Myth #1 - Kombucha is high in caffeine
Let’s start with the basics on this one. Tea leaves naturally contain caffeine, however significantly lower levels than coffee beans. It functions as a naturally occurring pesticide to protect the delicate leaves from unwanted pests. In kombucha brewing, caffeine serves another vital purpose. It is an important nutrient that energizes the yeast and bacteria, stimulating fermentation and providing nitrogen for building new SCOBY cells. Through the process of fermentation the caffeine present is reduced by approximately ⅓ (varies based on length of fermentation). Remaining caffeine is a more stable nutrient than caffeine found in coffee, due to the L-theanine, an amino acid present in tea. This results in calm focused feeling rather than high energy crash.
Myth #2 - Kombucha has lots of sugar
When people first read our recipe that calls for one cup of sugar, they immediately assume kombucha is just another sugar filled drink. While this may be the case for some commercially brewed kombucha, it is certainly not true when it comes to home brew. Our recipe calls for this amount of sugar because it is necessary fuel for the yeast & bacteria (the two components of the kombucha SCOBY, read more about that here!) Using less sugar than needed can lead to weak brew (aka mold!). Without the sugar, fermentation simply could not happen. Fermentation breaks down sucrose into fructose & glucose, which are vital for feeding yeast & bacteria, these two variations of sugar have a lower glycemic impact on your body. The reduction of sugar present in the final brew is dependent on time & temperature, typically sugar is reduced by 50 - 70% in between 7 - 14 days into fermentation. Starting with 1 cup of sugar (200 grams) reduces to an estimated 4-6 grams of sugar per 8 oz and even less if you favor a longer brew.
Myth #3 Home brewed Kombucha is hard and expensive
With a high quality SCOBY & starter liquid and a proper brew method, you are pretty much guaranteed to succeed (we’ve got this part covered for you!)! With the YEABUCHA Brew Method, a lifetime supply of delicious kombucha is only a commitment about 30 minutes per week. The biggest concern for amature brewers is a fear of mold. you’ve got to watch out for is mold, which will corrupt your whole brew. Mold can be airborne from something moldy in your kitchen or be introduced by using poor quality ingredients, especially flavored teas. Even though home brew comes with a higher start up cost, it is far less expensive than store bought! Our brew kits pay for themselves in just a few short weeks. If you are drinking kombucha 5 days a week at $3 a bottle, you’re spending $60 a month, when you could be brewing at home spending just pennies to brew a whole gallon of kombucha!
Myth #4 Brewing kombucha at home is dangerous.
This myth has kept many of our brewers from starting sooner! There is a huge misconception that brewing your own kombucha can produce a dangerous beverage that can make you sick. As long as you are following a safe brewing method, keeping your brew supplies clean and looking out for mold there is no concern about a dangerous brew! We suggest using hot water and white vinegar to clean your brew jar between batches to keep it clean, being sure not to use antibacterial soap (The “B” in SCOBY is bacteria!). And this bacteria is the helpful kind that helps your body and digestion function properly.
Myth #5 You need to be concerned about the alcohol content in your homebrew.
Kombucha is a non-alcoholic fermented tea that contains trace amounts of alcohol which are naturally occuring. These low levels of alcohol draw out the natural healing properties & nutrition from flavoring herbs or fruit and it acts as a preservative. The average glass of Kombucha contains about .5% ABV (alcohol by volume) and can contain up to to 2% ABV, whereas the average glass of wine has about 11% - 13% ABV. Fermenting for a longer time and at a higher temperature can slightly increase the alcohol content of your homebrew’s, however it would be very rare to see alcohol content above 2% ABV.
Myth #6 You need a lot of equipment to brew kombucha.
YEABUCHA exists to disprove this myth! There is not much you need to have a lifetime supply of kombucha, but the equipment you do need should be high quality to last a lifetime and produce healthy kombucha - and we have it all packaged up nicely for you in our Brew Kits! The most important piece of equipment you need is a healthy SCOBY and some strong starter liquid. This is the key ingredient for homemade kombucha and must be procured from a trusted source.
Don’t let rumors and misinformation about home brewed kombucha keep you from enjoying the health benefits of this delicious drink!
]]>We believe the benefits of kombucha made with our tried-and-true method of using organic cane sugar, are well worth the relatively small amount of fermented sugar. We also wanted to see if it was possible to achieve a similar result using an alternative sweetener. For our experiment we selected 5 common sugar substitutes that are considered healthy. We grabbed some extra SCOBYs from our SCOBY Hotel and got to work!
For the experiment, we used: coconut sugar, monk fruit sweetener, brown sugar, agave syrup and maple syrup. We opted for all organic ingredients, and continued to use our YEABUCHA Brew Method, just swapping out one cup of sugar, for the equivalent substitute sweetener. We set out to do 3 rounds of brewing, each with a 10 day F1 and 3 day F2. A few batches were discontinued prematurely when mold occurred. Spoiler alert, it wasn’t worth it for us to use an alternative sweetener. None of the brews came out tasting nearly as good as our typical cane sugar kombucha! Nonetheless, we are glad we experimented with these alternatives to share with you!
Substitute #1: Coconut Sugar
Batch 1: In our first attempt with this type of sugar, the brew took on a dark maple brown color, and a lot of sediment formed in the brew, making it cloudy. It smelled oaky and had absolutely no carbonation (which isn’t a very good sign - remember carbonation is a byproduct of fermentation)! The baby SCOBY that grew was paper thin and grew a small patch of mold in the corner. We tossed this batch and skipped bottling and flavoring for F2. This was the end of our coconut sugar experimentation!
