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any Kombucha mamas?  

post #1 of 20
8/18/04 at 12:53pm
Thread Starter 
I'm expecting a starter today and am excited! Weird to be excited about a yeast/bacteria sponge...

Anyway, how long have you been drinking it and do you have any personal changes to share? I'm in pretty good health, so I'm not expecting any miracles. I liked the commercial stuff I tried and am always looking for something to maintain good health.
post #2 of 20
8/18/04 at 2:28pm
I love Kombucha, I drink it a few times a week. I buy G.T.s Kombucha or Synergy. It definatley gives me energy, and I swear it has helped me loose my after baby weight. I am really interested in hearing how it goes for you making it yourself. I'm sure it has to be alot cheaper, considering it is $4 a bottle. Let me know about your experience!
post #3 of 20
8/18/04 at 5:08pm
Thread Starter 
I'd love to lose a little baby weight. It's been MUCH harder this time around. May I ask how much you lost in what time frame? I have tried the GTs and Synergy and liked them both. But it IS pricey! I'm hoping I am successful doing it on my own.
post #4 of 20
8/18/04 at 6:12pm
Kombucha stimulates your metabilsm, burns body fat and helps control appetite, all that helped alot , along with working out, and eating healthy. I lost my extra 40 pounds by the time my baby was about 10 months.
(I'm starting to crave a gingerberry now!)
My girlfriends were also dropping baby pounds from it.
beside that , there is so much more goodness that comes along with drinking it.
Have you recieved the kit yet??
post #5 of 20
8/18/04 at 7:31pm
Thread Starter 
Not yet! Should be any minute now, though I'm about to head out to teach a class tonight, so may miss it! I hope dh treats it well! Anyhow, I have just gotten back into small workouts again. That's been the hardest for me having two now. Can't seem to find the time to work out. So I have signed up for a dance class once a week and am trying to do some weight two or three times a week. That with the Kombucha should be a great combination! If you're interested, after I get the hang of it all, I could possibly send you a baby of mine...
post #6 of 20
8/18/04 at 8:00pm
Me I've been making it for a while now. It is so yummy! I have a 2 gallon crock on, a 1 gallon jar & a couple of other big jars all brewing. I still struggle to believe it is good for me as it tastes so nice. I have been told you should not sell it either - only give it away. I certainly have so many mushrooms now I am having to store them in the fridge!

I made some chai kombucha the other day that was so tasty. dh actually likes it too!!!

Is the stuff you buy quite sweet ?
post #7 of 20
8/18/04 at 8:55pm
OK - you guys have peaked my interest!! What is Kombucha? What is supposed to be so good about it? How do I get it?
post #8 of 20
8/19/04 at 11:26am
Thread Starter 
paniscus, here's a link to some Kombucha info: http://w3.trib.com/~kombu/
There's a lot there, but the very first thing you see is a brief description. VERY brief! Dig in as far as you wish.

OK, all, I messed it up already! The mushroom I got was for only a quart, but I used the NT/Sally Fallon recipe, which is for three quarts. After reseaching online and reading a book, I thought, "OK, I just need to pick one recipe/method and stick with it." So I just skimmed the recipe that came with it and skipped that it was for a different amount! So, after already brewing the tea and adding my starter and mushroom, I removed two quarts with a ladle. Now, I think I should be OK and only need to get some more starter to add, since that will have dissipated throughout the three quarts. What do you think? Esp. Ocean Momma, since you look like a true guru!

I MUST know about this chai kombucha recipe! Please share! And, since I have no point of comparison, I don't know how sweet it is compared to homemade. But, when I sampled it, it was with someone who has made it in the past. She said it tasted pretty much like the store bought.


If I screw it up, how willing are you to share a baby?
post #9 of 20
8/19/04 at 2:03pm
yitlan, I was looking on the link you provided, and i was suprised to see that it said it is made with white sugar!! I know the G.T.'s kombucha or synergy is made without any sugar or corn syrup. Anyways, sorry you messed up a little, hopefully it will turn out okay.
This is definately making me want to look into making my own. Especially after hearing about chai kombucha, now that sounds soooo yummy!!!!
Keep us updated on your experience!
post #10 of 20
8/19/04 at 2:45pm
Thread Starter 
The ingredients list on GTs lists "100% organic kombucha" as the only ingredient. It may be made with organic sugar, but it HAS to have sugar. That's what the bacteria and yeast feed off of. Now, they consume it all, so you don't get any of the ill effects, but there MUST be white sugar in order to make it.

Well, I added the commercial tea as starter. We'll see how it goes!
post #11 of 20
8/19/04 at 4:30pm
:LOL not sure as I would be a guru. I just improvise with mine. I got given a mushroom in a cup of tea by a guy in town who gives them away free. I don't see how the mushroom can only be for a certain amount as I have made wildly varying amounts with my ones.

