Ginger Kombucha

METHOD:

In an open fermentation tank, make a tea base with fair trade green and black tea and fresh Maine water; sweeten with evaporated cane sugar. When cool, introduce to the tea a kombucha culture, aka the “mother,” from a previous batch. Monitoring pH and room temperature (the ideal is around 74ºF), ferment 2 to 3 weeks. The day before bottling or kegging, process ginger roots and pasteurize the fresh juice. On packaging day, blend ginger juice and kombucha, pump into kegs, and bottle by hand. Condition kombucha in bottles to activate secondary fermentation, create carbonation, and slightly increase alcohol content.