Hi all
I have some knowledge to share about making my favorite Kombucha Chia drink using pomegranate juice:
Initial Attempt:
I put a cup of chia seeds into 1 L of previously-boiled water, shake it vigorously in a 2 L bottle for about 30 seconds to prevent it lumping. I leave it for about 2 hours for the seeds to swell almost completely. Then I add 1 L of pomegranate juice. I add a teaspoon of scoby concentrate, and leave it to ferment at room temperature in a sealed 2 L bottle.
I check periodically for pressure in the bottle by loosening the cap. Shaking it seems to slow down the fermentation. After about a week, the fermentation was well on it's way, and that's when I put it in the refrigerator. I don't like to let it ferment too far, as it begins to taste too strong, like vinegar, and becomes too effervescent. Also, no sweetness remains.
I think the fermentation starts at the surface of the liquid, and progresses whether you add extra sugar or not, but shaking it disrupts the process; it seems to ferment faster when you don't shake it.
I feel I am getting the full benefit of the probiotics without letting it ferment fully. I prefer the taste of it after about a week, when it still retains the flavor of the fresh pomegranate juice to some degree. The chia seeds soak up water and swell up to 10X their size, and becomes a very good natural fiber, which also aids digestion.
New Update:
My first attempt took about a week at room-temperature for the fermentation to get going. Now I use a few ounces of a previously-fermented batch which I keep in the refrigerator. This new culture seems to be much more active, and provides a properly-fermented drink in just a few hours. At this point it goes into the fridge.
My theory is that the new culture is now just the perfect strain to develop rapidly in the pomegranate juice. If I leave it fermenting too long, I can no longer taste the sugar, and it foams incessantly when I take of the lid. I like to refrigerate it just after it becomes mildly effervescent.
After a year, the health benefits seem excellent. It's hard to quantify, but I would say nearly all my ailments have diminished significantly.
I have some knowledge to share about making my favorite Kombucha Chia drink using pomegranate juice:
Initial Attempt:
I put a cup of chia seeds into 1 L of previously-boiled water, shake it vigorously in a 2 L bottle for about 30 seconds to prevent it lumping. I leave it for about 2 hours for the seeds to swell almost completely. Then I add 1 L of pomegranate juice. I add a teaspoon of scoby concentrate, and leave it to ferment at room temperature in a sealed 2 L bottle.
I check periodically for pressure in the bottle by loosening the cap. Shaking it seems to slow down the fermentation. After about a week, the fermentation was well on it's way, and that's when I put it in the refrigerator. I don't like to let it ferment too far, as it begins to taste too strong, like vinegar, and becomes too effervescent. Also, no sweetness remains.
I think the fermentation starts at the surface of the liquid, and progresses whether you add extra sugar or not, but shaking it disrupts the process; it seems to ferment faster when you don't shake it.
I feel I am getting the full benefit of the probiotics without letting it ferment fully. I prefer the taste of it after about a week, when it still retains the flavor of the fresh pomegranate juice to some degree. The chia seeds soak up water and swell up to 10X their size, and becomes a very good natural fiber, which also aids digestion.
New Update:
My first attempt took about a week at room-temperature for the fermentation to get going. Now I use a few ounces of a previously-fermented batch which I keep in the refrigerator. This new culture seems to be much more active, and provides a properly-fermented drink in just a few hours. At this point it goes into the fridge.
My theory is that the new culture is now just the perfect strain to develop rapidly in the pomegranate juice. If I leave it fermenting too long, I can no longer taste the sugar, and it foams incessantly when I take of the lid. I like to refrigerate it just after it becomes mildly effervescent.
After a year, the health benefits seem excellent. It's hard to quantify, but I would say nearly all my ailments have diminished significantly.
