Introducing Kombucha: The drink praised for its healthy properties and once known in China as the ‘Immortal Health Elixir’
Kombucha is a sweet fermented tea that is growing in popularity as a health-promoting drink. It’s made by fermenting tea using a Kombucha culture also known as a scoby (a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast). This feeds on the sugar in the tea and produces healthy bacteria. This basic tea can then be added to with various fruits and juices to create some truly tasty drinks that are great for your gut health.
- 2.5 litres of water
- 4-6 tea bags (at least 2 of which should be black tea bags)
- 225g white sugar
- 1 kombucha culture (scoby)
- 3 tbsp of cider vinegar (or 300ml of Kombucha from a previous batch)
EQUIPMENT
- 3 litre glass jar
- Muslin cloth (to cover)
- Bring 2.5 litres of water to the boil. Turn off the heat and add 225g of white sugar and 4-6 teabags then stir. Leave for 15 mins before removing.
- Leave the mixture to cool further until it reaches room temperature. Then add 3 tbsp of cider vinegar (or kombucha). Pour into the jar.
- Add the scoby. Do not add when hot. If the scoby is added when the liquid is hot, it will prevent fermentation. It is important that air is allowed to circulate around the kombucha mixture, so seal with a muslin cloth.
- Once you have the desired taste (after about 7-10 days), with clean hands remove the muslin and scoby. Top your jar with a lid and store in the fridge to keep fresh.
- You can then store the scoby along with a small amount of the kombucha in a jar ready to use for your next batch.

Ginger Citrus Mocktail
Once you’ve made your basic kombucha tea, you can then infuse it to get a fresh and fruity taste.
- Ginger, roughly 5cm in length.
- 350ml pure orange juice
- Oranges (optional)
- Finely grate the ginger down into small pieces.
- Add into the kombucha along with 350ml of pure orange juice. For an extra fresh orange taste, add in the desired amount of oranges and let sit for 2-4 days at room temperature.
- You can taste test this each day until you achieve the desired taste.
www.kilnerjar.co.uk