywhere!

DAY 1

2006-08-13T20:56:00.000-07:00

We went through Tahoe today. When we stopped for dinner we came across a cute little yarn store. This is where I got the cool yarn to make Tom's square.

Kombucha Salsa!

2006-07-31T12:40:00.000-07:00

Hot! I bought a new KitchenAide food processor to aide in my raw food preperation last week and I had to try it out. I ended up making a batch of salsa the very night I brought it home. Now, I usually use vinegar in making salsa...it is a normal component of this zesty dip. However the only vinegar we have at home is balsamic, which is not the best taste for this spicy treat.

Joe being the genius he is (post modern or otherwise), suggested I use kombucha in the recipe. My latest kombucha brew was on the vinegary side so he figured it would be a good substitute for apple cider vinegar. They are also both very similar in taste.

I have never really thought about using kombucha in food recipes before, but I must say that the salsa turned out wonderfully! I actually like to drink my kombucha with some food so making it a part of a dish is a great way to have your daily intake!

I know there are some strange "kombucha bread" recipes out there, but I have never tried them. For one, I am a raw foodist and I don't often eat bread. For two, most bread you have to bake at a high temperature and it seems any raw aspect of the kombucha would be killed. It is my guess that the kombucha would loose a lot of its beneficial properties if it was heated to the point of killing off all those probiotics. So, adding kombucha to a dish which you do not have to cook is the way to go. Some other foods that I think kombucha would be good if added to are: salad dressings, dips, spreads, and smoothies.

Yummy Juice Mix!

2006-07-20T10:25:00.000-07:00

I was in a hurry this morning so I grabbed a container of kombucha that I have been fermenting and I'm quite sure it was done. I poured a bit into one of my trusy bottles halfway, and filled the other half with some Dole's Mango Lime Fiesta Juice.

I jumped on my bike and rode to work and tried my brew juice mix out with a tasty banana. Yummy stuff! I can taste the tanginess of the kombucha, but the sweetness of the juice balances it out and compliments it quite nicely!

Mountain Biking, Cats and Multi-Green

2006-07-09T19:28:00.000-07:00

Joe and I went up to Deer Valley today to watch a Mountain Bike race. It was the first one I had ever witnessed, and it was quite interesting. We ended up taking a summer lift ride up to a peak and hiked down 2 miles. We rode the lift the rest of the way down and by the time we reached the resort, the race was over and the award ceremony was going on.

By this time we had worked up quite a hunger and I was in the mood for a tasty salad. It's a good thing for us that Park City has a Wild Oats in it, because we always seem to make the best salads there.

We made our way over to Wild Oats and hit the salad bar. Next to the salad bar was a cold beverage case and I was delighted to see several flavors of GT's Kombucha stocked in it! It has been a few days since I last had kombucha. The remainder of my last brew had been used up and right now I have two new batches fermenting away.

I quickly looked over my choices, and to my pleasant surprise I discovered a new flavor that I have neither tasted nor seen before! GT's Multi-Green Kombucha! I was terribly excited and new I couldn't pass this up. I picked up the bottle and checked out the ingredients on the back.

"100% G.T.'s organic raw kombucha, klamath mountain blue-green algae, chlorella, spirulina, and 100% pure love!!!" It reads. I smiled as I thought of how wonderfully healthy this beverage is...Combining the natural beauty of kombucha with the amazing benefits of these super greens. However, I was wary of the taste. Green beverages never strike me as being very tasty, although I have been proved wrong many times.

As Joe and I sat down in the sunshine outside and treated ourselves to a feast of salad, raspberries and pluouts, I slowly opened my kombucha and had a taste. I was pleasantly surprised by the flavor! It tasted just like any normal kombucha! Tart, with a slightly sweet undertone and a bit of fizz. The only difference was that the color was green and the flavor was a bit more mellow and toned down. Good stuff! I definitely give this green drink two thumbs up.

On an unrelated note, we recently brought home another Bengal cat as a playmate for our existing one. Bhajan (brown) and Shardul (white) and turning out to be wonderful friends after only two nights! What a great weekend this has been!

Rawgetarian Sushi!

2006-07-06T22:38:00.000-07:00

Ok, so this post isn't exactly about kombucha, it is about a wonderfully healthy RAW recipe I have created. I did, however, make kombucha while I made this recipe. And because of my passion and dedication to good health, I have decided that this blog would be a good place to share my recipe.

Spread:

1/2 c Pine Nuts
1/4 c Pecans
1/4 c Sunflower Seeds
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp ginger
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp curry powder
5 sun dried tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
dash pineapple juice
1 tsp raw tahini

Process all until it is a thick paste. I chilled this overnight to help set the flavors in more, but it isn't neccesary.