Substitute # 2: Brown Sugar
Batch 1: The brew took on a light brown color, and was surprisingly very cloudy, so much so we couldn’t see the SCOBY in the brew jar. It smelled like normal kombucha, but there was no carbonation, again not a good sign. The new SCOBY grew mold, so we tossed this batch down the drain! That meant no bottling and flavoring for F2 for this batch either!
Substitute #3: Monk Fruit Sweetener
Batch 1: With this alternative, the brew took on a light amber color and smelled pungent and sour, and had no carbonation. We also noticed an increase in strings of yeast floating about, yeast itself is not a concern, but a sudden abundance was abnormal. A very thin, jelly-like SCOBY grew on top, but thankfully no mold with this one! After 3 days of F2 flavored with mixed berry we gave it a taste and can’t say we enjoyed it, but we’ll give it another shot!
Batch 2: After this round of fermentation, small white dots grew all over the thin new SCOBY, and it smelled so pungent and rotten that we could not even bring ourselves to flavor and bottle it. This did not appear to be healthy to drink so it was dumped and that was the end of the Monk Fruit Sweetener!
Substitute #4: Agave Syrup
Batch 1: With this batch, the brew developed a light orangish color, and a haze of yeast grew throughout the brew, which surprisingly looked like floating bats. This batch smelled very sour and had no carbonation, but grew a pretty decent new SCOBY on top, about ¼ of an inch thick. After 3 days of F2 flavored with mix berry, we gave it a taste and would NOT recommend it. There was no carbonation and it was entirely missing that classic kombucha tang!
Batch 2: Again, we saw a light orangish color, though the unusual yeast growth seemed to have subsided. Similar to the first round, this batch smelled very sour and had no carbonation, SCOBY growth decreased this week. We bottled and flavored for a 3 day F2, but could only manage about a teaspoon before dumping this batch. It just was not good, especially when you’re used to delicious home brew!
Substitute #5: Maple Syrup
Batch 1: The brew had an amber color with mild cloudiness. This batch smelled a little more sour than normal kombucha, but it wasn’t too strong! This was the only alternative batch where we saw great carbonation! A thin SCOBY grew on top, fully attached to the Mother. After 3 days of F2 flavored with mix berry, we gave it a taste and it was sweet and tart, with maple undertones. It wasn’t terrible, but 2 sips were plenty for us.
Batch 2: - With the second batch of maple syrup, the amber color remained but cloudiness subsided. The smell stayed consistent, definitely a little off, but not as rotten smelling as the monk fruit experiment. The carbonation was impressive once again, and SCOBY growth was about ¼ inch and appeared healthy. We bottled and flavored for a 3 day F2, and poured ourselves a glass! Can’t say we finished the maple syrup booch...and may have swapped it out for a bubbly glass of the good stuff. Although the taste wasn’t for us, we still wanted to see the experiment through to the final round. This would be the only batch that would make it to round 3.
Batch 3: For the final round, we cut back to ½ a cup of maple syrup instead of a full cup, as the maple sweetness was beginning to become overbearing. This time, the SCOBY grew patchy and bumpy. The brew grew strands of yeast that appeared to be very stringy and form in clumps. Once again, there was good carbonation, and we moved forward with bottling and flavoring for one last 3 day F2. We opened the bottle fresh from the fridge and poured one last glass. It smelled strongly of maple, thought it lacked depth and that classic kombucha tart punch. One sip was more than enough for us!
Through our experimentation we learned a lot and were happy to gain new knowledge. Of all our different batches, the maple syrup was the most successful, yet still left us wanting our classic kombucha. Our final assessment: save the sugar substitutes for baking, and reserve organic cane sugar for your mouth watering kombucha! If you are interested in experimenting with sugar alternatives or something else, make sure you’ve got plenty of healthy SCOBYs in your SCOBY Hotel so you can keep your kombucha going strong!
]]>Kombucha shrubs can be made to taste like any fruit of your choosing, they are low in sugar (don’t let the 1 cup of sugar scare you; it breaks down significantly during the fermentation process), and include ZERO processed ingredients or additives. Kombucha shrubs add bold flavor and big nutrition to your favorite drinks with little effort. A shot of this probiotic rich syrup can add delicious flavor profiles to any beverage.
Shrubs and drinking vinegars have been around for centuries, turning up in written accounts all over the world from Great Britain to China and here in the U.S. Even earlier in history, we can read in the Old Testament about Ruth serving a vinegar-based drink while working in the field of Boaz. Shrubs and drinking vinegars have withstood the test of time because of their convenient preparation and complex taste. They add a kick and a punch to your favorite cocktail or recipe, and who couldn’t use an extra dose of probiotics in their life?!
3 simple steps to make a kombucha shrub:
* Use kombucha that has been brewing for 2 or more weeks.
Just like brewing kombucha, you get to decide you preferred taste. If it is to your liking, place the jar in the refrigerator, if you want it more tart, leave it out of the fridge until it reaches your desired taste. The longer it sits out, the more tart it will become. Add a shot of shrub to your favorite cocktail or carbonated beverage for a sweet, tart & fruity flavor.
