what is kombuchi tea?

Answer 1

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Kombucha is the Western name for a fermentation of sweetened tea using a Kombucha Colony usually consisting of Bacterium xylinum and yeast cultures.

The tea contains a symbiosis of yeast species and acetic acid bacteria, mostly Bacterium xylinum. Species of yeast found in the tea can vary, and may include: Brettanomyces bruxellensis, Candida stellata, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Torulaspora delbrueckii and Zygosaccharomyces bailii. The culture itself looks somewhat like a large pancake, and is often mistakenly referred to as a mushroom.

Preparation
There are many ways to prepare kombucha.

In one method, the beverage is made by placing the culture in a jar, usually a 3 liter glass container, then pouring in cold black tea with sugar. In about 8-12 days, the first portion of the beverage is ready; part of it is removed for consumption, and more tea with sugar is added to fill the jar. A mature kombucha is several centimeters thick and produces a portion of beverage every day. Once a month or two, the liquid needs filtering. If it becomes too sour, remove it, wash the kombucha in water and leave it for a night in clear water, then replace it with its usual sugared tea environment. As the kombucha slowly grows, from time to time slices are taken off it, which can be used to start new kombuchas in separate containers. Approximately ten percent of the liquid from each batch is typically kept as a "starter" liquid for the next preparation.

Another method allows for the bottling and saving of kombucha for later consumption. As in the previous method, the culture is placed into a large glass jar (gallon-sized pickle jars work very well). Boil 12 cups (about 3 liters) of water, then add one cup of white sugar and let the mixture boil for about five minutes. Next, remove from heat and add five tea bags (black or green only; do not use herbal teas). Let the tea steep (covered) until it reaches room temperature, and then pour it into the jar containing the kombucha culture. Cover the jar with a towel and let it sit for seven or eight days (may be slightly longer in colder environments). After this time, pour the kombucha drink into air-tight glass bottles (re-used sauce jars work well also), leaving enough tea with the culture so that it floats a couple of inches off the bottom (this is called the starter tea). Put the filled bottles in the refrigerator for a few days before consumption. This allows the flavor to deepen, and the natural carbonation to build up. Repeat the process as desired, but do not leave the kombucha culture in only the starter tea for longer than two weeks, as it will start to dry out.

Each time the kombucha culture goes through the fermentation process, it creates another layer. After three or four layers have built up, the tea will become sour and taste somewhat like vinegar. At this time, it is important to remove one or two of the layers, which are then either discarded or used to start a new batch.

In every step of the preparation process, it is important that hands and utensils (anything that is going to come into contact with the culture) are kept extremely clean so as not to contaminate the kombucha.

Answer 2

Kombuchi Tea is a natural elixir brewed for thousands of years in Russia, Germany, China, Japan, Australia and many other countries. Kombuchi is an anti-bacterial containing glucuronic acid which is a building block for connective cell tissue. Kombuchi also has an anti-biotic effect containing vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B12 and vitamin C.

Kombuchi has been called ÒThe Ultimate System Cleanser, A Remedy of Immeasurable Benefit In These Toxic TimesÓ ÑNew Age Journal, December 1994. Researched for over 35 years in the USA, Kombucha helps: Balance the metabolism, raise energy levels, helps to detox the body enhancing the immune system, improves liver, gall bladder and digestive function, Cleans the blood and regulates the acid/alkaline levels.

Answer 3

I had never heard of it before, but I found this website...

http://www.kombucha.org/