Kombucha, Kefir and Sauerkraut

More fermentation adventures for the healthy thrill-seeking homebrewer

What is Kombucha?

Kombucha is the Western name for sweetened tea that has been fermented using a macroscopic solid mass of microorganisms called a "kombucha colony," or "Mother", usually consisting principally of Acetobacter-species and yeast cultures. It tastes somewhat like a mildly sweet apple cider vinegar solution, depending on when it is consumed during the fermentation process. Acid levels will rise acutely with further fermentation time.

Fully Fermented kombucha may contain some of the following components depending on the source of the culture: Acetic acid, which provides much anti-microbial activity; butyric acid, gluconic acid, glucuronic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, oxalic acid, usnic acid, as well as  B-vitamins, enzymes and probiotics.

It is a strange and magical brew that just about anyone can prepare and ferment using nothing more than a one gallon jar with a large mouth opening, quality tea, sugar and the mother itself, which can be obtained from a few quality raw Kombucha drinks on the market, provided that they are not processed in any way, and do contain the live active culture which will be evident as a floating jelly-like mass at the top of the bottle. Anyone actively fermenting Kombucha will have plenty of mother to spare, as every batch produces another mother that can be composted, given away or reused is subsequent batches. (Inquire at KHS Farmingdale if you would like to try your hand at fermenting Kombucha).

As with most fermentation, it prefers warm temperatures in the 75-85 degree range.

Simple Kombucha recipe: (1 gallon)

1 cup granulated sugar

4 tbs Black tea

1 Kombucha mother

Bring 1/2 gal water to a boil, remove from heat and stir in sugar.

Steep black tea in sugared water for 10 minutes.

Strain, dilute to 1 gallon with cold water, making sure temperature is below 100 degrees.

Float Kombucha mother on top of liquid, opaque side up.

Cover jar with loose tin-foil or cloth and elastic band.

Ferment 7+ days or to taste.

Kefir

What is Kefir? 

Kefir is a fermented milk drink that originated in the Caucasus region. It is prepared by inoculating cow, goat, or sheep's milk with kefir grains. Traditional kefir was made in skin bags that were hung near a doorway; the bag would be knocked by anyone passing through the doorway to help keep the milk and kefir grains well mixed.

While some drink kefir straight, many find it too sour on its own and prefer to add fruits, honey, maple syrup or other flavors or sweeteners. Frozen bananas, strawberries, blueberries or other fruits can be mixed with kefir in a blender to make a smoothie. Vanilla, agave nectar and other flavorings may also be added. Still others enjoy kefir, in lieu of milk, on cereal or granola. It is also a typical and universally available breakfast drink (again, in lieu of milk) across all areas of the former Soviet Union, where it has been popularized as a cheap health drink.

Kefir grains are a combination of bacteria and yeasts in a matrix of proteins, lipids, and sugars. This symbiotic matrix forms grains that resemble cauliflower. Today, kefir is becoming increasingly popular due to new research into its health benefits. Many different bacteria and yeasts are found in the kefir grains, which are a complex and highly variable community of micro-organisms.

Kefir grains:

One can change the nutrient content by simply fermenting for shorter or longer periods. Both stages have different healthful benefits. For instance, kefir over-ripened (increases sour taste) significantly increases folic acid content. Kefir also aids in lactose digestion as a catalyst, making it more suitable than other dairy products for those who are lactose intolerant. The kefiran in kefir has been shown to suppress an increase in blood pressure and reduce serum cholesterol levels in rats.

Making your own kefir is as easy as adding the Kefir grains to a small amount of milk and leaving them to ferment and develop for 24-48 hours, straining out the grains and consuming. (Inquire at KHS Farmingdale if you are interested in aquiring kefir grains)

Sauerkraut:

What izzz it, man!?

Sauerkraut is finely shredded cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria, including Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, and Pediococcus. It has a long shelf-life, and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid that forms when the bacteria ferment the sugars in the cabbage.