]]>The acid content of vinegar is especially beneficial when it comes to enhancing flavor. A splash of this probiotic rich vinegar can add delicious depth of flavor to dressings, sauces, marinades and broths. Flavored kombucha vinegar can be used as a substitue in a recipe that calls for red, white, or apple cider vinegar. It can be drizzled on salads or wraps as a dressing or added to a pan sauce to develop flavor. If you make bone broth, sprinkle kombucha vinegar over the bones first to draw out minerals and nutrients while enhancing the flavor. Kombucha vinegar makes a great addition to any kitchen, use it generously to enhance flavors and naturally support digestion because of the probiotics and digestive acids that naturally occur in kombucha.
Fermented vinegars have been use for cooking and drinking for centuries, turning up in written accounts all throughout Europe and Asia. Kombucha vinegar is wonderful because of the convenient preparation, complex taste and digestive benefits.
3 simple steps to make kombucha vinegar:
* Use kombucha that has been in F1 for 2 or more weeks.
Drinking kombucha may help beautify your skin from the inside out, but it doesn’t have to stop there.
We have created an Organic Kombucha Face Mask made from a probiotic culture and a choice blend of therapeutic oils that will give your skin a glowing complexion. Our face mask acts like a mild acid peel that detoxifies and exfoliates the skin. It has a mild astringency that balances pH and kills blemish-causing bacteria. It promotes new cell growth by increasing the blood flow and oxygen on the surface of the skin. The nourishing oils provide deep moisture and help reduce the signs of aging, giving you brighter, more radiant skin.
Curious to learn more about kombucha? Check out our quick reads or pick up a kit and start home brewing.
]]>While drinking kombucha often helps pregnant women feel better, homebrewers get the added bonus of using SCOBYs from your hotel for a wide range of natural remedies.
]]>There are a few different ways you can use your extra SCOBYs to help with some of those less-than-desirable changes that come along with pregnancy. Whether or not you still enjoy drinking it, here are 3 ways SCOBYs can help heal skin irritations that may occur during pregnancy:
Check out one of our previous quick read on for more details on SCOBYs and Skin Care, and even our SCOBY face mask (that can be used all over the body!)
]]>We were on the hunt for both black and green loose leaf teas that were organic & sustainably sourced that we could provide for you at a low cost. Traditionally, black tea has been used to brew strong and healthy kombucha, making it the perfect tea to include in our kits. We also wanted to find the perfect green tea that could be used to help rebalance the bacteria and yeast, for more experienced brewers.
We persisted through rounds of tea testing until we finally discovered our perfect match: Organic Black Colombian Tea from Bitaco Tea Farm. Grown in the clouds at 6,000 feet in the Andes Mountains, Bitaco Tea Farm is committed to growing the finest tea in South America. The three tenets of the farm’s mission resonated with us deeply: sustainable farming, social responsibility, and environmental stewardship.
Today, Bitaco is overseen by Paulo, a farmer who cares deeply for the quality of his tea. He is highly knowledgeable about the relationships between the different species in this unique ecosystem. Instead of pesticides, Paulo and his team depend upon the citronella plant and the birds to protect the tea leaves from insects. In return, Paulo cultivates new plant growth with saplings and the birds are conserved in this natural sanctuary with plenty of food. These mutually beneficial relationships on the farm reminded us of the relationship between the bacteria and yeast seen in kombucha brewing and we knew this was meant to be our tea!
The farm itself is located in a nature preserve and creates jobs for many of the locals. They are committed to creating a better world:
We know our dollar has power which is why we choose to support a tea company that is radically empowering people and making the world a healthier place. PLUS they provide us with a beautiful tea, perfect your home brew at a low cost! When you purchase a YEABUCHA kit (which includes a 3 month supply of tea) or either our black or green teas, you are supporting this mission and can see your dollar go further too!
]]>Summer is ripe with so many delicious fruits and home gardens abound with fresh herbs. It is the perfect time to switch up your go to flavors for something fresh and seasonal. We have found new inspiration during these days at home and we are so excited to share them with you!
Chop the fruit into pieces that will fit in your bottles. Split the fruits evenly between all your F2 bottles
Cut the mango into pieces small enough to fit in your bottles and split the mango between your F2 bottles. Add 1-3 cilantro leaves to each jar.
Juice the lemon and remove seeds. Drop a small pinch of dried lavender or a small sprig of fresh lavender to your F2 bottles. Add a few drops of lemon juice (about 2 tsps for a 32 oz jar) and a pea sized drop of honey.
Bonus Flavor: Hibiscus Lemonade - a YEABUCHA Brewer Recipe!
Boil water and steep hibiscus flowers for 15 minutes then strain and stir in sugar until dissolved.
Evenly divide the tea, ginger and lemon juice into F2 bottles.
So get your ingredients and take that f2 up a notch for summer. And let’s celebrate that in spite of all the uncertainty— we have good BOOCH every week. Nourishing the body, mind and spirit by drinking a delicious fruity elixir of life.
If you aren't home brewing yet, what are you waiting for? Get you kit here today
]]>One of the many great things about kombucha is that it is a very resilient ferment. Additionally, SCOBYs have an incredible ability to adapt and find balance within each brew. As you fine tune your brewing method and find your optimal flavor profile, you will quickly notice if something is not quite right with your brew. Pay attention to signals your brew might be giving you. Here are some of the most common signs that indicate your brew needs to be rebalanced:
If you find your brew is off in one of these areas, it is a pretty clear indication that your brew needs to be rebalanced. There are several aspects to this process, but they all involve simple steps that can get your brew back on track. Unless you have obvious mold or flies- there is no need to completely toss your SCOBY and brew. Start with the basics and review what you are doing and using. Home brewing uses only a few ingredients, make sure they are sourced well!
