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Why Brewing Your Own Booch is Better for your Bank

11/24/2019

Kombucha is not just another superfood you can’t afford. It is an accessible probiotic beverage that can bring health into your home.

food illustration of kombucha bottles being traded for a dollar bill

Many people who attend my public kombucha workshops are there because they are tired of spending money on cases of kombucha every month. These bubbly bottles aren’t cheap, costing $3-$5 a pop.

The kombucha industry has a projected worth of $5.45 billion dollars by 2025, so there are a lot of companies who want a slice of revenue from this popular buzzy beverage. With everyone wanting to hop on the kombucha bandwagon consumers must be wary of subpar practices. (Read more about how to shop for the best booch here.)

food illustration of four kombucha bottles with money signs on them

Kombucha fans should not have to cash out to get their bubbly fix. More and more people are transitioning away from stocking up on booch at the grocery and diving into brewing at home because it is so much cheaper! Not a cook? No problem! Kombucha is as easy as making a big cup of tea.

The best part is kombucha costs a humble $1 per gallon to make yourself! Not to mention that you get to concoct creative flavors, share your bountiful brew with your friends and make it as sour or sweet as you like.

Ready to start brewing? Come to my next public kombucha brewing workshop or book a private one for you and your friends or team at work!

Illustrations by Lila Volkas

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Kombucha shopping guide

10/31/2019

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A kombucha lover’s guide to choosing the best kombucha.

As a kombucha brewer, I am still no stranger to picking up a bottle of booch at the grocery store. I love trying new flavor combinations and I often get inspired for my own secondary fermentation where I add my fun flavors.

Kombucha’s growing popularity means that there are SO MANY brands and flavors to choose from and it seems like new ones are popping up each month. Not all store bought booch is created equal, so it's important to be an educated consumer and pick the best booch wherever you live!

woman shopping for kombucha in grocery store in front of wall of kombucha bottles

Read the label. The first step in being a better booch buyer is to read the ingredients. The nutrition label on the back is where you will find all the ingredients and catch if a kombucha company is hiding anything in their brew.

Carbonated water is a cop out. Part of the tradition and magic of the kombucha brewing process is creating carbonation! I am not saying that if your booch has “carbonated water” in the ingredients that it is cheating but…. I am.

Prefer glass over aluminum and plastic. Kombucha is acidic by nature, which means that it can chemically react with the vessels. Glass is a nonreactive material, whereas plastic is prone to breaking down and metals can leach into your booch from the cans. Long-term consumption of booch that has micro amounts of plastics and heavy metals can contribute to chronic health conditions down the line. When in doubt choose glass!

Choose whole food flavoring over “natural flavors.” I like to see fruit, tea and herbs to flavor my store bought kombucha. Natural flavors are vague ingredients that can be made of many different foods, but also can be synthesized in laboratories. The FDA doesn’t require companies to list what is in their natural flavoring unless it includes a common allergen. In my opinion if you have nothing to hide, then just list your ingredients.

blueberry kombucha flavoring on purple background

soda bottles on a shelf in grocery store

Stay away from the shelf stable kombucha. One of the reasons I love kombucha is because it is a fermented food and has beneficial probiotics! When a beverage is put on the shelf it goes through a process of pasteurization that kills or removes all the living organisms in that food so it doesn’t need to be refrigerated. Shelf stable kombucha = no more beneficial probiotics. Head to the refrigerated section to pick up your bottle of bubbly.

Choose local companies when possible. Support your local kombucha breweries! Buying local means less fossil fuels used to get the kombucha from the brewing facility to your mouth and you help sustain small companies.

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Primary Fermentation

7/30/2019

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Part I: Primary Fermentation

Ingredients
8 cups water
2 Tbs black tea, loose leaf in a tea infuser (or 4 disposable tea bags)
½ cup cane sugar
1 kombucha SCOBY
½ cup starter liquid

Supplies
Large pot
Brewing vessel, ½ gallon glass jar
Muslin cloth or clean dish towel

Instructions

In a large pot, heat water to a rolling boil, then remove from heat.
Add black tea to hot water, steep for 10 minutes, then remove tea infuser or tea bags.
Add sugar to tea, stirring to dissolve.
Allow tea to cool to room temperature, about 2–3 hours.
Pour tea into brewing vessel, then add starter liquid and SCOBY.
Cover the opening of the vessel with a muslin cloth or clean dish towel and secure it with a rubber band.
Set in a warm location out of direct sunlight. Allow the tea to ferment for 7 days.
After 7 days, taste the fermenting tea. If it is too sweet, continue fermenting for up to two weeks total, or until the taste is to your liking. If the tea is too acidic, shorten the fermentation time for the next batch.
When the kombucha is fermented to your liking, enjoy plain or transfer to a bottle to add flavorings (see Part II below).
Save a ½ cup of kombucha for starter liquid for the next batch and repeat the steps above.

kombucha scoby in jar of kombucha with cloth cover

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Secondary Fermentation

7/30/2019

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Part II: Secondary Fermentation

After the primary fermentation process, you can drink your kombucha plain or jazz it up with fun flavors. A secondary fermentation increases the carbonation and enhances the taste of your beverage. A good rule of thumb is 80–90% kombucha and 10–20% flavoring. You can use fresh fruit, dried fruit, juice, herbs, spices, or extracts to flavor your kombucha. Get creative! There is no one right way to do it.

