A few weeks ago I suddenly got on a kombucha kick and got a SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) from my friend Kierstin. Kombucha is a fermented tea that’s rich in probiotics, enzymes, and B vitamins. Many cultures that date back hundreds of centuries frequently consumed fermented foods and drinks for health benefits.

One dozen bottles of kombucha

Kombucha isn’t that hard to make as long as you have all the right supplies, counter space, and patience. After about two weeks of fermenting, I thought mine wasn’t working because I used a fragrant Chinese tea instead of the traditional black or green tea, but it turned out a new SCOBY was growing on top. The SCOBY has a unique texture, a mix between rubbery and slimy. 

A few days ago the flavor peaked, so I decided it was time to bottle it and do a secondary fermentation, allowing the kombucha to carbonate and develop more flavor. I bought some heavy-duty glass bottles and made six different flavors: plain, strawberry, cherry, blueberry, blueberry-ginger, and pineapple. I thought having a variety is beneficial in case one doesn’t turn out…. That way I won’t be stuck drinking a bad flavor over and over again!

Enjoying cherry-flavored kombucha while watching the swans.

This evening, Luis and I cracked open a bottle and enjoyed it while watching the swans on Lake Janse. The secondary fermentation still has more to go, and I’ll let the rest of the bottles sit for another two days before trying another one.