Water: We have found tap water and fridge water from filters that have not been changed, can lead to the introduction of bacteria that throw off the taste and odor of your brew. If your booch smells off, try using a gallon of distilled water or bottled water or replacing the water filter and purging the line before using the water to brew.
Tea: Make sure you are using organic black tea free of “natural flavors.” We have made it easy to sustainably and affordably keep on hand with our 3 month supply of loose leaf tea. Check out the deals we offer our brewers! Also, when you brew your tea, pay attention to how long you allow it to steep. We’ve all gotten distracted before (guilty), but allowing your tea to steep for more than 6-8 minutes can negatively affect your brew. Set a timer.
Sugar: Don’t skimp on sugar when it comes to your brew. It acts as fuel and is eaten up by the bacteria and yeast during fermentation. If your SCOBY doesn’t have proper fuel, it may not perform well and your brew could be negatively affected. Organic cane sugar is necessary for your kombucha to properly ferment.
SCOBY + Starter liquid: Make sure you always leave room for 1-2 cups of strong starter liquid at the top of your jar. Take your extra SCOBYs out of your brew jar. We recommend having no more than an inch of SCOBYs in your active fermentation jar. Keep those extra SCOBYs safe in a SCOBY hotel!
If your brew is still off, don’t worry! We’ve got a few more tricks up our sleeve to help you get your kombucha groove back.
Location: Double check where you’ve placed your brew. Is it undisturbed, warm enough and have ample air flow? Ideal brewing temps are in the mid to low 70s, which means seasonal weather changes can affect your brew. We recommend placing a towel or cutting board between your brew jar and the counter, or placing a heater in the vicinity of your brew jar during colder months to help maintain comfortable brew temperatures. (Be careful not to overheat as this can cause a yeast overgrowth).
Yeast: Yeast related issues can be adjusted based on your brew. If you have too much yeast, strain your liquid and discard the last ¼ cup. You can also use a fork to pull out long strands of yeast from your brew jar and discard them. On the flip side, if you need more yeast, pull half of your starter liquid from the top of your jar and the other half from the bottom of your jar where you will typically find a higher concentration of yeast.
Tea: Our final tip to help rebalance your kombucha brew is to prepare your sweet tea with half black and half green tea. Even if you’re not completely sure what the specific problem with your brew is, rebalancing with tea will help you get back to normal. We have found that brewing with this combination can be very beneficial to retaining healthy SCOBY growth.
We hope you have a better understanding of what is going on in your brew and feel empowered to rebalance whenever you need to. Cheers to happy brewing!
]]>Many of our brewers, like most new parents, are overly concerned about taking good care of their SCOBYs. When they encounter something unexpected, things can quickly turn to full on panic. Relax, take a deep breath, and remember SCOBYs are resilient, unique, and grow at their own pace-- kind of like babies. If you're following the YEABUCHA method to brew, chances are extremely high that you are doing a great job caring for your precious SCOBY. Even with our simple method, SCOBY growth and appearance may change from brew to brew. As with all living things, there is an ebb and flow to growth, and none of that should affect the taste of your kombucha.
Growth: SCOBYs are living organisms, this means that growth won’t always look the same every time you brew. That is FINE! Sometimes it may take longer to start growing, sometimes it will grow very quickly. You may grow thick, smooth, light SCOBYs for a while and then suddenly get darker lumpy SCOBYs. Seasonal temperature changes will likely affect your SCOBY’s growth by growing thicker in the warmer months and thinner in the cooler months, as fermentation slows with temperature decreases. Typically, 3 - 5 days into fermentation, you should see a thin new disc beginning to form on the top of your brew. As you approach 7-10 days, a healthy brew should give you roughly a ¼ inch thick SCOBY. But remember this is an average, every brew (and brewer) is unique!
If you are noticing consistently poor SCOBY growth that may be a sign that there is an imbalance of bacteria and/or yeast in your brew. Here are 3 quick tips to boost SCOBY growth:
Location: Did your SCOBY sink to the bottom of your brew jar and you think it died? It didn’t. Did your SCOBY hang out in the middle of your brew and you questioned if it was giving up? It wasn’t. Did your SCOBY try to escape from your brew jar and climb up the top? Push it back down and don’t let it go anywhere. That is from the CO2 that is released during respiration. The location of your SCOBY does not signify health. Remember, it’s a living organism and is not going to be predictable 100% of the time.
A new SCOBY should always grow on floating top of your brew, but the location of the Mother SCOBY could be at the top or on the bottom, or somewhere in between. The starter liquid acts as your protective barrier the first couple days while a new SCOBY baby grows. This is why it is important to source your SCOBY and starter reputably (we do not recommend trying to grow one from store bought booch). Depending on the location of the Mother, the new SCOBY may not be attached as it grows. You can still put both SCOBYs back into your brew. In fact, we recommend keeping the Mother and all the babies together for at least 5 weeks. After that, you will want to separate them because too much SCOBY will cause the brew to taste vinegary before proper fermentation has occurred (and will take up too much room in your brew)!
Appearance: Each and every SCOBY has its own unique appearance. It can be lumpy or smooth, whitish in color or yellowish brown. It could be evenly thick all around and missing a hole in the center or ½ inch thick on one side and almost nonexistent on the other. Some SCOBYs look dry, while others appear wet. Some SCOBYS feel like jelly and turn into a blob when you pick them up. Some SCOBYs have bubbles of carbonation (on the bottom or top), others may have brown strands of yeast stuck in them. A mother SCOBY will turn darker shades of brown the longer it has been in tea and over time the old cellulose begins to break down and fall off. The more you get comfortable with how funky a healthy SCOBY may appear, the less intimidating and worrisome they become. If you don’t like the looks of your SCOBYs swap them out. For extra reassurance, head over to our SCOBY Gallery and browse through the range of appearances a healthy SCOBY can have.
