CoNgRaTuLaTiOnS! If you've made it to this blog post and are reading this you have made it to the end and have created your first, from scratch, batch of kombucha! That, or you are interested in making it to the end. Meaning you are not completely disgusted by the slimy growing organism in your closet! ;)

For a little refresher if you are to this point in kombucha making you have successfully grown a starter 'scobie' and then have moved onto making a larger batch. This is the final step to build upon making that larger batch to make it into kombucha!

Now, you are ready for the best part - - adding flavor!



You get to be completely creative. Letting the sky be the limit. Plus, in just a couple of days you get to drink the probiotic deliciousness you just created AND the next batch will come much sooner than starting from scratch. If you keep your scobies healthy and you keep using the new one that forms on the top, then you can just keep on making batches 'till the end of time! But, if you would like to slow the process -- how dare you think that though ;} -- for example if you are going on vacation you may put your scoby in a relatively new batch of tea-sugar-water in the refrigerator. The cold will make it grow much, much slower but won't harm your scoby.

I'm even going to get a second container to get a second batch going at alternate weeks. So, hopefully, with it being warm out it'll take two weeks for the batch to be done but we will have one done every week. If you have a strong scoby in one batch you could also experiment with the second batch. I found something on making {coffee kombucha} and while it seems you have to watch it much more closely I'd definitely be interested in trying it! Although I do wonder if there is any caffeine left from the coffee for the human or if it all gets used by the scoby.


Hmmmmmmmm!?

But I digress!  Back to adding flavor to your brew.  Flavoring kombucha is quit simple. You just chose flavors that you love and add them to your kombucha in a very cute container (of course) and see what happens! In fact, I was just generally thinking about foods that I love and dark chocolate is one of them and now I'm wondering what it would taste like if you put some dark chocolate syrup in with some kombucha. Again:

Hmmmmmmmmm!?

Experimentation is the name of the game when it comes to personalizing your kombucha flavor.

Cute containers are also a must when making your own kombucha. That way, when your out and about and drinking your delicious homemade goodness it gets even more attention. Whether you use mason jars that you love, or old vintage bottles, or funky bottles that you find at TJMaxx -- my favorite place ever! -- or larger versions (I actually found mine in a Fresh Market grocery store filled with lemonade), now that you've spent so much time making your kombucha, you should show it off in appealing glassware!
You do want to select a container, of whichever variety you chose, that is seal-able and pretty air tight. In order for your flavors to get fully saturated into the kombucha you will want to nurture them through a 'second fermentation' for a couple of days. You'll have a nicely carbonated kombucha that way as well. Once your kombucha is flavored and carbonated, you will need to put it in a refrigerator. If you let it carbonate too much, I image you could get exploding bottles!

Okay, so that may be a bit of an exaggeration but still!

Just be careful!

Another safety note: always make sure you wash hands and utensils regularly before working with you kombucha. Remember, it is made using living bacteria and we only want to put healthy bacteria in our guts, bad bacteria would probably cause you to have a not very fun day! If your scoby does get moldy -- yes, you do just have to throw it out and start over again.

Sigh. I know, it's painful.  But it's for the best.

Although, if you have two batches going then you'll have a back up! It really all depends on how much you want to have and how often. My husband and I think kombucha is a wonderful summer drink that's nice and cool and carbonated and refreshing that provides good stuff for your tummy and comes in an endless array of flavors!



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Author: A Dash of Delish educated by: Cultures for Health
Recipe Type: Drink
Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS & METHODS:

• whatever you would like to use to flavor!!!