Kombucha is conquering Hollywood and social media. Stars, starlets and influencers swear by the fermented tea drink, the origin of which is Asian folk medicine. What’s behind the hype and how you can make kombucha yourself.
Have you heard of Kombucha? The tea drink with the sour taste is currently conquering social media and has become an indispensable part of trendy cafés, bars and organic supermarkets. But the drink with the unusual name is not that new. Some may remember a “kombucha wave” in the 1980s and 90s that mainly rolled through the United States. Even then, it was very popular to make your own fermented drink. It is slowly establishing itself in this country too. But what’s behind the hype?
From hippie tea to trendy drink
Kombucha is celebrated big on social media. It is said to have a health-promoting effect. With regular consumption you should feel more energetic, the drink should also support digestion and the immune system, relieve the liver and thus contribute to an inner balance.
It is also often consumed as a natural alternative to coffee. Since the drink is made on the basis of green or black tea, it contains the active ingredient tea. In contrast to the caffeine in coffee, this is absorbed rather slowly and evenly. It doesn’t work so quickly, but the invigorating effect is gentler and lasts longer.
Last but not least, Kombucha scores with its taste. The soft drink tastes sweet and sour, tingles slightly on the tongue and is a little reminiscent of cider. The type of tea used for fermentation can vary the color and taste of the drink.
What is Kombucha?
Kombucha is a fermented tea drink. Different types of tea are fermented with the help of a tea mushroom. The tea fungus is a community of various microorganisms, bacteria and yeasts – a kind of gelatinous mass – which is why the Kombucha culture is also known as SCOBY (“symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast”) will. During fermentation, tea and sugar are metabolized into a refreshing drink. This should not only make the drink tasty, but also bring numerous health benefits. The fermentation should produce various vitamins, organic acids and important nutrients. During fermentation, the added sugar turns into alcohol and acetic acid, lactic acid and gluconic acid. This makes kombucha taste sour.
Kombucha is primarily used as a carbonated, sweet and sour alternative to lemonades or other soft drinks. The drink was originally part of Asian folk medicine and is mainly sold in health food stores and health food stores in this country. As a ready-made drink, it can also be found in the food and beverage trade.
Where does the fermented tea come from?
There are many myths and legends about the origin of the kombucha. However, the drink has its origins in Asia – probably in East Asia, Japan or China.
The first legend, which comes from China, refers to the year 247 BC. BC as the year of origin of fermented tea. Its enjoyment is said to have promised eternal life back then. Another legend has it that kombucha was introduced by the Japanese samurai in the tenth century. Allegedly they used this to recharge their batteries for the next battle and are said to have carried the “miracle drink” on their hips. How much truth there is in the legends will probably never be finally clarified.
The fact is, however, that kombucha has been an integral part of the diet of many people in Russia, Japan, China and India for a very long time. At the beginning of the 20th century, the drink is said to have reached Europe via Russia and the Balkans. Here it enjoyed a rather small fan base. Nowadays, Kombucha is an absolute trend drink and it is celebrated on social media.
Healing effect
Kombucha is said to have a healing effect. This should have a positive effect on the immune system, metabolism and blood count. Even with blemished skin or cardiovascular problems, the fermented drink is said to be able to bring about a significant improvement – but none of these theses has been scientifically confirmed. Only a positive effect on digestion and intestines has so far been proven.
Like other fermented drinks, the microorganisms of the kombucha can have a positive effect on the intestinal flora. The drink has a slightly laxative, antibacterial effect, which can be attributed to the content of acetic and lactic acid. Unlike homemade kombucha, industrially produced kombucha is pasteurized for reasons of shelf life. This kills the microorganisms in the fermentation drink and thus destroys the positive effect.
Recipe for homemade kombucha
ingredients
- 1 kombucha mushroom (available online or in health food stores)
- 100 milliliters of finished kombucha
- 90 grams of whole cane sugar
- 1 liter of filtered water
- 8 grams of green tea
- 1 large glass jar (1 liter)
- 1 breathable cloth
- 1 rubber
preparation
- Bring a liter of water to a boil in a large saucepan and add the green tea.
- Simmer gently for twelve to 15 minutes.
- Drain the tea. Add the sugar and stir in until it has completely dissolved in the tea.
- Let the sugar-added tea cool in a glass vessel to at least 25 degrees room temperature.
- Add 100 milliliters of finished kombucha.
- Wash off the kombucha mushroom and carefully place it in the container. It is important to first add the kombucha to the cooled liquid. Hot water would destroy the living bacteria, yeast and proteins.
- Cover the opening of the vessel with a breathable cloth and secure with a rubber band.
- Let the kombucha ferment for seven days.
- Carefully remove the kombucha from the kombucha liquid and remove any tar residue with lukewarm water.
- The kombucha mushroom can be stored in bottled kombucha liquid (this acts as a new starter liquid) for the next fermentation.
- Optional: filter the liquid through a very fine sieve to remove individual small parts of the Kombucha mushroom.
- Pour the liquid into a sealable glass vessel and let it ferment again at room temperature for about two days. Natural carbon dioxide can also form here.
Note: The finished Kombucha drink has a shelf life of up to six months and should be stored in a cool and dark place. When the kombucha is bottled, the fermentation process is not automatically stopped. Over time, the kombucha becomes a little more acidic and gets more natural carbonic acid.
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