Strong and healthy SCOBYs
There you have it, SCOBYs are weird and won’t always grow the same, look the same or hang in the same spot in your jar, even if your brew method never changes. Don’t be worried or panic about your SCOBY, follow the YEABUCHA method and keep your home brew happy and healthy. If you already brew, but don’t 100% know what you're doing,we will help you repurpose your old supplies grab a kit and we will guide you every step of the way!]]>Don't Go It Alone!
When you brew with YEABUCHA you become part of our brewing family. This gives you exclusive access to us, the YEABUCHA sisters, and our community of brewers for ALL of your brewing questions. We know from experience that you likely will have questions at some point on your brewing journey, even with our 3 step brew guide and blog resources. We value your time, and we appreciate that you've decided to support our sister-owned small business, which is why we're here to answer all of your brewing questions quickly and concisely. Instead of wasting your time and energy scrolling and sifting through differing information on the internet, just reach out to us! We've got your back. We've been brewing, experimenting and trying out all things kombucha for years, and we love sharing what we know with our brewers.
High Quality and Safe Ingredients
Just in case you're still on the fence about a YEABUCHA Brew Kit and contemplating capitalizing on that Prime Membership to get your jar and “grow - a - SCOBY” in 2 days...here’s a bit of expert advice: that might not be the best idea! The quality of your mother culture is of the utmost importance. Your SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast) and starter liquid are alive. For this reason, a SCOBY should never spend time in a warehouse, a refrigerator, or be dehydrated. Believe it or not, a SCOBY purchased from a random seller could have experienced any of the above. Since kombucha is made with just three ingredients, you want to make sure they are the best. Our SCOBYs are grown to be the perfect size for your brew vessel, using the highest quality, organic ingredients and the purest filtered water. Your YEABUCHA SCOBY lives comfortably in a SCOBY Hotel until it is ready to be shipped. We securely hand package your starter culture in an airtight environment to preserve and protect the health and well being of the SCOBY while it makes its way to you.
You can count on the quality of a YEABUCHA brew kit. When you brew with us, you get healthy and delicious kombucha every time you brew, including the very first time!
Predictable Results
Lastly, the convenience of having truly EVERYTHING you need to successfully brew sets our kombucha brew kit apart. When you piece together your brewing tools, directions, SCOBY and starter liquid, it is easy to find yourself questioning if you’re ready to commit. The simple task of home brewing can suddenly feel overwhelming, even when you are really excited to start brewing and think you have everything you need. We know how this feels because we’ve been there! One YEABUCHA sister (who shall remain nameless) was actually given a SCOBY and starter, got all the things, read all the how to guides and even watched some youtube videos, but she still wasn’t confident that it would all work or be safe to consume. Eventually the SCOBY made its way to the compost and that gallon jar found a home in the pantry. We don’t want this to happen to you! Our kits make it so easy and give you predictable results because our method is tried and true. We’ve gone through all of the trouble of researching, testing and retesting to put together exactly what you need. Already brewing and don't want to waste the supplies you've got? We also have some great ideas on how to put anything you may have already gotten to good use, including starting a SCOBY hotel or adding on a second (or third) brew with an I NEED MORE BOOCH!
Our goal is to help you enhance your life and your health with home brew kombucha. We carefully hand selected every aspect of our brew kit to provide the highest quality ingredients and tools at the lowest possible cost for our brewers. Check out just how much you will save when you brew with a YEABUCHA kit (without taking into account just how much you'll save when you don't have to buy all of your booch at the store)!
Order your Kombucha Home Brew Kit today and enjoy all the benefits of kombucha. Our community is thrilled to welcome you!
]]>As a home brewer, watching your kombucha brew change and grow everyday, it’s normal to get attached to your SCOBYs! In each batch brew, the mother culture grows a new baby SCOBY on the top of your brew jar each time your brew. As you continuing to brew, you’ll find yourself with a whole bunch of SCOBYs.
We don’t recommend leaving too many SCOBYs in your brew as it will start to make your kombucha taste vinegary before your brew has had time to properly ferment. At YEABUCHA, we find that a lot of our brewers don’t feel right about throwing away a SCOBYs they’ve nurtured for so long. So what is a kombucha brewer to do with all these precious SCOBYs?
First things first: Open up a SCOBY Hotel. A SCOBY Hotel is really easy to set up and it gives you a safe place to preserve extra SCOBYs. Grab one of our SCOBY Hotel Kits and set it up the next time you brew. Transfer your SCOBYs to a hotel for safekeeping and secure your ability to brew indefinitely. Should anything ever happen to your brew (neglect, mold, vinegar worms, etc), a SCOBY hotel allows you restart right away with a new SCOBY and starter liquid. Plus a SCOBY hotel makes sharing with friends & family super easy. Just be sure NOT to stick your SCOBYs or hotel in the fridge!
As it turns out our natural inclination to want to save our beloved SCOBYs is leading us in the right direction because SCOBYs can be used in so many different ways. SCOBYs will be safe and healthy in your hotel until you are ready to use them in some of our creative ways below:
Let us know your favorite alternative ways to use kombucha SCOBYs in the comments below or share with us on our Facebook or Instagram pages. We love engaging with brewers and hearing your ideas!
