Kombucha... yes or no?

[xiblanque]

Kombucha isn't so time intensive once you get it going.... Just prepping the tea and dissolving the ''sugar'', letting it cool down and transferring everything into a glass jar and adding the culture.... a 1/2 hour to an hour or so. The time consuming part is WAITING... waiting for the fermentation to take place can take a few weeks or longer... it's more like consuming time while you wait.
I don't know if kefir is like this or if you have to do something like ''feed'' it daily.... if it is growing so fast maybe it should be consumed fast too! Isn't there a version of it that is thinner that you drink?)
about the taste of kombucha.... i really understand. That's what leads people to play with the ingredients... believe me I've waited weeks for batches i thought would be fantastic... only to be reminded that it can have medicinal and or vinegary smell/taste.... but some turned out like the most exquisite champaigne!!!
good idea to write down ingredients and proportions when playing.
and I tend to ferment them to the point of little if any sugar left... tho concerns about sugar are why i use other sweeteners... I'm kinda excited about trying some new batches with herbal additives and chorella... maybe even the elderberry jam sweetener... could be medicinal tho....we'll see.
cheers...
Xib

[j2parker]

I've been using "home brewed" kombucha for about 6 months. I've noticed better skin tone. It's very easy to make. You have to buy an organic kombucha drink at a Whole Food's Grocery. It costs about $3.99. You need 8green tea bags, bottled water (only) and you heat up the water in a metal pan, drop in bags, let them sit, stir in granulated sugar, allow to cool to room temperature. (The first batch will probably take 4 weeks to produce "mother" mushroom) Use a wooden spoon (the point is to be as sterile as possible) and allow to ferment in a glass jar. Once the mushroom is produced, you can keep making the tea over and mushroom. I think it also has a sedative-wine feeling, making for a good restful night's rest! If anyone needs more details, please ask!

I'm interested more in it's anti-viral benefits, if anyone has anything I'd love to hear it as well.