We love the science and mystery behind kombucha and how we brew at kombucha by Laurent. Many people are interested in this mystical drink. That wonderfully rich and refreshing glass of kombucha. For those who want to understand a bit of what we do we will explain.
So, what is kombucha tea?
Kombucha is a mixed yeast and bacterial fermentation of sweet tea. Basically, what that means is brewing sweet tea and adding to it an ancient and carefully evolved culture that slowly converts all the proteins and sugars into the kombucha flavours you love.
We carefully manage our own kombucha culture at kombucha by Laurent. A bacterial and yeast formation that has been handed down over generations and likely evolved over centuries, this is the core of what we do. The mother scoby.
What’s going on in that kombucha jar?
When pitched into the brew, first the yeast gets to work. The yeast breaks down the sugars in the tea to glucose and then consumes the glucose to make ethanol (or alcohol as we more commonly know it). The yeast also produces a whole range of different organic compounds that give the booch its individual and unique flavour. These flavours are completely different depending upon the temperature of the brew.
At the same time, but slightly slower to get going, the healthy bacteria get to work. Kombucha culture contains bacterias similar to those that make vinegar, but while vinegar only makes acetic acid, kombucha produces only a small amount of acetic acid alongside plenty of much softer, less tart acids.
How long does it take to brew kombucha tea?
The primary brewing process can take anywhere from 10 days to 4 weeks. We test the kombucha almost every day and take it off when the flavours are just right: too short a time and you get a really sweet and sugary soft drink, too long and you get a really potent vinegary brew.
Kombucha by laurent then goes into the final phase of flavouring. We take much care of our kombucha and we allow all the rich aromas and flavours to round out, and particularly the acids to soften. In this way you get a kombucha that is both rich and yeasty but soft and delicate. We have 4 flavours kombucha currently working on a 5th.
So now you can drink comfortably, knowing that each bottle of Kombucha by Laurent, that you consume has been brewed with enormous care and attention, and bottled with love.