Supplies
34 oz snap-top bottle
Funnel
Flavoring, fresh fruit, dried fruit, juice, herbs, spices, or extracts
Mesh strainer
½ tsp cane sugar

General Secondary Fermentation Instructions

Place the desired amount of your flavoring of choice in a 34 oz snap-top bottle. Using a funnel, pour kombucha over the flavoring, leaving 2 inches of room at the top.
If you are not adding fruit, juice, or a flavoring containing sugar, add ½ teaspoon sugar to the bottle.
Close the top and allow kombucha and flavoring to ferment at room temperature for 2–4 days. “Burp” the bottle every day to release the pressure by opening and closing the snap top.
When the desired level of carbonation and flavor is reached, strain kombucha into a fresh bottle using a mesh strainer and funnel, then place in the refrigerator.

bottle of home brewed blueberry rose kombucha

bottle of home brewed apple cinnamon kombucha

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Elderberry Orange Kombucha

7/30/2019

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Ingredients:
2 tsp orange zest
3 tsp dried elderberries
Plain Kombucha from primary fermentation

Supplies:
34 oz snap-top bottle
Instructions

Place the orange zest and elderberries in snap-top bottle.
Fill the bottle with primary fermentation kombucha, leaving 2 inches of space at the top.
Close the top and allow kombucha and flavoring to ferment at room temperature for 2–4 days. “Burp” the bottle every day to release the pressure by opening and closing the snap top.
When the desired level of carbonation and flavor is reached, strain kombucha into a fresh bottle using a mesh strainer and funnel, then place in the refrigerator.

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DIY Kombucha 101

7/29/2019

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What is Kombucha?
Kombucha is the bubbly, sometimes sweet, and tangy drink that has taken over grocery store refrigerators across the country. This trendy beverage has been around for hundreds of years and is made by fermenting tea with sugar using what is called a SCOBY, or a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast.

person sitting at kombucha brewing table serving homemade kombucha samples

Who’s Drinking Kombucha?
Kombucha is not only trendy in the health space, but has also become popular among soda-lovers seeking a healthy alternative. The fermented tea drink is enjoyed by consumers young and old who appreciate its creative flavors and fizz.

group of people smiling at oaktown spice shop after kombucha to the people kombucha brewing workshop

Why Are People Making Kombucha at Home?

More and more people are feeling inspired to make kombucha at home because it’s much less expensive than purchasing it from the store. Kombucha goes for $3–$5 per bottle at the grocery store, but only costs about $2 per gallon (that’s eight bottles) to make at home!

Brewing kombucha is easy—it’s as simple as making a giant pot of tea with sugar, from there, the SCOBY does the work. Plus, making your own kombucha gives you 100% control over the sweetness, flavor, and level of carbonation.

Making kombucha at home empowers you to have a deeper connection to your food. It is so gratifying to enjoy something homemade versus something store-bought. Read on to learn how to make your own kombucha at home.

two jars of kombucha with kombucha scobys

Health Benefits of Kombucha

Probiotics
You know that healthy bacteria everyone has been talking about? Well, kombucha has plenty of those! Your gut contains 100 trillion bacteria that affect everything from your digestion to your immune system, weight, and even your mood. The goal is to nurture that precious bacteria, and consuming plenty of fermented foods and beverages is a great way to do that.

Healthy “Soda”
Kombucha satisfies fizz and caffeine cravings without all of the chemicals and sugar that come with a soda. Plus, with all of those probiotics, you’ve got a beverage that is contributing to your health instead of depleting it!

Antioxidants
Kombucha contains health-supportive antioxidants that neutralize free radicals and combat oxidative stress, as demonstrated in a recent research study. This is important because oxidative damage plays a role in the development of chronic diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative disease, to name a few.

hand pouring rows of cups of kombucha at boba guys

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Kombucha to the People + Boochcraft!

7/29/2019

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Lila's "Friends of Kombucha" and "Kombucha Killers" illustrations were featured on Boochcraft t-shirts. Boochcraft is an alcoholic kombucha company based out of San Diego.

Purchase a shirt here!

kombucha killers food illustration on back of turquoise green boochcraft shirt

kombucha killers food illustration on back of grey boochcraft shirt

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Ginger Lemon Kombucha

5/29/2019

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Ginger Lemon Kombucha
Ingredients
2-inch piece of ginger
2 Tbs water
1 Tbs lemon juice
½ tsp cane sugar
Plain kombucha from primary fermentation
Supplies
34 oz snap-top bottle
High-speed blender
Instructions

Place ginger and water in a high-speed blender and blend until ginger is completely pulverized.
Strain liquid into a jar.
Add 1 tablespoon ginger juice, lemon juice, and sugar to snap-top bottle.
Fill the bottle with primary fermentation kombucha, leaving 2 inches of space at the top.
Close the top and allow kombucha and flavoring to ferment at room temperature for 2–4 days. “Burp” the bottle every day to release the pressure by opening and closing the snap top.
When the desired level of carbonation and flavor is reached, place in the refrigerator.