The word comes directly from the German language, which literally translates to sour cabbage. Some places also call it sour cabbage. Sauerkraut is a traditional German food, but it can also be found as a dish in the Dutch (Zuurkool), Estonian (Hapukapsas) and other Northern European and Central European cuisines. It also is a prominent feature of cuisines from most of the cold regions of Europe, and it is eaten in many parts of Northeast China, Northern China, the USA, Chile, and Canada as well.

Traditionally, sauerkraut is prepared in a stoneware crock and the seal is created with a piece of wet linen cloth, a board, and a heavy stone. This arrangement is not fully airtight and will lead to spoiled sauerkraut unless the surface of the brine is skimmed daily to remove molds and other aerobic contaminants that grow on the surface where there is contact with air.
An alternative that avoids this problem is a type of ceramic jar that has a trough around its lid. When this trough is filled with water, the result is an airtight seal.
Glass canning jars with clamped threadless lids may also be used effectively.
Commercial-scale sauerkraut production typically employs large airtight plastic barrels fitted with one-way valves for the gas to escape.
Whatever kind of vessel is used, it must allow the escape of fermentation gases.

Sauerkraut is made by a process of pickling called lacto-fermentation that is analogous to how traditional (not heat-treated) pickled cucumbers are made. Fully-cured sauerkraut keeps for several months in an airtight container stored at or below 15°C (59°F). Neither refrigeration nor pasteurization is required, although these treatments may prolong storage life. However, pasteurization will destroy all of the beneficial digestive enzymes and lactic acid bacteria, as well as the valuable vitamin C content, so it greatly diminishes the nutritional value without any significant benefit.

No special culture of lactic acid bacteria is needed because these bacteria already are present on raw cabbage. Yeasts also are present, and may yield soft sauerkraut of poor flavor when the fermentation temperature is too high.

Salt (sodium chloride) is a major component in both the fermentation process and the flavor profile of sauerkraut, and typically is added relative to the amount of cabbage. For preparation at home, the USDA recommends a greater amount of salt than is traditional, making the sauerkraut unpalatably salty unless rinsed before eating. Such rinsing removes much of the nutrient content and flavor. (go figure.) When traditional amounts of salt are used, temperature control is critical, because spoilage leading to food poisoning can occur if the fermentation temperature is too high. However, once made, sauerkraut is a very safe food because its high acidity prevents spoilage. USDA also recommends pasteurizing sauerkraut for storage which will needlessly diminish it's nutritional value. This is because the USDA has little to no real interest in what is actually good for you, and sits in the pockets of big business, at the whim of corporate lobbyists, as does the FDA, CDC and the rest of what used to be "our" America.   A slimy or excessively soft texture, discoloration, or off-flavor may indicate spoilage.

Simple Sauerkraut recipe:

Step 1) Shred Cabbage, make sure the shreds are no thicker than a nickel or dime

Step 2) Mix, with wooden spoon or very clean hands, 5 pounds of shredded cabbage with 4 tablespoons of Kosher salt and toss and mix thoroughly until salt dissolves. (You can make as much as you wish as long as you use the ratio of 5 lbs. cabbage to 4 Tbs. salt.)

Step 3) When juice starts to form on cabbage from tossing - Pack the cabbage firmly and evenly into a clean crock, or bucket, Press firmly to encourage juice formation. Fill the utensil no closer than 5 inches from the top.

Step 4) Make sure juice covers the cabbage completely!  I prepare additional brine by putting 1 1/2 Tablespoons of kosher salt into 1 quart of boiling water. Dissolve salt and cool brine to room temperature before adding to the pot of cabbage.

Step 5) Once cabbage is immersed in brine water, press it, we use a corresponding sized dinner plate weighted with a large mason jar filled with water.

Step 6) Now cover the container with a heavy towel or cloth and tie securely into place. Do not remove this until fermenting is complete!

Step 7) Put in an area where the temperature will not be above 75 degrees. Fermentation will begin within a day, depending upon the room temperature.

Step 8) Allow approx. 3 weeks for fermentation. If temperature is 70 degrees allow 4 weeks. If temperature is 65 degrees allow 5 weeks. If temperature is 60 degrees allow 6 weeks... and so forth.

Store refrigerated in mason jars or store long-term in a cool, dark cellar.

FIN!