How to make sparkling kombucha

What's the buzz?

Kombucha is the latest fermented health drink to gain a place our fridge. Many swear by the digestive properties of fermented foods, and drinks too are increasingly popular.

Kombucha is usually made from a base of tea, fermented with a bacteria and yeast culture. It needs some sugar content for the fermentation process to take place, so is often flavoured with fruit. If it’s left to ‘double ferment’ then more carbon dioxide is produced, creating fizz.

How is it good for you?

As with many fermented foods, kombucha is believed to aid digestive health. Research has found it contains Lactobacillus, friendly bacteria which help you digest lactose and may also treat diarrhoea.

How to make your own kombucha

The trickiest ingredient, yet the most essential, is the kombucha culture. This is often called a ‘scoby’ (it stands for ‘Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast’) and looks like a large rubbery disc – not particularly nourishing or tasty!

If you know someone who brews their own kombucha you can ask them to pass on a scoby; otherwise you can buy online.