I am not sure if this is the correct place to ask questions about this. I
just wanted to know what the people here think of it. I used to make it
years ago and drank it daily. Just recently a friend gave me a quart of it
with a starter.
Has any one here tried it and is it safe? I guess I am asking here because
there are so many people here that are knowledgeable about tea. Since this
is made using tea maybe some one can give me some input on it.
Thanks
Anna

Kombucha "tea" is not a tea per se - its a product of fermentation of weak
tea and sugar by a special japanese fungus.
I love it, especially the more acid variety. many a health benefit was
described in literature, do some searches.
Never heard of any problems with kombucha, if grown properly.

Sasha.

"Anna Carter" > wrote in message
...
>I am not sure if this is the correct place to ask questions about this. I
>just wanted to know what the people here think of it. I used to make it
>years ago and drank it daily. Just recently a friend gave me a quart of it
>with a starter.
> Has any one here tried it and is it safe? I guess I am asking here
> because there are so many people here that are knowledgeable about tea.
> Since this is made using tea maybe some one can give me some input on it.
> Thanks
> Anna
>

Anna Carter > wrote:
>I am not sure if this is the correct place to ask questions about this. I
>just wanted to know what the people here think of it. I used to make it
>years ago and drank it daily. Just recently a friend gave me a quart of it
>with a starter.
>Has any one here tried it and is it safe? I guess I am asking here because
>there are so many people here that are knowledgeable about tea. Since this
>is made using tea maybe some one can give me some input on it.

1. A lot of people have tried it over many years.

2. It seems to be safe.

3. It is not really tea at all and should not be called a tea.

3. It tastes like laundry that has been left wet in the sun for a long time.

4. Some people claim that it will extend your life. I don't know if this
is true or not, but if I have to spend my life with a nasty taste in my
mouth all day long, I'd rather it be shorter.
--scott


--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Imagine that of pile of wet laundry. Now put some sauerkraut over, and
let it stand in the sun for a month. That's what my first batch of
Kombucha tasted like. Then I figured I must have made something wrong,
and threw everything away.

However, some people say it actually tastes good, so I plan to try it
again, since some years ago I made a similar mistake of saying that
(green) tea was horrible, simply because I couldn't brew it correctly.

--k

What I made years ago was like sparkling cider. If it brews too long it
does get nasty.

"Konrad Scorciapino" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Imagine that of pile of wet laundry. Now put some sauerkraut over, and
> let it stand in the sun for a month. That's what my first batch of
> Kombucha tasted like. Then I figured I must have made something wrong,
> and threw everything away.
>
> However, some people say it actually tastes good, so I plan to try it
> again, since some years ago I made a similar mistake of saying that
> (green) tea was horrible, simply because I couldn't brew it correctly.
>
> --k
>

Hi Anna,

there are so many recipes (different ingredients, relative amounts), so
many different ways to prepare or store Kombucha that all those Ks I
tasted myself over the years can be as different as day and night. I
used to drink it on a daily basis during my hardcore
bioorganic/-dynamic years and liked it a lot.
I never heard of any negative health effects, just the opposite.
PS: another healthy fermented drink that is easily prepared is
"waterkefir". Not as strong in taste as Kombucha, but a lovely,
slightly sparkling all-day beverage. If prepared with a reduced amount
of culture, and fermented slightly longer it gets similar in taste to
my beloved elderflower champagne.

See he
http://members.tripod.com/solinti-ivil/Waterkefir.html

.... and now back to a cup of that unknown First Flush

Best,
Karsten / Darjeeling

Anna: I tried kombucha awhile back. I purchased the tea mushroom at the
same time I bought some kefir starter. Eventually, I threw the kombucha
out. Basically, I found that it was rather interesting and appealing,
with a light fizzy tartness that was interesting. Eventually, though, I
decided I would rather drink my tea as tea, rather than feel obligated
to drink the tea vinegar every day. I have no idea whether health
benefits actually exist, but because it's such an ancient Korean
traditional curative, I imagine there must be something to it. If you
have the opportunity to try it, do so, because it's rather unusual and
kind of fun to try something you've never tasted before.