Inside The Mad Scientist Kitchen
Have You Ever Wondered What Makes Mad Scientist Kombucha Different?
Small batch makes a world of a difference when it comes to kombucha. That is what sets Mad Scientist Kombucha apart from the "bigger guys." Every week we make fresh kombucha for all of our markets and orders so that you have the freshest kombucha possible. Even as we have grown, we have found that the half-gallon small batch brew creates the best flavor and we haven't changed a thing.
Each batch starts with organic black tea and organic cane sugar
We use less sugar than most kombucha recipes to create a tasty kombucha that isn't loaded with sugar. We add just enough sugar to feed the culture without starving it and expertly brew the elixir that serves as the base of our raw kombucha.
Seed tea is added to half gallon jars
Every batch of new kombucha starts with a small amount of seed tea (the previous batch of raw kombucha). This is necessary to alter the pH enough until the new batch can be transformed into raw kombucha. Without this acidic head start, the tea would mold and sour - and not in a good way. Most harmful bacteria do not survive well in acidic environments. The "seed tea" acts as a buffer in the brew.
Room temperature tea is added to the jar
This is where the science comes in. A special ratio of fresh new tea to seed tea provides the perfect balance that makes Mad Scientist Kombucha so smooth. The tea cannot be too hot or too cold to keep the cultures happy and thriving. Don't worry. Your Mad Scientist knows how to keep cultures happy.
Next, the SCOBY "mother" is added
This is the "not-so-secret-secret" to brewing kombucha. The main ingredient! A SCOBY - Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast. Each batch starts with their own "mother." Throughout the brewing process, the culture consumes the tea and the sugar and converts the contents of the jar to beneficial-bacteria rich kombucha. In the process, a "baby" forms just on top of the mother.
Finally, the kombucha is capped and ready to hang out and brew
The kombucha will sit, lightly covered and undisturbed until it has reached the appropriate pH and taste for raw kombucha. Once the kombucha is perfect, the second fermentation occurs. The "mother" and "baby" SCOBY are returned to a SCOBY nursery and fed until they are ready to make another batch of kombucha. During the second fermentation we have an opportunity to flavor our kombucha. We use REAL ingredients and steep them in the raw kombucha in an anaerobic environment (closed without free oxygen). Mad Scientist Kombucha is NEVER diluted to add flavor to the brew. Steeping allows the flavors to infuse without compromising the concentration of the kombucha.