A drink that was once popular in hipster cafes is now battling its way into supermarket shelves. Kombucha, as many refer to it, is a fermented tea that originates from China. Many claims that it has health benefits. Although its popularity is rapidly increasing today, the drink has been around for more than 2000 years. In China, it received an award due to its energizing qualities. To get excellent results, you definitely need to invest in the right Kombucha Brewing Equipment.
In the 1960s, Swiss researchers, upon analyzing the drink, found it to have equal health benefits to that of yogurt. Since then, its popularity as a health drink has continually increased. The tea primarily comprises of water, sugar, black or green tea, and a prebiotic colony of bacteria and yeast that are put to ferment. It is during the fermentation process that the magic happens.
So What Exactly Happens During the Fermentation Process?
The fermentation of Kombucha lasts between 10 -14 days. To prepare for the process, you have to boil sugar water and add a teabag of either black or green tea. Then, you have to let it cool and strain it. Afterward, add the symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) to the base of the mixture and leave it covered for two weeks. The bacteria will break down the sugar and transform the drink into Kombucha. You can tell if Kombucha is ready to drink if it is bubbly since it means the fermentation process went on well.
Just like any other popular food that undergoes fermentation such as yogurt, Kimchi, cheese, beer, wine, and sauerkraut, the process helps to increase the shelf life. While items like wine and beer become alcoholic after fermentation, the process is different for Kombucha. The amount of alcohol produced during fermentation is about 0.5 to 2 percent.
It is barely enough to get you drunk. During the fermentation process, glucose and lactic acid breakdown to produce ethanol. When this ethanol reacts with the SCOBY, it develops into vinegar. It is from this reaction that there is a sour taste and smell in the Kombucha.
While the process of fermentation may sound simple, it is not as easy as it looks. Some very essential components you should be well aware of are the minute details of how you carry out the process, such as the type of vessels you use, the time it takes to ferment, and the changes in temperature during the fermentation process. All that can affect how your Kombucha tastes like. The process is quite complicated because every tiny detail matters.
What are the Health Benefits of Kombucha?
While Kombucha may carry with it several health benefits, you should not confuse it with medicine. It is, in fact, a food item. Some of the functional benefits it carries include probiotics, B12, and some healthy acids.
The probiotics in Kombucha aid in the process of digestion of food. It also helps to maintain balance in the gut due to the constant eating of processed foods that depletes the stomach of its needed bacteria. B12 helps you feel good while some of the healthy acids include citric acid that helps in the balancing of the body pH levels.
Final Thoughts
Since Kombucha is a product of tea, it inherits some of the properties of its original tea.
Now, with your understanding of Kombucha, do you want to create a commercial Kombucha business? If so, you may consider acquiring industrial Kombucha brewing equipment that can help you have more control over your brew and also meet the numbers for your trade. The equipment is of premium quality streel and can help keep away harmful bacteria.