If you haven’t noticed, we LOVE using SCOBYs and kombucha for our skin, it turns out kombucha is just as good for your outside as it is for your insides! You’ve got to try our Organic Kombucha Face Mask, we swear it’s a miracle worker!
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Compared to many other DIY activities and hobbies, the start up costs to home brew kombucha are pretty minimal (check out our array of home brew kits here). However, we cannot emphasize enough importance of starting your home brew with the highest quality culture (SCOBY). Beginning your home brew with a healthy mother will set you up to grow countless, healthy baby SCOBYs and a lifetime of delicious kombucha.
Today the internet is full of pictures and stories of people who have grown a SCOBY from store bought kombucha. While this method can produce a SCOBY, we find it does not produce quality kombucha. Let’s break it down, here are 3 reasons why we do NOT suggest growing your own SCOBY from store bought kombucha:
While trying to grow your own SCOBY may be a fun science experiment, we would stay away from using it in the kombucha you are brewing to drink with your friends and family. Ultimately, it can set you back and produce a lower quality brew than we think you deserve. At YEABUCHA, we make sourcing high quality SCOBYs easy and affordable. By purchasing a YEABUCHA brew kit you also get the support of the YEABUCHA sisters and our exclusive brewer community every step of your home brew journey. Put our SCOBYs to the test, and grab our favorite kit today.
]]>Kombucha helps detoxify the gut & aid in digestion. Kombucha is full of enzymes and healthy digestive acids that help lower the Ph of the stomach and help digest food. To put it simply, this helps things move along easier after meals and also helps your body utilize the nutrients in your food. This is why new kombucha drinkers should start at about 4 oz at a time, followed with 4 oz of water. Too much too quickly could cause discomfort, but over time, you will find you crave kombucha and feel great consuming it throughout the day.
Kombucha turned out to be the one thing I could tolerate for a particularly tough 3 week stretch where I couldn’t keep anything down. Ginger mint home brew kombucha helped me so much. I normally have a glass of kombucha 3 times a day (first thing in the morning, mid afternoon and sometime in the evening), so it was part of my routine to start my day drinking it. I had hopes the ginger and peppermint would soothe my feelings of nausea, and it truly did.
I love good food and really enjoy cooking healthy, paleo-ish food. Having no energy or desire to cook is hard, but I’ve learned to accept this season is not my normal and someday I will eat my greens again. It felt really great knowing that while my diet looked very different (I have lived mostly on lemon chicken soup and arroz chuffa), kombucha is a daily source of vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Plus, kombucha makes these good things bioavailable (easy for my body to use and absorb), so me and my baby enjoy the benefits.
I try to limit my caffeine during pregnancy. With my first daughter I had zero, with my second I had a little and this time around I am having less and less. When I started drinking kombucha every morning, it naturally took the place of my morning coffee. During pregnancy it still gives me a boost of energy to start my day, and pushes me through the afternoon. I also love how it settles me in the evening. Kombucha is an adaptogen, which means it naturally gives me an energy boost when I need it, or it can help relax when that is the goal.
I am feeling much better these days, but still struggle with nausea and extreme aversions from time to time. Kombucha continues to help me feel better and I wanted to share how it has helped me with any other mamas who might be struggling out there.
When it comes to kombucha, always trust your gut especially during pregnancy. If your body does not want to drink kombucha take a break until it appeals to you again. These nine months are worth all the sacrifices! Once our sweet baby arrives, provided drinking kombucha continues to settle well for me, I will continue enjoying my daily kombucha and benefits as I nurse!
If you are interested in brewing your own kombucha, get set up with our deluxe home brew kit that really has everything beginners need to get started!
]]>Here are 3 things to know about sugar in kombucha:
1. Yeast eat the sugar and convert it into CO2 and ethanol. This means that by the time you drink your kombucha, there is MUCH less than you originally brewed your sweet tea with.
2. Bacteria eat the ethanol and release amino acids, trace minerals and vitamins into the kombucha.
3. Kombucha helps the body balance blood sugar because during fermentation sucrose breaks down into fructose and glucose making it easier for the body to use.
We love that home brew kombucha tastes so good, is good for your body, and is still low in sugar. With about 2-6 grams of sugar per 8 oz serving, kombucha is certainly on the low sugar end of the spectrum.
Consider the sugar content for 8 oz of other common drinks:
As with anything you add into the health and wellness routine for your family, we recommend starting with small amounts of kombucha. Every kid is different and we wouldn't want you to start with too much too soon, so we encourage you to check out our quick read on the 3 Things to Know Before Drinking Kombucha. We’ve found its best to start slow with a 4 oz glass each morning and see how your child responds. As you see how it affects them, feel free to give them more. If you are ready to dive into the world of homebrewing, click here to grab you brew kit!
]]>Small batch kombucha typically goes through 2 fermentation processes before you drink it. During this transformation, the sweet tea you begin with turns into fizzy kombucha with a myriad of health benefits for the mind, body, and gut.
Only a couple of ingredients are needed to get the fermentation process going: black tea, sugar, a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (a.k.a. a SCOBY), starter liquid and water. Kombucha fermentation is fueled by sugar and caffeine in your tea, and your final product will have only trace amounts by the time it reaches your glass.
The first fermentation (F1) is the process in which bacteria and yeast break down the added sugar and metabolize it into acids and carbon dioxide. The fermentation has aerobic and anaerobic processes, so the fermentation vessel needs to be covered for protection, but not sealed to allow air flow. The longer you allow the first fermentation to go, the more sour and vinegary the tea will become. We generally recommend allowing F1 to last between 7-10 days when batch brewing.