The first time I got a new mushroom, I gave the old one away. Then promptly thought I'd killed it as it got this wierd skin on top that looked like white mould. I left it on the fire surround for ages & it stayed looking like white mould. Then I forgot about it. One of my friends came around & I could see her staring at this ugly jar with what looked like a thick layer of white mould on top so I thought I should throw it out when she'd gone. I went to do that & it was a big thick new mushroom on top. Since then I have sussed that the skin you get on top is the new mushroom. Sometimes if the neck of the jar is small enuf, it will form a chunky mushroom. What I do is put the skinny mushroom in the new batch & fill the jar up to the top so it fattens up.

With the chai, what I did was made a chai spice concentrate. Cinnamon stick, slices of ginger, a few cloves & some crushed cardamon pots simmered for a few hours in water. Add it to the tea when you add in the mushroom & the cup or so of the previous batch.

I've made mine with brown sugar. Apparently you can use honey too but you need to watch the raw ones as they are too antibacterial & kill off the culture. I still don't think it consumes all the sugar as it tastes like soda to me. Albeit very very nice soda

Edited to add: it is very forgiving in terms of the recipe you use. If you forget a cup of the last batch - it just takjes longer. I put way too much sugar in once & I ended up just diluting it with more unsweetened tea after a week & left it for another 10 days or so. I never follow a recipe but I have found the key to a decent flavoured brew is to use nice strong tea.
post #12 of 20
8/27/04 at 2:59am
Thread Starter 
I "harvested" my first batch today! I didn't kill it and I grew another mushroom. But it was very sweet, at least compared to the commercial stuff. And it wasn't fizzy at all. So I'm thinking I needed to let it sit a bit longer. I left it for about 8 days, I think. I have started another batch and will leave it for 10, I suppose. I'm giving away the original "mushroom" tomorrow and using my new one for the new batch.
post #13 of 20
8/31/04 at 4:40pm
Got my baby shroom today. I'm boiling water now and am going to use green tea to make for the 'brew'.

Kinda nervous, as you have to let it sit out for 8-10 days, hope I don't screw it up!!

SUSE,

How's your's doing, I figure you got to be getting close to drink time since you had yours??? Or are you still brewing it?
post #14 of 20
8/31/04 at 5:27pm
still brewing! (i'm using kukicha, roasted twig tea with white sugar.) i am v curious about sugar alternatives- i know you use rapadura for lots of stuff, xenabyte, but in addition to not being able to *find* it, i have yet to figure out why it would be better than any other organic dried cane juice product (which i do use.)

it will be done the day i am going for an out of town trip; i will have to bottle it up the day i'm packing last minute stuff! glad i already have bottles, caps, capper etc. (i will bring some to drink for my 20 hour drive, for sure. i can see myself trying to convince the highway patrol my beer bottles contain a refreshing fungus beverage...)

suse
post #15 of 20
8/31/04 at 6:12pm
But Officer, really, it's just a 'shroom brew'...oh wait, that doesn't sound much better! :LOL

Hey, do I HAVE to bottle and cap it? can I just pour some into a mason jar and 'seal' by screwing on the lid? I have some beer bottles (courtesy of hubby), but no reusable lids!! Can I 'cork' it?
post #16 of 20
8/31/04 at 6:51pm
i sure don't know, but if you are not plastic-phobic, sandor katz has mentioned using 2 liter soda bottles for doing beer in! (i need a corker, too- the capper is cheaper & easier.) i don't like plastic, but if you get desperate...

suse
post #17 of 20
9/1/04 at 1:44am
Thread Starter 
Most of what I've read says DO NOT store it in plastic, as the brew will leach out "stuff" from the plastic.
post #18 of 20
9/9/04 at 2:41am
Kombucha ladies! I have a favor to ask.........I have three pregnant friends who ALL want to start brewing kombucha for nausea. Problem, I only have one baby to give away. Would there be two volunteers willing to mail starters to these two mamas?? The one is pregnant with twins!! Thanks so much.......

Lisa (who throws strawberries in kombucha and gets strawberry-wine tasting kombucha!)
post #19 of 20
9/9/04 at 1:03pm
Thread Starter 
I think my next one is spoken for, so it may be at least a month now until I have another. My last one became my preschooler's plaything. Wish I would have known! I'll post when I have one available, though, if they are still in need.


I've never thought of strawberries! Yum!
post #20 of 20
9/9/04 at 1:10pm
nak
does anyone know/read that kombucha is safe for pregnant/nursing women? another group i am on said not because there may be alcohol content.
tia
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Mothering › Forums › Health › Nutrition and Good Eating › Traditional Foods › any Kombucha mamas?