Here is one of my go-to kombucha flavoring recipes! Ginger and lemon are powerhouse foods that support digestion, the immune system and your body’s natural detoxification pathways. I prefer making ginger juice over slicing or grating the ginger for better and more integrated flavor, plus no straining at the end!

Nutritional Highlights:
Lemons are a rockin' source of vitamin C, B6, potassium, folic acid and flavonoids. Limonene in lemons elevate your liver enzymes and help with the liver’s detoxification process.

Ginger contains gingerols which are the pungent compound of the ginger rhizomes. This food is known for its anti-inflammatory, immune boosting and digestive qualities. Ginger is a warming root that makes you sweat, which is a great way to detox a little bit everyday.

lemon for kombucha flavoring with rosemary

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The Birth of Kombucha to the People

4/8/2019

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Hello Kombucha Brewers!

My name is Lila Volkas and I am the founder of Kombucha to the People, bringing kombucha brewing workshops and resources to the Bay Area and beyond.

My vision for Kombucha to the People is to empower people to make their own kombucha, develop a deeper relationship with their food, and create a community that celebrates nourishment.

hand pouring rows of kombucha samples in cups

Kombucha workshop samples at Boba Guys in San Francisco

pitcher of homemade kombucha with a scoby

My very first batch of kombucha.

The origin of my first SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast)
My first SCOBY was given to me the Summer of 2012 when I WWOOFed on a blueberry farm on Vancouver Island. Everyday Joanne, the owner of the farm, would pull out a jar of liquid with a slimy pancake floating on top and pour herself a glass. I was slightly disgusted, but very intrigued. One day I got the guts up to ask her what she was drinking. She said that it was 'kombucha' and offered me a glass. After the first sip I instantly fell in love! This drink was bubbly, sour, sweet and slightly strange. The perfect combination.

As a parting gift she gave me a piece of her SCOBY and I traveled back to California for the rest of the Summer. I started brewing the moment I got home and never stopped. I have traveled all over the world with my SCOBY making kombucha along the way.

two women posing in front of truck with pruning sheers

Pruning Scotch Broom

How I got started teaching workshops
In college I'd bring my home-brewed kombucha in recycled jam jars to sip on during my art history classes. More and more of my friends started asking me what I was drinking (because duh! most people thought I was making my own moonshine). Once they learned it was fermented tea and tried some of my brew, they insisted that I teach them how to make kombucha too! I taught my very first kombucha brewing workshop in 2012 through Sprouts, the Student Food Co-op, I volunteered at on campus.

woman sitting on counter in front of group of people teaching kombucha brewing class

My first kombucha brewing workshop in 2012 at Sprouts

Kombucha workshop for 40 people in 2016 at Boba Guys in San Francisco

How kombucha changed my life
Before making kombucha myself I never thought that I could make anything that I'd find in a store. I became inspired to make other foods items like jams, nut butters, bread and sauerkraut. I also started to make the connection between the food I eat and how it makes me feel. Drinking kombucha and eating vegetables made me feel good, while eating a bunch of vegan brownies and peanut butter for dinner did not.

Not only was kombucha delicious to drink and made me feel good physically, but I also loved connecting with people about how to make it themselves. I found my love for teaching people about nutrition and how to make nourishing food. This enthusiasm for wellness was one of the things that inspired me to go to Bauman College to become the Certified Nutrition Consultant I am today.

woman sitting on counter in front of group of people teaching kombucha brewing class and pouring kombucha

Doing a kombucha demo for a Japanese TV show at Melo Melo Kava Bar in Berkeley

The slimy SCOBY connection
My SCOBY's name is Shiela. While she came into my life from Vancouver Island in 2012 this kombucha organism originally came from San Francisco in 1992! I have personally given pieces of my SCOBY to hundreds of people over the last 7 years. Though my workshop attendees don't know each other, we all connected through the invisible web of sharing the same kombucha starter.

woman sitting at kombucha brewing table talking to another woman

Are you brewing kombucha from attending a workshop of mine? I want to see how it's going!
Follow @kombuchatothepeople and then tag me in your instagram pictures so I can celebrate your kombucha successes or answer any of your booch questions.

Happy Brewing!

Warmly,
Lila

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Forward>>

Why Brewing Your Own Booch is Better for your Bank

Kombucha is not just another superfood you can’t afford. It is an accessible probiotic beverage that can bring health into your home.

Kombucha shopping guide

A kombucha lover’s guide to choosing the best kombucha.

Primary Fermentation

Secondary Fermentation

Elderberry Orange Kombucha

DIY Kombucha 101

Kombucha to the People + Boochcraft!

Ginger Lemon Kombucha

The Birth of Kombucha to the People

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