A unique taste together with the remarkable benefits for the body and mind are what make Kombucha the energy drink of the future. In the current indecision whether to call it Kombucha or Kombucha, one thing is certain: it's good for your health and it's delicious!
The incredible gustatory properties of this aromatic and slightly sparkling tea are linked to a very special ingredient that we know as scoby, which is indispensable in its preparation.
Let's start immediately, therefore, by discovering how Kombucha and scoby work together, but also where it is possible to buy it, if it is possible to make it at home, and in general how this association works in practice, which gives rise to the most popular drink in the new Millennium.
Are you ready for a full immersion in the world Kombucha? We immediately begin to understand what it is and why it has conquered the hearts and palates of many of us.
Sipping Kombucha Instead of Tea: Why?
Kombucha is the name used to indicate a drink that originates directly from green or black tea infusions.
Typically oriental, it gives general well-being, gives energy, improves lifestyle and has incredible regenerative properties for our body.
Let's immediately dispel a myth: it's not a tea, or at least it's not the classic tea we usually sip on cold winter days or around friends. In fact, among its basic ingredients there are not only infusions and sugars, but also scoby, a sort of mother yeast that gives us that typical sparkling taste of Kombucha.
And this is why talking about scoby becomes essential to fully understand the beauty, uniqueness and characteristics of a cool drink that many want to learn how to prepare at home so as never to run out!
What is scoby for and why you need to use it
A simple disk that looks like jelly, mushy and with a strange color somewhere between faded brown and straw yellow: this is scoby! And the smell isn't particularly appetizing either, as it's quite pungent on the nose. Yet, even if the presentation doesn't work in its favor, this mix of bacteria and yeasts is really important and has a decisive role in the preparation of Kombucha.
At the registry office it is known as: Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast but we simply like to call it scoby. So you may be wondering: what is it for? And why is it so special that it is irreplaceable? Well, the answer lies in the fermentation: it is precisely the scoby that activates it and makes the drink so unique.
Without scoby there is no fermentation and consequently from the mixture of infusions and sugar you would only get a very normal and classic English tea.
Furthermore, fermentation is a process which, despite having very specific steps to follow, always gives different results, depending on its duration, its maintenance and also on the scoby used, which can always have different shapes and consistencies.
How does scoby work for Kombucha?
But now let's get to the heart of the preparation and analyze step by step how a small gelatinous disk can be fundamental in making Kombucha.
We break this process down into four steps. Follow carefully!
- First phase. Get some tea bags and proceed as usual by boiling the water. Sugar everything and leave to infuse for a few minutes.
- Second phase. Take the scoby and add it to the freshly brewed tea. In contact with sugar, the fermentation process comes to life.
- Third stage. Wait for the fermentation to do its job. The wait must last for at least 7 days, but it is advisable to keep it for up to two weeks in the container which will remain hermetically sealed. Please, never open!
- Fourth and final stage. Taste the finished drink. If its taste meets your preferences then it is ready and can be kept. If, on the other hand, you are looking for an even more sparkling taste, you can leave it under fermentation for a few more days and then taste it again.
All these phases are linked to each other and it is not possible to decide to skip one if you want to make the classic Kombucha that they sell in your trusted store. We tell you this because if you wish you can also do it yourself, in your home, paying attention to the material you use, the tools and of course the scoby. But where to buy the DIY kit? And where to buy scoby if the supplies in the pantry are finished?
Where to buy quality scoby
If at the supermarket where you usually shop there is no trace of ready-made kombucha or scoby, don't despair! You have two different options:
- Entrust your search to Google, looking for authorized dealers on the web and making the purchase directly online. There are specialized sites or e-commerce sites that sell everything (such as Amazon to name one at random!) that have stocks of these drinks ready for delivery, even the most unthinkable flavors that will surprise you.
- Go directly to the herbalist's shop or the best-stocked tea shops. Here you will find everything you need to make your own drink or buy it already bottled, ready to drink.
In both cases you will take home just enough to never miss that Kombucha that you can no longer do without on hot summer days or in your lunches and aperitifs with friends.
Small and medium sized Scoby are on sale at these stores, with the necessary instructions to prevent it from deteriorating. Only by taking care of its maintenance will annoying contraindications be avoided.
Scoby as a probiotic culture full of benefits
The crop we have come to know by the name of scoby is rich in probiotics. This involves a contribution of non-negligible benefits for all our organs. Which?
Let's start from the intestine, which remains purified and healthy, up to the liver, whose functions significantly improve.
The heart benefits from the protective action of scoby, and therefore of Kombucha, also regulating cholesterol levels.
What about the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial function?
But that is not all! Kombucha also means mental well-being because the drink helps to regain energy, relax, concentrate and sleep more peacefully and without stress.
Furthermore, the contribution of vitamins of group B is by no means secondary in terms of overall well-being of the person.
Excellent inside and out, therefore, and proves to be the ideal choice for those who take care of themselves without compromise.
