You’ve probably heard the name, you might even know it’s a fizzy drink, but what exactly is kombucha? Kombucha is a fermented probiotic drink that is made from tea, sugar, a ‘SCOBY’ (a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast), and a starter liquid (some premade kombucha liquid). During the fermentation process, the good bacteria from the scoby eats the sugar in the tea, and what results is a fizzy, slightly sour fermented drink that is actually very low in sugar and in calories, and is extremely good for you (even if you’re quitting sugar)! It is generally made with black or green tea and can be flavoured with fruit juices, spices and herbs.
Why drink it? Kombucha has been consumed for thousands of years for its medicinal properties, but it has received a lot of attention in the last few years for the role it plays in digestion and gut health, which are considered integral to overall health and wellbeing. This is because the gut determines which nutrients are absorbed by the body and which toxins, allergens and microbes are kept out. Plus, your entire immune system is protected by the gut, and you have more neurotransmitters in the gut than in your brain. So naturally, this is a very important area of our bodies that we want to keep as healthy as possible. Kombucha is a probiotic that will provide your gut with the live bacteria and yeasts that are needed to keep your gut balanced and healthy.
I have been brewing my own kombucha for over six years, and I love it. To my mind it is the easiest and cheapest way to make your own probiotics at home, and when flavoured with fruit and left to carbonate it tastes really delicious! It is a really easy fermented food to incorporate into daily life –we have a 3pm kombucha ritual, right when you need a little pick-me-up and the sugar cravings are setting in.
If you are interested in brewing your own kombucha, I would absolutely recommend my complete online kombucha course - I promise i’ll leave you feeling confident to get brewing! You can also order my starter kit below which has everything you physically need to get brewing! I’ve also got my favourite kombucha crocks for continuous brew, as well as my favourite bottles for your secondary fermenting (to make it flavoured and fizzy!). I also host a few Kombucha classes in person sporadically, you can check out my upcoming classes here.
Once you’ve purchased your SCOBY or online course, make sure you join my Kombucha Krew Facebook Group so we can continue to support you on your brewing journey!
