Friday, February 27

Kombucha

Ok my pretties,  I promised a blog post about my experience of brewing my first Kombucha (Kom-boo-cha) batch.

I’ve bought this amazing fermented drink filled with probiotics numerous times.   It is a little bit tart and a little bit sweet.  It is basically a fermented tea.   I have a couple of coworkers that brew their own and they have brought me samples to taste.   It really put a spark to my curiosity.  You mean I can make my own?   My daughter mentioned that she loved this stuff.  I did a bit of research and found several items on Amazon and bought a few of the necessary supplies for her as a Christmas gift.  She has made several batches and has really enjoyed it.  I finally made the decision to finally try my own experiment.

I went to Amazon and bought a few of my own supplies.   I knew I needed a gallon glass jar (never use plastic, metal or pottery).  I also bought a book and some 16z beer bottles. (if you click on the picture, it will link you to Amazon)

book bottle jar

 

The first thing you need is a SCOBY (Symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast).     My daughter gave me one of her SCOBY’s.  If you don’t have someone to donate one to you.  Amazon also sells them.    I bought one as part of her Christmas kit.

scoby

I sterilized everything before I started .  (I am a little anal about cleanliness. After all I am married to a Microbiologist.) 

RECIPE:

16-20 tea bags.   (I used Stash – Green Tea decaf)

1 Cup evaporated Cane Sugar (Do not used processed white sugar.  Remember….. think healthy.)

14 Cups filter water.   (If you have chlorinated water, let it sit for about 30 minutes for the chlorination to evaporate.)

2 Cups pure fruit juice.   (fresh squeezed,  bottled,  your own juiced fruits etc)

2 Cups of Kombucha  (for my first batch, I used store bought Synergy Green tea at room temperature. You can find this in the produce section at local stores. Or refrigerated section at organic stores such as Whole Foods, or Rosaurs)

1 funnel

8 16z beer bottles with tops

Heat 6 Cups of filtered water to 170 degrees. (around 200 if using black tea)  Add 16-20 tea bags.  Cover with a lid and let seep for 4 minutes. 

Remove the tea bags.  Add 1 Cup of can sugar and stir to dissolve while tea is still hot. (never use metal tools to stir)

Add the 8 Cups of filtered water to your gallon jar.  Then add the hot tea to the gallon jar.  (this will cool the tea quicker.)

Let the tea cool to 70-75 degrees.  Once tea is cool,  add 2 Cups of Kombucha and gently stir  Now gently add your SCOBY.  It will float on the top of the tea.   Cover the jar with a cotton towel.  Never use cheese cloth, it is too porous.  ( I use a white cotton flour sack towel.)   Wrap a rubber band around it to hold it on. 

IMG_20150219_183449 IMG_20150222_140909

Keep the brewing tea in a warm area to brew.   The tea needs to stay between 70-75 degrees.   If it gets too cool, the SCOBY may die.  If it gets too warm, bacteria and mold can grow and contaminate the SCOBY and tea.  This rarely happens. You have to be very careless to grow mold.

After 7 days, get a clean straw, stick it under the growing SCOBY and sip a small taste.  Is it tart enough for you?  If not,  let it sit a day or two longer…You don’t want it to over ferment.    7 days turned out to be perfect for me.  Do not be alarmed if you see brown yeast stands growing.   I kind of freaked and text my daughter then googled it.   I was reassured that everything looked like it should.

It is now time to bottle the brew.   Sterilize your bottles, including the tops.   You want to be sure to get bottles that withstand pressure.  The second fermentation adds the fizziness and zing to the Kombucha. 

20150225_161022

Gently remove the SCOBY and put in a sterile container along with 2 Cups of the tea.

20150225_160947

I then poured my Kombucha, through a strainer into a gallon pitcher.   This will catch most of the yeast strands.    I then added 2 cups of room temperature fruit juice to the  Kombucha.     (I bought some organic concentrated Pomegranate juice and made my own.) 

juice 

Gently stir the tea.  It is now ready to add to the bottles.   My funnel was a little to big so I had to gently pour directly into the bottles.   I then tightened down the tops.  This was the hardest part of the entire process. (my batch make 7 3/4 bottles.)

20150225_162919

It then had to sit for two more day (2nd fermentation) at room temperature.   It is now ready to put in the fridge. You must do this to stop the fermentation.  It can turn very vinegary.  (some people do this on purpose so they can use for homemade dressings)  

You can now use your SCOBY for a second batch.   My SCOBY is a little bigger and not quite ready to separate.   Each batch grows, or starts growing a baby SCOBY which can be separated and given to a friend, or you can put them in your current jar of tea you’re brewing or you can keep in their own jar which some call a SCOBY hotel.  