The second fermentation (F2) occurs after the SCOBY is removed and fruits, herbs & spices are added to flavor the kombucha. During this time fermentation happens again at a slower rate. The tea will continue to become less sweet as it absorbs the flavor profile and color of the flavoring agents and the yeast continues to feed off the remaining sugar & fruits. We recommend doing your F2 in a sealed bottle or jar, and placing in a dark space with little airflow for optimum flavor. To put an end to F2 and get that booch ready to drink, after 2-4 days of fermenting and absorbing flavor, move your brew to the refrigerator!
Brewing kombucha depends on a balanced, symbiotic relationship between the bacteria and yeast that leaves you with a sweet and tangy tea. High quality ingredients are the key to maintaining balance. Additionally, finding the optimum number of days for each ferment that pairs with your unique taste buds and preference of sweet and sour! A well rounded brew is fairly easy to come by, but may take some experimentation. If you haven’t found your perfect brew try out our 3 personal preferences:
Briana: 10 days is my magic number. Depending on how my week goes, I do a 7 or 8 F1 and 2 or 3 F2 for a grand total of 10 days of brewing from start to refrigeration. I live in a warmer climate and do not add days in cooler temps.
Brooke: I prefer a 12 day fermentation. I usually do a 7 or 8 day first ferment and I always do a 4 day second ferment. To me the different between 3 and 4 day F2 is significant! In the winter when my brew is in the low 70’s I do a 10 day F1.
Brittany: My ideal brew time is 11 days, I like to do an 8 day F1 & 3 day F2. It’s still slightly sweet, and perfectly bubbly. I don’t always have time to brew on day 8, so sometimes I go a little longer, but unless I am out of my stash, I always do a 3 day F2. In the colder months, I always extend both fermentations by 1-2 days for optimal bubbles.
Try your own experiments in fermentation. We always recommend to new brewers to stick one bottle in the fridge after day 2, 3 and 4 of F2 to see what you like best! When experimenting with kombucha in anyway, we also recommend keeping a SCOBY Hotel. SCOBY Hotels are an easy way to store your extra SCOBYs in case something goes awry in your brew. If you should ever need to start over, you’ll have a fresh SCOBY and starter liquid ready to go!
]]>At the same time, sugar is a vital component in the fermentation process when brewing kombucha. Sugar in kombucha is broken down into fructose and glucose to feed the bacteria and yeast. When consumed in its natural form and in moderation, sugar actually helps our bodies perform critical functions. It is important to be aware of the source and amounts of sugar we consume, which is why we think kombucha is an excellent option for your daily dose, especially for our kids!
In a world full of “fruit candies” that are filled with artificial chemicals and sugars, we found fruit “candy” in our home brew kombucha that provided a great, real alternative. We've also discovered that kombucha doubles as the perfect alternative to soda! When brewing with fruit during second fermentation, you produce fizzy (infused with CO2) and tangy (slightly fermented) fruit, which we affectionately refer to as kombucha candy. We’ve gotten in the habit of saving the fruit from our second fermentation and enjoying it chilled! Some of our favorites include grapes, blueberries & apples. But consider yourself warned, your people may fight over them! For us, it was the most delicious fermented food we had ever tried. We often double our fruit during second fermentation just so we have more kombucha candy to go around! Curious about fermented foods?
Check out 3 Incredible Benefits of Eating Fermented Foods:
Want to get into some kombucha candy? We haven’t seen it sold in stores (yet) so you get to make your own! Grab a YEABUCHA brew kit and get on your way to both home brew kombucha and kombucha candy!
]]>If you’re a kombucha brewer, you’ve definitely seen yeast before. We get lots of questions about what that brownish stringy stuff is that’s floating around your brew or growing along the bottom of your SCOBY. Don’t worry, it’s not mold, its just yeast! While it might not be the most attractive part of home brewing (and can even make your brew look a bit cloudy), yeast plays a critical role in the fermentation process and helps carbonate your kombucha by releasing carbon dioxide. We personally love to pop a bottle of booch with lots of carbonation.
So if you’re noticing some brown stringy stuff growing around your SCOBY or in your brew, don’t worry about it. If you see something in your jar that green and white that looks like mold, check out our quick read about what causes mold.
Not enough starter liquid & a weak SCOBY - If you compromise on quality, you open your brew up to the potential of moldy invaders. (Don’t worry-when you order your kit from YEABUCHA, you’re guaranteed to get the highest quality SCOBY and strong starter liquid). Make sure you always save 2 cups of starter from your F1 brew and make sure to not separate the layers of a single SCOBY - you need that thick barrier to keep the mold out.
Cold brew - Continuously having your brew temperatures fall below 64 degrees will slow down the fermentation process. Remember, it’s the fermentation that produces the acidic environment which keep unwanted mold away. Keep your brew strong and healthy by keeping the temp in mid 70s - if it sounds like perfect weather to you, you’re SCOBY will love it too!
Brewing with flavored tea- When you introduce oils and other flavor compound into the first fermentation phase of your brew, the environment within your brew is altered. Essential Oils or other chemical flavoring, aka “natural flavors” may make the tea taste delicious, but it can harm the SCOBY, (which will inhibit the natural protection of your brew). We source the highest quality, organic black tea, that we know grows beautiful SCOBYs and brews delicious booch. If you want to try using flavored teas be sure to use only organic blends without any additives.