Filling:

Red Onion
White Onion
Carrots
Mushrooms
Zuccini
Olives
Avacado
Bean Sprouts

Julienne very finely and set aside.

Assembly:

Place a nori sheet down and cover bottom 1/4-1/2 with an even coating of the spread. Place the julienned veggies in the middle of the sheet with the avacado on top. Roll tightly and use a bit of the spread as "glue" on the clean end of the nori sheet to seal it up. Slice and enjoy!

A Slight Mishap

2006-06-28T08:39:00.000-07:00

I bottled up a new brew last night and as I have written before, I bottle my kombucha in 16 oz. glass bottles. This makes them convienent for traveling and grabbing some kombucha when I am in a hurry. So this morning, I grabbed a bottle and put it in the side pocket of my bag where it fits quite nicely. I jumped on my bike and rode the few blocks to work.

I got off my bike and walked it into the elevator. By this time my bag had been resting against the top of my thigh. When I got out of the elevator I noticed a rather large wet spot had appeared on my pants! I sat down at my desk and inspected my kombucha.

I must not have screwed the lid on all the way or maybe it had warped, because it had leaked though my bag onto my pants! It wasn't too much, I still have plenty to drink today, but I will probably smell like kombucha all day! This brew packs quite the punch as well! It has a very distinct vinegary flavor and is much more tart that my recent brews. Its yummy, but its a little bit more tangy I'm used to! Maybe I should replace my bottles or at least the lids after a while so this doens't happen again!

The Cool Down

2006-06-27T15:30:00.000-07:00

I have found out that a good way to cool down kombucha is to actually not use as much water during the brewing process. On my next brew, I am going to only boil 1/2 as much water. After the tea has steeped, I'm going to add the rest in as cold or at room temperature. This should cool down the tea mixture much faster!

I was having to let my tea sit and cool for at least a few hours before I could start the fermentation process. If the temperature of the tea is too hot, it will kill the kombucha culture. So this will definitely cut down on my prep time as well as make for a higher quality brew. I have heard that letting the tea mixture cool down for long periods can inhibit the culture growth. Perhaps this will make my brew ferment faster as well?

The Case of the Monster Kombucha Baby

2006-05-02T21:05:00.000-07:00

So, I have been pretty lazy lately. I've been behind on my brewing, and I still have a small amount left from my last batch. I usually bottle up a majority of kombucha from each batch and put it in the fridge. I leave a small portion as a starter for my next batch and leave it in the jar at room temperature until I start my next brew.

I had left my kombucha in the jar for at least a week, and had still not started it. I had heard that if you leave your kombucha out in room temperature, it will form a culture all by itself. Well the rumors are true. After a week I looked at my starter tea and noticed a thin layer of culture forming on the top.

This got me pretty excited, because I have never formed a culture from only the tea itself before. I've only created new cultures from old ones. I decided to let it grow some more, and I wanted to see how big I could get it.

After about a week and 1/2 or so, I checked on it again. I picked up the jar and turned it around, admiring my little kombucha monster baby! I think turning it around caused the culture to sink a little bit, because after that, the culture rested lower under the tea.

For the next few days, I was out of town on a weekend trip in Moab. It was beautiful.

When I returned, I anxiously opened up the cupboard where I was keeping my monster baby. I was quite delighted to find that the culture was still resting below the tea and a new culture had begun to grow on top of it! It was already growing a baby!

I'm not certain how long I can keep this baby growing for. I hope it will develop into a nice sized baby that I can use for new brews. If so, then I can start two new brews at the same time, both with these lovely babies that I have grown from scratch!

We'll see how it turns out!

Bubbly Brew

2006-04-28T13:12:00.000-07:00

Most of us kombucha drinkers of there like our brews to be sparkling and bubbly. I've noticed that some of my brews have been more bubbly than others. The yeasts in the brew converts the sugars to bubbles, and the liquid on the very top of the kombucha that has just finished maturing contains the most yeasts and cultures. This is the best liquid for your starter tea.

Take one cup of tea from the very top right after you remove the mother and the baby. Set this tea aside. Stir or strain the rest of the kombucha and take another 1/2 cup and add it to the tea set aside. Use this for your next starter. I recieved this tip saying that it helps to keep your brews from getting flat and too sweet.

Exploding Kombucha!!!

2006-04-25T09:05:00.000-07:00

Now, I have never heard of this problem before, but then again, I always store my kombucha in the fridge. Apparently some brewers experience the rare case of exploding kombucha. Sounds kind of scary, doesn't it? A lot of kombucha folk store their brew at room temperature after it has finished fermenting. This is because it continues to ferment after it has finished and cooling in the fridge slows down that process.

In warmer climates, the kombucha ferments at a faster rate, and this causes more pressure to build up within stored kombucha bottles. If the pressure isn't released daily, it can lead to disastrously explosive results!