I have pinned quite a few links with ideas and helpful hits for brewing your own SCOBY.  I encourage you to read some of them and read the health benefits of drinking a glass of Kombucha a day.     My Fermented foods board also includes links to other homemade fermented products such as  yogurt, kimchee, kefir and more.   You can find it HERE. (or click on the picture.)

k

Now it is time for the taste test.   Sometimes little SCOBY’s or yeast strands will start growing in the bottles.  After refrigerating they will sink to the bottom.  It is important not to shake the bottle to mix things up.  (Keep them on the bottom.)  You will also see this in store bought Kombucha.

The results are in….. I may need to add 1 more day of brewing before the 2nd fermentation.  My Kombucha is very mild but tastes great.

20150227_195848

 The second batch is now on day 2 of brewing.

20150227_200221

What are you waiting for?  People have been brewing this for thousands of years.  It first started in Russia then gradually moved around the world.  I found one Instagrammer that has used the same SCOBY for over 20 years.   Isn’t that amazing?!

If you decide to wait between batches, simply put your SCOBY in the fridge so it will be dormant and be ready when you are.

Be brave and try it.  I suggest you go buy one at the store and taste test to see if you even like it before you invest the money to start brewing your own.     

Let your inner Biologist out to explore!

Photobucket
Pin It!

Monday, February 23

Blog Hop

I'm so excited to be part of the first ever Krafty Friends Blog Hop featuring Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps' Krafty Friends! The blog hop is filled with creations by customers, design team members and friends of KKS and we're so excited to share some of our creations!
Feel free to start the hop from the beginning at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog Then hop around and check out all the fabulous designs! Be sure to leave a comment at each stop because there will be prizes and giveaways to some random commenter's !
                                                                            krafty krop graphic2

Not only can you comment to win, we'd love to have you JOIN the blog hop by posting your own design!! Just post a new creation featuring a Kraftin' Kimmie Stamp and link it up to the main blog post and you'll not only be a part of this fun hop, but you'll be entered to WIN more goodies!! You have until February 28th!

I used my new Kraftin’  Kimmie stamp JULIE.
 
I cut the base into a 4x4 card using plain white cardstock.   For the patterned paper, I used CTMH – X7194B Hopscotch.  This paper is available from the seasonal expressions book which is only good through March 31st.    Colors include Colonial White, Flaxen, Glacier, Indian Corn Blue, Ponderosa Pine, Smoothie and Sunset.  I love this My Reflections set of paper.

                                    20150221_165521 20150221_165527

I stamped the image on plain white cardstock using black Momentum ink.  I have the best luck with this brand of ink when using copic markers. The image is colored with Copic Markers.    I added a little bit of Seam binding ribbon, a button, twine and and some bling.
                                                                              20150221_165509
   
I hope you enjoy my card along with the rest of the Blog Hop. 
                                                                         
                                                                              20150221_165502 




Photobucket
Pin It!

Friday, February 6

Kraftin’ Kimmie part Deux

Here are the last two entries from last weekend's Kraftin’ Kimmie card challenge.   We had a week to complete the cards.   If you’re interested…  you still have a day or two to create a few cards.    You can earn Kimmie points to go towards more of her fabulous stamps.

#5 – This card had to have something inside and out.

20150206_210815 20150206_210833

I used some older Stampin’ Up cardstock and the Kimmie – Going places stamp.   I colored the image with copic markers.  I cut out a couple of clouds and put stickles around the edges.   I distressed and used a journaling pen to line along the edge.

#6 – This card had to have bling for extra points.

IMG_20150206_222040

Using Kimmie’s stamps is not a requirement but suggested.  Because I had used all of the stamps of hers that I own,  I used a CTMH stamp on this card.   It is a sneak peak of an upcoming stamp of the month that will be available for purchase in June.    I added stickles on the cone and some of the lettering.  I also outlines some of the paper.   There are a couple of little baubles on the edge.  And… of course it is distressed.

Edited to add this additional photo.

I found a couple more Kimmie stamps as I was cleaning off my stamp shelf so I made this card for #6 challenge, too.

IMG_20150207_161149

This is Talullahbelle.  I used CTMH My Reflections paper X7193B -  Heartstrings Paper Packet.   It is only available through March.

It has been fun doing this challenge.  My creative juices are now flowing and I have a lot of ideas floating around in my head for future projects.

 

Be Creative!

 

Photobucket
Pin It!