11 replies to this topic

[lifemission]

I've been drinking and culturing kombucha and kefir for a couple years.
Good stuff.. I've done lots of research and was focused on learning about these 1000 year old culture foods for awhile.
I moved and they were dormant for awhile and have just started fresh batches of each. I have been looking around here for the last couple weeks and thought I would bring it up.
I was surprised to find that there was only one post from someone here that drinks kefir and no mention of Kombucha..
I understand there are many skeptics here (you have to be cautious if you want to live forever). There is alot of different information out there regarding these things so I can see why they would just be left aside for the sake of uncertainty. But there are scientific abstracts out there if you choose to look around.
For all the money we spend on supplements there are things that only require a bit of time and minimal expense to recieve some pretty worthwhile benefits.
There are yahoo groups devoted to these things. Doms-Kefir In site (search) is a good website to learn about kefir. There is some info there about kombucha also.
I have made tempeh and other culture food as well. If you have the time, it can be a very rewarding/fulfilling process.
Natural fresh probiotics are as good as they come and have helped alot of people with various digestive disbyosies and many other health issues.
This is all very general info I know, but I just wanted to bring it up since it seems like a rare topic here.
I don't sell these BTW. (Sometimes I trade but thats it..) Just was inspired to give a heads up to these since I finally got some new batches going...
Oh yeah, homemade Kimchi and Sauerkraut are the shizznit too [thumb]
Culture foods are what's missing from the S.hittyA.mericanD.iet.. Try them and you'll never want to be without.
Peace
Beau

[REGIMEN]

I tried some grocery purchased Kombucha tea bags... pretty good, although in dried form I can't imagine it's anything like the getting a ladleful of the 'tea' out of the jar with the real, floating, slimey thing. Have you named yours?

[lifemission]

True, the teabags are'nt the same, they don't hold the benficial acids that the fresh brew does. I have heard that some folks have even found benefits in those though.
hee hee, My "slimy thing" does'nt have a name no. They come and go as new ones grow so they are rather transient to be giving names to.
In the realm of biology it's known as a symbiotic organism, zoogleal mat, or pellicle. The kombucha groupies call it a SCOBY, short for Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeasts.
I have a cat named Kombucha though [lol] We just call him booch...
Our dogs name is Mate as in Yerba Mate...I used to drink that stuff all day long, kind of grew tired of the odd stimulation though. Fortunately I still love my dog, he's just oddly stimulated..

[ajnast4r]

i would not culture my own kombucha, nor would i buy it from an unreliable company... as improper culturing leads to toxins that can kill you...

i love kefir though...

NATREN makes a GREAT starter culture btw... with proven strains of bacteria as opposed to no-names...

[lifemission]

Not sure how a true kombucha culture could be made these have been passed on for a long time, they are what they are and cannot be manufactured from scratch.
I have always wanted to have my "strain" tested but have not had the resources. I consume at my own risk, but I have to say it has never done me wrong thus far.. like I said "you have to be cautious if you want to live forever" so I understand and wholly respect any skeptisism brought forth regarding the practice of homebrewing kombucha fermented tea for personal or family consumption..
It's alot like "Mother of Vinegar" but with more bacterial and yeast strains.
The Ph drops to 3.5 in the fermentation process very quickly and at this acidity no molds or harmful bacterias can survive...if you do some reading about fermented foods etc. you will find that they are quite safe.
To say that kombucha can kill you is rubbish, if you manage to propagate mold on the surface of the culture, (which I have never encountered) you can visibly see it and this indeed can contaminate the brew with mycotoxins. Then it's time to throw it out and find a new start.( I have been propagating/brewing with my strain for over two years now without any such issue)
By follwing some simple cleanliness procedures you can continue brewing indefinately.
Tell me, do you have true propagable kefir grains or do you just by powdered starter culture from somwhere?
Real kefir grains are the only way to make real kefir... FYI Powdered starters are lacking several of the most beneficial microbial strains that can only be found in true propagable kefir grains.. yet another symbiotic organism...
take care

[eternaltraveler]

I make my own kefir. Good stuff

[stormheller]

What the hell is kombucha? Is that like, a Japanese beverage? I never tried it, I don't like slimy things (from your description). Don't forget Shanghai lettuce and other kinds of Chinese pickles. You put some lettuce, veggies, whatever, in a big jar with water and sugar and some chili, then seal it shut for a month or so, and it gets pickley.
If you want to eat fermented foods, do not eat natto. That shyt is nasty.

[lifemission]

Kombucha is fermented sweetened tea. It's only the culture that is slimy, the finished beverage is a tart drink that tastes a bit like apple cider.(not slimy)
Your description of chinese pickles sounds like Kimchi, except you mostly use salt and maybe just a dash of sugar combined with chinese cabbage, red pepper, daikon radish, carrot, garlic, ginger, green onion. Most any vegetable will work though. Good stuff.. I cultured Natto a couple times, and no it's not my favorite either..

[zorba990]

http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/22591682
Impressive

[theconomist]

Hello lifemission do you know what laban is? It's a fermented yoghurt type of drink that's very popular in the balkans,arab countries and indian subcontinent. Is this what you're refering to as kefir?

[Strangelove]

I just got a kefir drink from supermarket, it was kind of expensive, can I easily use it, adding it in milk, to make my own kefir?

Any ideas why they list a "lactic culture" as a separate ingredient from the kefir grains?

[daouda]

If you want to make you own kefir, then just get actual Kefir grains for free! http://www.torontoad...s.com/suppliers