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Kombucha

Also known as: Tea fungus, Kombucha tea

Fermented sweetened tea, produced by a SCOBY — a Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeasts — that floats on the surface as a leathery pellicle while fermenting the tea below. Originated in northeast Asia (likely northeastern China or Manchuria) at least 2,000 years ago; spread through Russia, Eastern Europe, and globally in the late 20th century. Two-stage fermentation: yeasts ferment the tea's sugars to ethanol; acetic-acid bacteria oxidize the ethanol to acetic acid. The result is tart, slightly effervescent, with trace alcohol (typically <0.5% in commercial; 1–3% in home-fermented at length). One of the most-globally-spread home ferments of the 21st century.

What’s in the SCOBY

The SCOBY (also called “mother”) is a leathery pellicle of cellulose produced by the bacteria, embedded with the yeast and bacterial community. Typical residents:

  • Yeasts — Brettanomyces, Saccharomyces, Zygosaccharomyces, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, others
  • Acetic-acid bacteria — Acetobacter, Komagataeibacter (the cellulose producers); Gluconobacter
  • Lactic-acid bacteria — sometimes; minor presence
  • Cellulose — the structural material the bacteria produce, holding everything together

How kombucha is made

  1. Brew strong sweet tea — typically black or green tea with sugar (~7% by weight)
  2. Cool, transfer to fermentation vessel
  3. Inoculate with a SCOBY and a cup of finished kombucha (acid starter)
  4. Cover with cloth — gas escapes; insects don’t enter
  5. Ferment 7–14 days at room temperature. Yeasts ferment sugar to ethanol; acetic-acid bacteria oxidize ethanol to acetic acid; tea polyphenols and sugars produce flavor compounds.
  6. Bottle (optional second ferment) — for carbonation, add fruit juice or fresh fruit, seal in pressure-rated bottles, allow 2–7 days at room temperature for carbonation; then refrigerate

The original SCOBY produces a daughter pellicle each batch; SCOBYs proliferate continuously and are typically passed between households.

Origin and spread

Kombucha is documented in Chinese medical texts as far back as the Qin Dynasty (~221 BCE); it spread along trade routes through Russia and into Europe. Western interest grew in the 1990s; commercial kombucha became a substantial beverage category in the 2010s.

Notes on alcohol and pasteurization

Home-fermented kombucha typically contains 1–3% alcohol by volume after extended fermentation. Commercial kombucha is regulated as non-alcoholic if below 0.5% ABV; many brands fall slightly above and require special handling. Pasteurization for shelf stability kills the cultures; living unpasteurized kombucha is microbially complete but requires refrigerated transport.

See also

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  • Vinegar mother kombucha SCOBY is structurally similar (acetobacter + yeast); over-fermented kombucha becomes vinegar

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