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available). The beverage should have a sour smell to it afterafew possible that, when first tasting Kombucha, it may be unappealing days. This is an indication that the fungus is working. Itshouldn't and sour to some palates. Kombucha should taste pleasant (apart have a mouldy smell. In areas where the vinegar fly (Drosophilia from some herbal tea combinations) and one should not forget that fenestarum) is active, it is very important to cover the beverage unlimited different flavours can be achieved by experimenting. with a muslin cloth fastened by a rubber band to prevent the fly | Depending upon the length of the fermentation, the liquid will be entering the container and laying eggs. (Meixner). either clear or misty. After a short period of time, the yeast will Don't wash the fungus if there is no obvious reason to do so, __ settle on the bottom. This yeast sediment can either be consumed, unless long storage or mould indicates it to be necessary. The fun- —_ as with ‘wheat beers’, or filtered off with a cloth. Ten per cent of gus is always slimy! In one case I came across a fungus which did __ the liquid should be used to start the next batch. The rest may be not work correctly. The person who owned it had apparently done _filled into bottles and sealed with corks—taking care to leave a lit- everything right. I went to the supplier in the next town and found _ tle gap at the top to prevent the bottles from exploding. that the liquid used had been stored in a 30 gallon (US) or 25 litre container with a narrow neck. It had been filled right to the tp HOW MUCH CAN ONE DRINK? with the fabric cover touching the fungus. The fungus simply did One circular letter | found being distributed with Kombucha not have enough air to work properly. Even by doubling the fer- mentioned some possible negative side-effects: mentation time, the brew was still too sweet and the drink not "Rapid detoxification can cause discomfort in some people if healthy. I traced the culture further back to the previous —— too much tea is drunk when Soginning treatment. Work slowly up where it was not doing well ‘ - week by week from six table- either. Brewing had been spoons daily in divided doses. done here for the previous At two tablespoons, taken five months with only 20 three times daily, discomfort grams of sugar (less than an can usually be avoided. ounce) being used per litre (1 Some possible side-effects 3/4 pints). All these cultures can include headaches, stom- were brought back to normal ach aches, nausea, fatigue, performance. With two of dizziness, mild diarrhoea, them, I added commercial constipation, pimples, rashes beverage and with another I and wind. However, these used a double-strength black are temporary effects lasting tea with double sugar and from a day to a week or so in allowed it to ferment until basically healthy people. very sour. With this brew, Drink extra water to counter normal fermentation with them. People with a disease good results continued. See condition may experience a also chapter on drying the healing crisis if they drink too Kombucha fungus. NB: A much too soon. Kombucha dead or ailing culture cannot effects appear to begin in the perform properly and will not weakest part of the body, then produce a healthy drink. the second weakest and so on." NICOTINE: A DEADLY POISON FOR THE FUNGUS Since there are thousands of ways to brew Kombucha, there is Tobacco smoke will kill the fungus. People have oftenrung me _no definite way to find out which part of the brew might have and told me that their fungus was not working any more. In 50% _ caused the negative side-effects mentioned in the circular. nf thace aneas T frund that onmanna was emnabling in tha ranm possible that, when first tasting Kombucha, it may be unappealing and sour to some palates. Kombucha should taste pleasant (apart from some herbal tea combinations) and one should not forget that unlimited different flavours can be achieved by experimenting. Depending upon the length of the fermentation, the liquid will be either clear or misty. After a short period of time, the yeast will settle on the bottom. This yeast sediment can either be consumed, as with ‘wheat beers’, or filtered off with a cloth. Ten per cent of the liquid should be used to start the next batch. The rest may be filled into bottles and sealed with corks—taking care to leave a lit- tle gap at the top to prevent the bottles from exploding. NICOTINE: A DEADLY POISON FOR THE FUNGUS Tobacco smoke will kill the fungus. People have often rung me and told me that their fungus was not working any more. In 50% of these cases I found that someone was smoking in the room where the fungus was fermenting. The fungus cannot tolerate tobacco smoke. With occasional chimney smoke the fungus may survive. The beverage will, however, adopt a smoky taste which will still be noticeable in future batches. MIXING TEAS The most popular Kombucha drinks are the ones in which dif- ferent tea mixtures are used, according to taste, in the brewing during fermentation (see "Herbal tea refinement through Kombucha"). Some people add fruits to the brew two days before the end of fermentation. This not only improves the flavour, it also adds vitamins and all the other benefits of the particular fruit or vegetable in the drink, When a seasonal fruit is used, it should be thoroughly cleaned and blended in the kitchen mixer. A strong fermentation is triggered shortly after the fruits have been added. The result is delicious. STORING KOMBUCHA AFTER FERMENTATION The Kombucha beverage is a living thing, hence its healthy and energising effect. The main problem with our diet today lies in the many preservatives and chemicals it contains. Kombucha fer- mentation occurs more quickly at room temperature and slows down considerably in the refrigerator. If left to ferment too long, the end result is a sour beverage that is still healthy but not to everyone's taste. During slimming diets, this sour beverage is used frequently. Caution should be taken with bottles stored for a long period, however, as they may explode due to gas build-up. Commercial Kombucha beverage, available in some health shops, may have a very sour taste, which would be a good indica- tion that it had not been preserved or tampered with. The nutri- tious effect of this beverage is just as good as "home brew’. It is Copies of Harald Tietze's book, Kombucha—The Miracle Fungus, are available to NEXUS readers in Australia at AUD$12.00 each (inc. p&h), and in New Zealand at AUD$13.00 (airmail). JUNE - JULY 1995 50 © NEXUS