This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
When the urge strikes for a local pick-me-up, kombucha, a fermented drink made by culturing bacteria and yeast in a sweet tea-based solution, is an option to turn to. And for a local kombucha, we replace the cane sugar with honey or maple syrup, and the tea with a plant rich in tannins that will promote the development of yeasts and bacteria. Raspberry and sea buckthorn leaves, which grow in abundance in Quebec, give very good results.
Contrary to what one might think, making kombucha is not rocket science. To produce it, simply add a mother of kombucha (a cellulose film resembling a small jellyfish, filled with billions of bacteria and yeasts living in symbiosis) to a sweet tea and wait about 10 days, then flavor. After a few days of fermentation, we will obtain a sparkling, tangy, slightly sweet and very low alcoholic drink (about 1% alcohol).
Kombucha with 100% Quebec balsam fir
You will need…
• A wide-mouthed glass jar with a capacity of 16 cups (4 liters)
• A napkin secured with an elastic band to cover the mouthpiece
• Cylinders designed to withstand the pressure
Ingredients
• 1 mother of kombucha and its liquid culture (about 2 cups or 500 ml)
*Make sure you have a living kombucha mother. Get one from someone who brews it at home (it multiplies with every recipe), or buy one from the Fermentation Revolution website, organic grocery store, or bulk store.
• 2 cups (25 g) tightly packed dried raspberry leaves
• 1 cup (270 g) maple syrup
• ½ cup (8 g dry) balsam fir shoots
• 12 cups (3 litres) of water (2 cups or 500 ml for steeping tea, and 10 cups or 2.5 liters for blending)
(Warning: if your tap water is of poor quality or too chlorinated, it is recommended to filter or boil it. It is the main ingredient, so its taste is very important!)
Method
1. Place raspberry leaves in a saucepan and pour over 2 cups (500ml) boiling water.
2. Leave to infuse for 30 minutes, then strain the infusion and pour it into the jar.
3. Add maple syrup and stir until dissolved.
4. Add 10 cups (2.5 liters) of cold water.
5. Add the kombucha mother and its liquid culture.
6. Cover the opening with fabric and elastic.
7. Leave to ferment for 10 to 15 days at room temperature. Start tasting from the 5th day. As soon as the kombucha is to your liking, set 2 cups (500ml) aside in the refrigerator and dip the mother in it, to store it, until you produce your next recipe. Note that at this stage the drink will not be fizzy.
8. Add the balsam fir shoots to the jar, cover and let steep for 24 hours in the refrigerator.
9. Filter and bottle. Close the bottle caps.
10. Leave the bottles at room temperature for about 3 or 4 days; test the pressure daily by cracking the bottles. Put the kombucha in the fridge as soon as it is sparkling (watch out for the pressure!).
Your 100% local kombucha is now ready to taste! It is recommended to consume it within three weeks, but it will still be very good after six months.
You can find in the online store of cariboumag.com a box offered by Révolution Fermentation to make a 100% local kombucha.
This text was originally published in the special issue “ Towards food autonomy ” of
Caribou.
This special content was produced by the Special Publications team of the To have to, relating to marketing. The drafting of To have to did not take part.