The Kombucha trend has been on an uprise in Malaysia lately. Homebrewers are jumping on the bandwagon, and all brewers play an important role in introducing this drink to all Malaysians. If you’re looking for a neighbourhood kombucha brewer, we’ve got @alocha.kombucha‘s Founder, Joanne Chan, as our Guest Writer, to share some information on Kombucha.
Before we all dive into Kombucha facts, I think we need to address the primary question – What exactly is Kombucha?
Kombucha tea is a fermented drink made with tea, sugar, bacteria and yeast. Although it’s sometimes referred to as kombucha mushroom tea, kombucha is not a mushroom — it’s a colony of bacteria and yeast. Kombucha tea is made by adding the colony to sugar and tea, and allowing the mix to ferment. The resulting liquid contains vinegar, B vitamins and a number of other chemical compounds. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/expert-answers/kombucha-tea/faq-20058126
Okay.. so it’s a tea? But also fermented… Does that mean it’s alcohol?
Which begs the question:
Is Kombucha Halal?
To answer this question, we turn to JAKIM’s halal certification, and JAKIM has certified several kombucha brands as “HALAL”, such as ChaCha. By this rationale, the fermentation itself of kombucha tea does not mean that kombucha is haram. In fact, fermentation is just a natural biological reaction. A ripe banana has more naturally occurring alcohol than kombucha so if you eat bananas, kombucha should be no issue for you.
In reality, the amount of alcohol in the final product is insignificant and would have no effect on the person drinking it. There is no added alcohol and only naturally occurring alcohol that is common in many fruits.
With that said, let’s dive right into the notes prepared by Joanne:
5 Things you need to know about Kombucha
1. Temperature plays a role in brewing Kombucha
Warm temperatures increase the activity of the bacteria, while cold slows them down. However, if you leave a capped bottle at room temperature for a while, the carbonation in it could build up and you might get a surprise splash when you open the bottle.
2. No expiry date for Kombucha
No worries about it going bad or making you ill, but there is a ‘best drinking period’. We recommend you drink Kombucha within 1-2weeks for the best fizzy taste and good bacteria consumption. Regular drinking could result in a smooth digestion experience and better skin condition.
“Although Kombucha can bring health benefits, be careful when brewing it at home! There have been reports of adverse effects, such as stomach upset, infections and allergic reactions in kombucha tea drinkers. Kombucha tea is often brewed in homes under nonsterile conditions, making contamination likely. “— Locat
3. Don’t worry about a little brown staining
This indicates that the scoby is still living and is an active culture. The Scoby will continue to do its job during the 2nd fermentation (bottling with juice). It’s perfectly fine to drink. You can gently shake the bottle or use a strainer to sift it out before drinking it if you mind.
4. Perfect substitution for carbonate drinks
It’s fizzy! Bubbles are a fun and tasty part of having kombucha. Leave them at room temperature before putting in the fridge to continue building carbonation.
5. The truth about sugar & kombucha sugar is meant for the culture to consume.
Scoby (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) ferment sugar into probiotics and good antioxidants for gut health. The sugar added to the tea isn’t just to give it that sweet taste, but for fermentation to occur.
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Thank you to @alocha.kombucha for the points in this post. Our team has personally sampled the drinks and enjoyed the refreshing tang of these fruit-based drinks!
A friendly reminder from Health Expert to always be mindful when consuming drinks high in microbes. While high in healthy gut bacteria, kombucha can lead those with sensitive stomachs to have adverse effects.
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