Spooky (SCOBY) Season

Happy October, and welcome new subscribers! I love seeing so many of you here post-conference.

Libra Season

We’re coming out of eclipse season, a period of disruption, turmoil, or redirection. It’s in these challenging moments that we need a trusted network for support. And amid multiple genocides, natural disasters, and political upheaval, the strength of our networks of community care is put to the test. As Libra season winds down, we can still reflect on the work we’re doing to create the interpersonal bonds that will carry us through a changing social landscape.

Conference Recap

Thank you to everyone who attended the Sustainable Healer workshop at the Sacred Vibes Spiritual Herbalism Conference. It was my first in-person workshop in a few years and it felt really special to share with you all. Many of you missed my Homemade Kombucha elixir earlier in the day, so this month’s newsletter is all about home-brewing Kombucha. Who better to learn from about networking than a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeasts?

Homemade Kombucha

Kombucha is a fermented beverage made from tea leaves, water, sugar, and a Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeasts (SCOBY). Fermented beverages are the product of a chemical reaction in which yeasts convert sugar to alcohol and acid compounds. In Kombucha, sweetened tea is converted into alcohol and acetic acid. Fermented foods and beverages have many health benefits. Most notably, they are a good source of probiotics, which can support a healthy gut microbiome.

The star of Kombucha is the SCOBY. You can purchase a SCOBY starter kit online or get a SCOBY and starter liquid from a friend who brews (tap into those networks 😉). You can also grow a SCOBY from a store-bought bottle, but I don’t recommend this if you’re serious about brewing quality Kombucha. Commercial bottles of Kombucha are chilled and may have additives that will prevent the SCOBY from growing properly. It will also take 6+ weeks to grow a SCOBY from scratch that’s big enough for fermenting. Nevertheless, it is a fun little science experiment, so I include the how-to for growing a SCOBY in the bonus file at the end of this newsletter.

Ingredients

• 1 SCOBY and 1 cup of strong Kombucha liquid (purchased, grown, or from a friend)

• 8 unflavored black tea bags (16 tsp of unflavored loose black tea)

• 2 cups of boiling water

• 6 cups of room-temperature water

• ½ cup of white sugar*

Instructions - Primary Brew

1. Brew black tea: Add tea bags to 2 cups of boiling water and steep per instructions for strong tea (usually 5 minutes).

2. Remove the tea bag and add tea and room-temperature water to a gallon glass jar.

3. Add the sugar and stir the mixture. Cool the tea to room temperature.**

4. Place the SCOBY in the jar. It may sink or float. Cover the jar with a muslin cloth and a rubber band to allow airflow and keep fruit flies out.

5. Let the brew ferment for 7-14 days. Taste periodically after day 5. The longer the brew ferments, the more tart it will be.

^{*I highly recommend using white sugar. It’s not for you; it’s for your SCOBY! Honey, agave, brown sugar, or coconut sugar will affect the quality of your Kombucha.}

^{**The optimal temperature for brewing Kombucha is 68 - 78 degrees Fahrenheit. The SCOBY will die if placed into freshly boiled tea.}

You can drink your Kombucha after the first brew. Strain your Kombucha and start a new batch with your existing SCOBY. You can reuse your SCOBY indefinitely as long as it’s healthy (i.e., no mold and it continues to produce a new layer with each batch).

If you want to flavor your Kombucha or add more carbonation, you can do a secondary brew inside an airtight container.

Instructions - Secondary Brew

1. Separate SCOBY from your brew.

2. Add the Kombucha to an airtight glass bottle, preferably one with a narrow neck like a flip-top bottle.

3. Add fruits, herbs, or other flavorings directly into the bottle.*

4. Seal the jar and ferment for 1-4 days. Burp the jar at least once per day.

^{*Carbon dioxide (what makes your Kombucha bubbly) is a by-product of the yeasts converting sugar to alcohol. For bubblier kombucha, use fresh fruits or other ingredients high in sugar in your secondary brew. A longer ferment will also produce more carbonation.}

I have so many Kombucha tips and recipes, but to keep this newsletter short and cute, I’ll include the rest of the deets in a downloadable file:

Homemade Kombucha - Downloadable File