My solution is just what I've been doing all along. Storing my kombucha in the fridge. I've never had a problem with it before. In colder climates when the house is cold, instead of storing my kombucha at room temp to continue brewing, I will just let it brew a bit longer. I prefer my kombucha to be chilled, anyway.

The Basics, Baby!

2006-04-02T15:02:00.000-07:00

I think it's about time to go over some basic aspects of kombucha. I suppose a good place to start may be what is kombucha and why do people drink it? Kombucha, (pronounced com-boo-cha), is a delicately cultured fermented tea beverage. For centuries, people have been drinking kombucha for its reported health benefits. It is often called a "wonder drink".

Millions of people all over the world drink kombucha for a myriad of reasons. The most popular benefit noted is probably the extra energy and overall sense of good health and well being a person feels after having a glass of this sparkling beverage. Some other benefits reported are healhty skin and hair, improved digestion, mental alertness, appetite and weight control, and the list goes on.

I know for myself, that it makes me feel extremely well balanced. My energy levels are effectually doubled after I have a glass in the morning. It curbs my appetite and I think my skin and hair have that lovely, vital "glow" of good health. I think the benefit that I most enjoy, is the way it affects my mood. Kombucha is essentially an anti-depresant to me. I can think of several instances where I was in a less than chipper mood, and after drinking kombucha, I felt like my whole day was turned around. There are some amazing things this drink can do for people. I suppose everyone just has to try it out for themselves to find out.

Kombucha Martini

2006-03-22T17:06:00.000-08:00

Ok, so its not alcoholic. But it looks just as cool in a martini glass. Instead of alcohol, I used Red Bull, (a favorite of a special friend of mine). The proportions were 50/50: half kombucha, half Red Bull.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I took the first sip in my mouth. I wasn't very worried that it would be bad, but I didn't think it was going to taste wonderful either. The flavor ended up tasting passable. My latest brew has a tangier flavor than the last, and the Red Bull smooths down the tartness a bit.

This combination works pretty nicely together, and it serves its ultimate purpose as well. After drinking one martini, I felt much more awake and alert. It really jump starts your energy levels. And on the plus side, it is quite an attractive color!

Bold with a Bite

2006-03-05T22:42:00.000-08:00

My latest brew is a lot more vinegary than my last. I know it is because I let this one ferment at least a week longer. The batch itself is fine, it stills tastes all right and gives me all the great benefits, it just has a taste with a bit more of a kick to it. Some people actually prefer their kombucha to taste more like this, but I prefer mine to be a bit more subtle. I find that it mixes quite well with orange juice. The flavor is a bit strong by itself, but mixing makes it taste quite yummy! The culture came out looking nice. It didn't look quite as nice and healthy as my last one and it was a little bit uneven. One side of the culture grew thicker than the other. It still came out as a nice, healhty culture with great color and size. I hope that it produces one just as nice.

The Perfect Kombucha Container

2006-03-01T19:53:00.000-08:00

As I have stated before, I believe I have found the best receptacle for holding Kombucha. Tall, slender and easily to hold on to, they are perfect for storing and transporting. They are actually bottles leftover from GT's Kombucha. GT is a great company, one of the few commercial kombucha manufacturers out there. The bottle and label design is nice and easy on the eyes. They also have a plethora of different varieties and flavors to choose from. So far, my favorite is Mystic Mango (see my review #1). I also like GT's grape flavor. Perhaps I will do a review on that one next. But one of the best benefits of purchasing GT's Kombucha, is that I can reuse the bottle! The lid screws on, and the glass is nice and thick and very good quality. I like to pour off my brew into the glass bottles first and then the rest in a separate container. That way I have a nice, portable vessel to carry my kombucha around in!

Holy Culture, Batman!

2006-02-28T17:23:00.000-08:00

Now THAT is a nice kombucha culture. This was taken from my last brew that I posted about previously. It is probably the most perfect culture I have grown so far. The color is so even and opaque, and the size is unbelievable! It is probably around 1/2 inch in depth! I can't wait to see what it's baby will look like!

The Right Stuff

2006-02-19T23:26:00.000-08:00

My latest brew has just the right combination of sweetness and acidity. It has smooth undertones to it, and its fizziness is perfect...not too overwhelming but light, mellow and slightly bubbly. This batch does actually taste a lot like sparkling apple cider, like a lot of distributors say. I'm really very impressed with these two latest batches. The cultures are looking very healthy; much more healthy than the batch before.

I had a lovely cocktail at a party I went to tonight. It was a combination of fruit and vegetable juices, but the thing in it that stood out the most was the distinct flavor of ginger. I absolutely love it. One of my favorite commercial beverages I've tasted is Kombucha Wonderdrink's Asian Pear Ginger. It has a wonderful flavor and it makes you feel fabulous! It is the beverage that actually turned me on to kombucha.