If in the off chance you do end up running into mold in your brew, you’ve got to throw it away. It unfortunately cannot be washed off or removed, and once it’s there it will continue to grow back. Go ahead and compost that batch and start fresh from your SCOBY Hotel! Didn't have a SCOBY Hotel set up? We’ve got you covered with our Single SCOBY to restart your brewing!
Below is a photo gallery of moldy SCOBYs.
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Fill and Seal - The less air you leave in your second fermentation (F2) bottle, the better! So when bottling and flavoring, be sure to fill your bottle all the way to the top. Seal them tight and store in a dark closet with limited air flow for 2-4 days. Our bottles that come with the deluxe kit create a super tight seal which is perfect for locking in the carbonation (don't worry, we sell them separately if you want them!). *Fun fact, F2 is where most of the carbonation you enjoy is produced! As the yeast continues to break down any remaining sugar (plus sugars in the fruit), it produces the CO2 we love so much. Certain fruits naturally produce more carbonation than others, so try adding in ginger or strawberries to your next batch to see how it affects your carbonation.
Let it Warm Up - Your brew might be a bit too chilly to get the results you’re looking for. We aren't the ONLY ones who slow down when it’s cold, yeast does too!! Instead of taking a bottle of booch out of the fridge and opening it right up, let it sit on the counter for 5 - 8 minutes. Before opening, tip the bottle over one time so the sediment on the bottom starts to move, just don’t shake it.
Pull More Yeast in Your Starter Liquid - Yeast is responsible for breaking down sugar and producing CO2. In your brew jar, yeast tends to hang out at the bottom, while all that good bacteria stays closer to the top. Instead of pulling 2 cups of starter liquid for your next batch from the top of the brew, take 1 cup from the top and 1 cup from the bottom. This should only be done one or two consecutive times and then return to pulling starter liquid from the top to avoid throwing off the balance of your brew.
Loving your kombucha but tired of fight off your family for your precious stash? We've got the hook up with our "I Need More Booch" Kit, we get you set up to have a second batch up and running! Haven't even started brewing yet? Pick up your deluxe kombucha kit today!
]]>For BB we use 1 gallon glass jars to ferment tea. Each batch involves brewing sweet tea and mixing it with water, starter liquid and a SCOBY. First Fermentation (F1) is complete after 7 days. Here, you test the flavor and decide whether or not to begin the second fermentation (F2) or wait a few more days (up to 14 days for F1). For F2, you bottle and flavor the kombucha with your favorite fruits and herbs, then let it ferment for an additional 2-4 days prior to placing it in the fridge. There is no maintenance or extra attention required in between brews. After you complete your first batch you will fall into a rhythm of enjoying your home brew each week while the next batch ferments. Every time you brew with BB, you have the opportunity to remove older SCOBYs and yeast, and clean the brewing vessel. The best part is that when you follow our 3 Simple Steps to Brew and Flavor instruction card, it only takes about 20 minutes of hands on time every 7-10 days. (click here to see).
CB uses a larger vessel (2-5 gallons) with a spigot. The SCOBY is never disturbed because kombucha is removed from the tap and fresh tea is poured on top. Sweet tea must continuously be added to replace any kombucha tapped from the vessel. This means adding sweet tea in to replenish your vessel every time you tap it. Brewing time for CB can be anywhere between as 4 to 25 days. Over time the starter will become too strong, the SCOBY too big and the kombucha will be too sour. At this point a good deal of maintenance goes in to trimming the SCOBY, cleaning the vessel and spigot and then restarting the brew.
Now that we’ve got the terminology out of the way, here’s 3 reasons why we prefer batch brewing:
While it has been said that CB takes less time and is lower maintenance— we’ve found the opposite to be true! We have simplified the batch brewing process to make it easy, fast and convenient. You can’t beat 20 minutes a week that gives you consistently delicious homemade kombucha! Ready to get started? Pick up your kombucha brew kit today!
]]>Thankfully, drinking kombucha has shown to have many great benefits for women, and can help ease these symptoms by rebalancing the body. Here are 3 effects drinking kombucha can have on your cycle:
Wellness in the body starts with a healthy gut and properly functioning internal systems. With the way kombucha effects us, it's no surprise kombucha can also help pregnant women and nursing mama's too. Our favorite (and definitely the easiest) way to keep our guts healthy is by loading up on probiotic rich food & drink...perhaps a glass of home brewed kombucha?
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Ready to start home brewing kombucha? Pick up your kombucha kit today get ready to have a new favorite hobby!
]]>Brewing kombucha at home is not only fun, but easier than you might think. Kombucha is a fermented beverage that requires just about 20 minutes of hands on time every 7-10 days. Not only is it delicious but it is full of health benefits. Check out our video for directions to see how easy it is to home brew kombucha in our 3 easy steps!
Ready to give it a try? Our home brew kits include everything you need to make delicious, all organic kombucha. Click here to order you kit today!
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These images above are ALL HEALTHY SCOBYs. They can be discolored from yeast, bumpy, have holes, etc. If you have mold it will look like sandwich mold you see on bread pictured below.
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We believe pregnancy is an incredibly beautiful and miraculous experience, but for many women it doesn’t come without its fair share of unpleasant side effects. Drinking kombucha is an excellent way to hydrate the body. It is also a well known panacea for many digestive issues that are brought on during pregnancy. If your pregnancy is causing the following issues, drinking kombucha may offer some relief: Heartburn, Constipation, & Indigestion
We've also noticed that drinking kombucha during pregnancy has helped manage anxiety! Cheers to a happy, healthy pregnancy! And don't forget kids and kombucha make a great pair.
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