Toasting the New Year with My First Batch of Kombucha

Happy 2015!  The DH (dear hubby) and I will be lifting glasses of kombucha, our very first batch, to celebrate the New Year.  

I won't attempt to explain how to make kombucha.  Others have done this quite well and I'm a novice.  If you're interested in trying home brewing of this fermented tea beverage, I recommend you take a class or find a good book.  I've wanted to try for years but was always a little intimidated.  It's actually quite simple - and it's magic!

Cheers! 

Eva's Herbucha

This is Eva, and I met her last Sunday at the Farmer's Market.  I was excited to find her smiling out from the trailer with Eva's Herbucha on tap!  Eva has been making kombucha for nearly a decade.  She's been selling commercially for the past four years. 

The idea of offering kombucha on tap makes so much sense.  It reduces waste, stays fresh and is fun!  Makes me think I should have a party with a keg.  Eva's Herbucha is found locally at the co-ops and Whole Foods.  It's also sold on tap at the Red & Black Cafe and Portobello Vegan Trattoria.

Eva's kombucha blends are based on the special properties of herbs.  She uses 2 parts herb, one part tea.  Eva is a licensed natural health practitioner (“Heilpraktiker”, licensed in Germany), a polarity therapist, and a reiki master.

I tried the Uplifting with lemon and ginger.  I enjoyed it very much.  Go here for a list of her other kombucha blends.  

I'm looking forward to another cup tomorrow!  I can see this will become a regular treat.  I also love supporting a locally-brewed beverage and a woman small business entrepreneur. 

I know that some of you have never tried kombucha.  It's pretty easy to find in natural food stores these days.  Here's a list of the ones I've blogged about.  If you have tried kombucha, what do you think?

Locally Bottled Beverages

Rose Secret:  Includes Rose Water, Sugar, Citric Acid

I recently tried a new Oregon-made beverage called Rose Secret.  It was tart, lightly sweet with rose scent and flavor, nicely balanced - no part was overwhelming the other.  This experience got me to thinking about the numerous locally-brewed and bottled beverages - and I'm not just talking tea!  For those of you that don't know, Portland is the micro-brew beer capital of the US.

So now let's focus on tea...here are some of the locally-brewed treasures:

The Tao of Tea has a line of micro-brewed teas and tisanes.  I'm really enjoying the bottled Tulsi's, a caffeine-free herbal infusion.  You might have heard it called holy basil. 

Tao of Tea line of bottled Tulsi*

Steven Smith has recently released a bottled tea beverage using local fruits to provide the citric acid (necessary for shelf life).  Plus, the bottle is gorgeous!

Steven Smith bottled tea

Lion Heart Kombucha*

I recently sampled the Pomegranate Love kombucha from Lion Heart.  I wasn't sure what to expect, the pink color seemed almost surreal and yet it is a natural blend of pomegranate, white and green teas.  I liked it!  A friend also recommends the Ginger Fizz, and she's not even a kombucha fan.  I like to drink kombucha as an after-dinner digestive, a small cup goes a long way.

And there are many others:

• Brew Dr Kombucha (my favorite)
• Kombucha Wonder Drink

What other local brandsd have I missed?

*Photo from vendor website

Review: Brew Dr Kombuchas

Brew Doctor's Superberry Kombucha

Portland is a hotbed for kombucha, and I've been sampling my way through local brews.  My favorite is the Brew Dr line, by Townshend Tea.  The tea above, Superberry, is a gorgeous rose color.  This one, while very good, is on the sweet side.  I tend to prefer a "dry" version, so to speak.  I'm working my way through the entire line and enjoying it!

For your first time trying kombucha, go in with an open mind.  The flavors and experiences vary greatly, but most are tart with a hint of vinegar and a very light fermentation (fizz).

Kombuchas are touted to have many medicinal values.  I've not seen enough scientific evidence to make a claim, but I do try to ensure I'm getting a raw version. 

The Brew Dr kombuchas are lightly bubbly and refreshing, a great summer drink.

Have you tried this brand?  What did you think?  What about other kombuchas?

Tea Chai Te

One of the best parts about being new in town is the chance to explore all the tea spots!  I am so grateful for a diversity of tea establishments.  Wonderful though my Midwestern town was, it lacked a good tea shop.

Here there are several and last week I visited Tea Chai Te.  This place has a fabulous balcony, and since the summers here are pleasant and not humid, the balcony is a great perch from which to people-watch.  It looks over trendy 23rd Avenue.  The DH enjoyed a bubble tea (surprisingly, not too sweet) and whiled the time away as I visited with a new tea friend.

People-watching porch

I had a hard time choosing from among the many tea choices.  I settled on an oolong and a bowl of vegan stew. Both were good.  The environment inside is relaxing and cozy, with vintage furniture and a casual feeling.  Perfect for a long chat, which mine was.  My companion and I got to know one another and discussed the tea industry for nearly two hours.  How time flies with good company and tea!  

Smelling wall

I'm certain I'll be back.  Next time I hope to try the shop's kombucha.  Tea Chai Te also sells kombucha starter kits, along with a variety of teapots, cups, and loose leaf teas and tisanes.

Kombucha

I've been learning and experiencing a new (to me) tea beverage called kombucha. Kombucha is a fermented black tea beverage praised by those who drink it for its health properties. (Note: Minimal research is available to support this, tho anecdotes abound. The health claims stretch back to the Qin Dynasty in China (~250 BC).) If any of you have tasted or made this drink, please chime in with your experiences!

I first became acquainted with kombucha after the DH (dear hubby) came home from a recent class on lacto-fermentation of foods. In this class, he sampled kombucha and was very excited for me because of its black tea connection.

My next encounter happened just a few days ago, when the DH mentioned that a bottled form of Kombucha (flavored with juice) was available at the food coop where he works. I headed out the next day to grab a bottle and give it a try!

The brand was Synergy, and the kombucha was billed as an "organic & raw" beverage. The ingredients: 95% organic kombucha and raspberry juice. (Synergy offers other flavors, too.)

I didn't know what to expect. It smelled and tasted a little like vinegar, with an ever-so-slightly sweet edge (emphasis on the slight). The drink had a subtle natural fizziness from the fermentation. I drank it on the front porch during a hot, hot, humid, humid evening and found the beverage very refreshing. A little went a long way.

I liked it and would drink it again. It's not something to swill down, but rather to sip slowly. I imagine some of you will find its taste unpleasant. I encourage you to try it with an open mind and an experimental palate.

There are several other Synergy flavors available, and I want to try them all. I hope to take the lacto-fermentation class this fall, with the intent on learning more about making this interesting beverage for myself! I'll keep you posted.