I managed to convince Mr FFL to come to a Kombucha workshop with me at Wholefoods on High Street Kensington. The company running the workshop were Jarr.
I have previously tried a ginger Jarr Kombucha. So I was interested in trying other flavours, and of course creating my own brew.
To give you a little background information; Kombucha is a variety of fermented, lightly effervescent sweetened black or green tea drinks. Kombucha is produced by fermenting tea using a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY).
The exact origins of kombucha are not known. It is said to have originated in what is now Manchuria and was traditionally used primarily in that region, Russia, and eastern Europe.
Kombucha is said to have many health benefits such as to aid the livers natural detoxification due to it being high in Glucaric acid and is also said to support healthy gut bacteria and digestion, as it helps the body assimilate food more easily. My interest in Kombucha comes from its link to gut health and healthy bacteria. Since being on the fodmap diet I have been trying to heal my gut and fill it with good bacteria.
Now on to the workshop.
To start the session, two of the owners of Jarr Kombucha gave us an overview of Kombucha and their company. Jarr was started in a cafe in East London and now sells across the country.
On the table in front of us, we had all the elements to make a perfect batch of Kombucha.
The first step was to boil our Pukka Supreme Matcha Green tea, of which we had three bags. We were given a large jar and a lovely Jarr branded sticker to put on the jar.
The next step was to add the sugar. This must be mixed until fully dissolved. The sugar is the food the bacteria lives off, so when the Kombucha is brewed, the sugar levels are a lot lower than when they started.
The next step is to add extra filtered water to the jar, leaving a few inches gap at the top.
Lastly we added the starter liquid, which in this case was a bottle of Jarr original Kombucha. I then topped my jar with some breathable cotton to allow the bacteria to grow.
Depending on how sour you like your Kombucha, gives you the length of time you should leave it to ferment. For 7-10 days it is a sweeter taste but for 14 days it gives a more sour flavour.
To flavour your Kombucha post fermentation, you can add in a few pieces of fruit to the top of the bottle. I’m going to add a few raspberries to mine.
The fruit is then left in for a few days, but each day you need to ensure you open the lid and air the liquid. Otherwise it will end up exploding all over your kitchen!!
It was an informative workshop and really good fun. I would definitely recommend. If you want to get involved in future sessions, visit Eventbrite.
For more information on Jarr Kombucha visit their website at: https://jarrkombucha.com
Fittie FODMAP London 