I've been experimenting with different kombucha drinks. My favorite is chia seed and pomegranate. I put a cup of chia seeds into 1 L of previously-boiled water, shake it vigorously for about 1 minute to prevent it lumping. I leave it for about 6 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 for about a week 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 is well on it's way, and that's when I put in the refrigerator. I don't like to let it ferment too far, as it begins to taste too strong, like vinegar.
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.
