The Jam Pantry, an all-day breakfast cafe located at 2/575 Logan Rd, Greenslopes, Queensland is hosting a Fermented Christmas Cheer and Drinks Workshop that will run from the 4th to the 25th of November. The workshop will teach participants on how to make kombucha, ginger bug for ginger beer, and other fermented sodas.
Credit: The Jam Pantry Facebook
From bread, cheese, to yogurt, fermentation is one of the oldest forms of food preservation. Liquid drinks, however, remain the most interesting fermented products.
Kombucha, a fermented tea, has been associated with a variety of health benefits. It is said to have originated from China. While this remains unproven until today, Kombucha lovers swear to its digestive effects, detoxifying properties, and immune booster capabilities.
How to Make Kombucha
Credit: CCO Public Domain / Kelseysue2 / Pixabay
Making Kombucha is simple. It only requires equipment that are easily available in the kitchen.
- A jar (size to be determined based on the amount of Kombucha to be made)
- A stirring utensil
- Cloth or paper coffee filter and rubber band
A key ingredient of Kombucha, however, is made from sweetened tea that has been fermented by a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast, known as an active Kombucha SCOBY. Making SCOBY requires more time and more hands-on instructions.
Once an active Kombucha SCOBY is already done, other ingredients are:
- Unchlorinated water
- White sugar
- Tea bags
- Distilled white vinegar
The following steps are for presentation purposes only. An actual step-by-step demonstration is advisable.
- Dissolve the sugar into hot water and then place the tea bags to steep.
- Wait for it to cool before removing and straining the loose tea leaves.
- Pour the distilled vinegar.
- Add the active Kombucha SCOBY.
- Cover the jar with the cloth or paper coffee filter and use the rubber band to tighten.
- Set aside the mixture for a maximum of 30 days.
- Add other flavourings and can be placed inside bottles.
Credit: Cultures For Health/YouTube
How to Make Ginger Beer
Credit: CCO Public Domain / user1496066598 / Pixabay
Ginger, the main ingredient of this drink, is known to cure nausea, motion sickness, morning sickness, and mild upset stomachs. Like the Kombucha, ginger beer requires an ingredient – ginger syrup – which is produced using a symbiotic colony of yeast and Lactobacillus. As for the other ingredients, they are simple and easily available.
- Sugar
- Water
- Grated fresh ginger
- Yeast and Ginger syrup
- Lemon juice
The following steps are for presentation purposes only. An actual step-by-step demonstration is advisable.
- Grate the ginger and then mix with water and sugar in a saucepan. Steep this mixture for an hour and then let it cool.
- Strain for solid residues after cooling.
- Strain the mixture (discard the ginger solids) and allow to cool.
- Using a funnel, sprinkle the yeast, the syrup, lemon juice, water and stir until dissolved.
- Put another batch of freshly grated ginger, cover the bottle, and shake the mixture.
- Set aside for 2-3 days and be sure to consume within 1-2 weeks.
Credit: Jamie Oliver/YouTube
For a more comprehensive guide on how to make Kombucha and Ginger Beer, know more about the Fermented Christmas Cheer and Drinks Workshop by The Jam Pantry.
Click here for event tickets. Admission is exclusive for adults only.