By Jennifer Adler

Popping the cap off a bottle of Kombucha — or “mushroom tea” as it’s known by some — is a complete sensory experience. There’s the snap, crackle, fizz of carbonated bubbles, the mysterious slimy globules that slow-float like a psychedelic lava lamp throwback, and the sharp vinegary tang that hits the nose like a slap.

While fizzy, vinegary and slimy are not exactly the most tantalizing food descriptors, this trendy tea has a peculiar allure that’s winning devotees nationwide. At Google’s California corporate headquarters, the cafeteria slings upwards of 100 cups of homemade brew a day, and GT Kombucha [1], one of the most popular bottled brands on the market, reaps annual sales in the millions.

Kombucha may be the latest fad, but the stringy, tan-colored concoction has a lengthy history. Experts are divided on its cultural origins, but agree that Kombucha’s roots stretch back to ancient China, where, as early as 221 BC, a tea called “the remedy for immortality” was brewed from fungi said to have magical properties. Kombucha eventually made its way into the natural health world of Germany in the early 20th century, before debuting in the United States among the willing and health-thirsty flower children of the 1960s.

The Mother Sip

To clarify, Kombucha is not a mushroom at all, but a symbiotic colony of yeast and beneficial bacteria that grows in sugar-sweetened black tea. As in any yeast, a “mother” creates or buds a new “baby” with each new batch. Yeast-budding makes it very convenient to share and “pass on” the Kombucha craze. Owners of the brown, pancake-sized Kombucha mother have the option to start their own colony by placing the newly budded babes in a mixture of black tea and sugar. Left to rest in a warm, peaceful place, the colony grows until the black tea liquid reaches its desired flavor, in a few days or weeks.

“I can see that Kombucha has live-culture benefits,” offers Sandor Ellix Katz (aka Sandorkraut), guru of fizz and author of Wild Fermentation [2]. “But when you can ferment vegetables, milk, beans, honey and so many more wholesome foods, why focus your fermentation practice around sugar and tea?”

Maybe it’s the ancient folklore, maybe it’s the “mother” infatuation, or maybe it’s the name — Kom-Booo-cha. Whatever it is, this bubbly beverage is a certified craze, and even Katz admits to drinking and enjoying it.

“I do believe that Kombucha is full of beneficial live-cultures and enzymes,” he says. “But I am skeptical of the many miracle health claims that people make on its behalf.”

Magical Mystery Sour

Some of those miracle health claims include: detoxification, boosting metabolism, assisting digestion and even curing cancer. Advocates believe that Kombucha works by assisting the liver’s ability to detoxify the body. This hypothesis is due to early observations of increased glucuronic acid conjugates in the urine after Kombucha consumption, a signifier of increased detoxification by the liver. However, more recent analysis of Kombucha offers other explanations for its potential health benefits. First, Kombucha’s high levels of organic [2] acids help maintain proper acid/alkaline balance in the body by promoting tissue and blood alkalinity. The fermented brew is also rich in antioxidants and amino acids, namely L-threonine, which supports healthy protein balance.

A Cornell University study on the tea’s anti-microbial activity found that Kombucha’s acetic acid composition rendered it helpful against a range of pathogenic bacteria. But beyond this sole study, no authoritative research has been performed to prove or disprove the anecdotal raves of Kombucha converts.

In addition to its potential properties as a liver-booster, Kombucha is loaded with enzymes and healthy bacteria thought to enhance the digestive process. Kombuchanados swear by the drink as a preventitive for post-meal heartburn and acid reflux. Some rely on the fizzy bite of Kombucha as an energy boost to battle the dreaded mid-afternoon slump (the tea’s copious quantities of B-vitamins make it a great caffeine-free alternative).

If intrigued, start your own colony with our recipe below, or try your luck with some readily available bottled Kombucha, and see if this magical elixir is a match for you.

Kombucha Yourself

Making your own Kombucha at home is cheap, quick and easy. The hardest part is coming across a Kombucha “mother” or live yeast culture. Ask around and see if your friends have one to share, or buy online at sites like GetKombucha.com [3].

Timeframe: About 7 days

2 quarts filtered water

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons loose black tea or 4 teabags

1 cup mature acidic Kombucha

Kombucha mother

1. Mix water and sugar and bring to a boil in a small pot.

2. Turn off the heat; add tea, cover and steep about 15 minutes.

3. Strain tea into a glass container. Allow tea to cool to body temperature.

4. Add mature acidic Kombucha. When you obtain a culture, it will be stored in this liquid. Place the Kombucha mother in the pot. It is fine if floats or if it sinks.

5. Cover with a clean cloth and store in a warm spot, ideally 70 to 85 degrees, undisturbed.

6. After a few days to one week, depending on temperature, you will notice a skin forming on the surface of the Kombucha. Taste the liquid. It will probably still be sweet. The longer it sits, the more acidic it becomes.

7. Once it reaches the level of acidity you like, start a new batch and store your mature Kombucha in the fridge. You now have two mothers, the original one you started with, and a new one, the skin that formed on your first batch. Use either the new or the old mother for your new batch, and pass the other one on to a friend. Each generation will give birth to a new mother and the old mother will thicken.

Better Safe than Sorry
Food safety experts have expressed concern at the potential of unwittingly creating a dangerous bacterial stew while making a Kombucha homebrew. As with all foods, care must be taken during preparation and storage to prevent contamination, although in most cases, the acidity and bacteria present in this ferment along with its anti-microbial activity will prevent growth of unwanted contaminants. In the event that mold does grow on the surface of your Kombucha, it’s best to follow the motto, “if in doubt, throw it out,” and start over. Reports of adverse reactions may be related to unsanitary fermentation conditions, leaching of compounds from the fermentation vessels, or “sickly” Kombucha cultures that cannot acidify the brew.


Jennifer Adler MS, CN provides nutrition counseling at her private practice Realize Health [4]. Her Kombucha colony grows in a mason jar atop her fridge.