I think I might try to make up my own recipe with my own batch and ginger juice. There is something I really like about ginger...I think it combines very well with the kombucha flavor and it is also very healthful. It's wonderful for digestion and about any sort of stomach ailment. It is also said to be good for the circulatory and respiratory tracts, mood enhancement and even menstrual cramps.

I will try out some different flavor combinations and report back on it.

Latest Brew Update

2006-02-15T14:43:00.000-08:00

My latest fermentation is doing pretty good so far. It has been fermenting for about a week or so, and I can clearly see the new baby forming on top. It looks really opaque and healthy. I have two jars fermenting this time so I don't run out again. One jar I started a day or two earlier and the baby is bigger than the other one. I have them both in a cupboard right now with the door open just a crack. When I open the door to check on them, I can smell that vinegary, pungent smell of kombucha, so that is a good thing. I will probably start taste testing my older batch tommorow.

The Taste

2006-02-09T17:15:00.000-08:00

I finally tasted the kombucha I had stored in the plastic container. It actually wasn't that bad. I might have had a slightly less pungent taste to it, meaning it might not have been as potent. Perhaps the glass keeps the kombucha fresher? But the taste itself wasn't bad at all. I think I washed away all the nasty residue that was in the container when I bought it.

I could definitely tell a difference between the two containers, and I prefer the glass. I'm putting that glass pitcher on high priority. Now, if I could only find an affordable one that holds a large amount with some kind of lid. Maybe I can find an online store that sells what I'm looking for. I will look around and report my findings.

Yummy Brew!

2006-02-07T23:47:00.000-08:00

I drank 16 oz. of my latest brew today. I usually don't drink that much of my own brew in one day, although I'm not really sure why. I drink that much of commercial brands all the time. But today, I drank down the whole bottle. I had it stored in an old commercial brand glass bottle. They work really well to hold the kombucha and they are easy to transport. I think 16 oz is a good amount for me to drink, so these bottles are really turning out to be a great thing to recycle.

After my bottle was finished and I had left work, I started to go about my daily business. I began to notice after a well that I was feeling that lovely, exhilerating rush of energy creep into my system. And for a long time after that I felt healthy and revitalized. It was a very nice feeling that I have been missing ever since I have lasped on my raw food diet. I plan to get back on my diet once it starts to warm up a bit. Hopefully pretty soon. In the meantime, I will have to watch myself more and try to incorporate raw foods into at least 80 % of my meals.

I still haven't tried the kombucha that I stored in the plastic bottle yet. I wanted to finish off the brew I stored in the smaller glass bottles first. I will try it tommorow and make a report of it.

Kombucha Review #1: GT's Mystic Mango

2006-02-06T11:38:00.000-08:00

This is possibly my favorite commercial kombucha flavor. It doesn't even look like normal kombucha. Mango puree is added, so the drink has a nice yellow-orange color to it. It seems to have a thicker consistency as well. Almost like a fresh juice, it is smoother and more creamy. It still has that fizzines that we all associate with kombucha, and it still has that tart, pungent flavor. But it also has the sensuous, musky flavor of mango, which I absolutely love.

After drinking one of these 16 oz. treats, I feel very energized and revitalized. I like having my kombucha with juice, and mangoes are one of my favorites, so that makes this flavor combination a perfect match in my book!

Plastic Vs. Glass

2006-02-04T12:07:00.000-08:00

I started up a new batch today. I am a bit worried because I am putting my last batch in a plastic container to store it in. It is a nice container…it has measurements on it so I know how much in is my batch, but plastic is bad for kombucha. It is also a problem because the container is brand new. It has that “funny plastic” smell to it and all I can think of when I inhale is a million different chemicals rushing out to kill my kombucha.

So what to do? The only thing I could think of what to repeatedly wash the container in hot, soapy, scalding water in hopes of burning and cleaning away the excess chemical residue. After a few washings and rinsings, I smelled the container again. The smell was not nearly as pungent, but I couldn’t really tell if it was actually there or not. Hmm…maybe a few more washings and it will be ready.

I’ve heard from almost every source I have researched that plastic is not good for the kombucha and a glass container is best to store and ferment in. Now I think I finally understand why: Plastic has chemical residues that can seep into the culture and cause damage or possibly kill it.

Soon I will buy a really good container to store it in: a large, glass pitcher with a lid. I will store it in the plastic one for now so I can try to monitor the reactions, if any. I have already transferred a portion of my last batch to some 16 oz. glass containers that had commercial kombucha in them previously. That way I have a back up in case the plastic container kills my brew. I wonder what all the other brewers think about plastic vs. glass for fermenting and storing?