Tea for kombucha fermentation - What you should consider
We help you find the right tea for your kombucha fermentation at home
Good and tasty tea is a basic requirement for a flavorful kombucha. Already in ancient China Kombucha was made with the tea plant Camellia Sinensis. The tea plant belongs to the camellia genus (Camellia) and the tea shrub family (Theaceae). All parts of the tea plant (buds, leaves, stems and flowers) are used to make either black or green tea. Both black and green tea are produced from the same tea plant. The variations of the tea types are caused by different processing and the different conditions during the plant cultivation.
Why do you need tea for kombucha?
The tea fungus consists of different yeasts and bacteria and various small microorganisms. It needs nutrients, e.g. caffeine, nitrogen and theanine, to grow and thrive. These are found in the Camellia Sinensis teas described above. The tea also contains vitamins C and B and provides the Scoby with various antioxidants and polyphenols.
Possible teas for delicious Kombucha
Black tea
If your Scoby could talk it would probably advocate always being paired with black tea. It's a particularly nutrient-rich base that he can work with quickly and ferments quickly.
Our favorites:
- Golden Monkey
- Darjeeling
- Frisian Blend (Assam, Ceylon, Indian Himalaya)
Green tea
You can usually ferment your kombucha a little faster with green tea. It adds a sweet note that is a bit tart on the finish. However, scoby with green tea doesn't grow quite as quickly as scoby with black tea.
Our favorites:
- Sencha & Matcha
- New Spring
- Chun Mee
White tea
White tea has less caffeine and is high in antioxidants. It has a slightly sweeter taste than green tea. It is especially good for mixing with green or black tea. You shouldn't ferment with white tea exclusively. Your scoby might suffer from it.
Our favorites:
- Silver Needle
- Shou-Mei
- Oolong Tea
Oolong Tea
Oolong tea is a Chinese semi-fermented tea with a long tradition. The sun-dried tea imparts a unique flavor. Sometimes it tastes a little smoky or has a sweet honey note. It can be a perfect base for scoby and is also a perfect kombucha companion when blended with other teas.
Our favorites:
- Red Robe
- Iron Goddes
- Phoenix Mountain
Which water to boil the tea?
It's hard to believe, but the quality of the water plays a big role in fermentation. The rather inconspicuous ingredient can positively and negatively affect your tea mushroom. Conventional tap water may have residual chlorine and chemicals, as well as fluorides. These substances can harm the Scoby. Therefore, it is best to always use filtered water.
What tea is not good for your kombucha?
Important. There are a few simple rules to follow when choosing tea.
- Do not use tea with a high content of essential oils or artificial flavours (e.g. fruit tea, tea made from sage or lemon balm).
- Use loose tea rather than bagged tea.
- If you use fruit tea or tea other than black, green or white tea - only mix with it - not pure!
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Thanks for reading!
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