Special recipes - Coffee Kombucha

Kombucha culture is also spreading in Italy and everyone loves the taste, versatility and beneficial properties of a drink that can be enjoyed at the bar or prepared at home. The most interesting variant that the bartender offers the customer is coffee kombucha.

Although most people are only familiar with kombucha tea made from the leaves of camellia sinensis, the coffee variant is fresh and tasty, and is great to prepare at home or to enjoy in your favourite bar.

Kombucha - Definition

If you do not know what kombucha, a true elixir of good life, is, you should know that it is a fermented, traditionally Oriental tea-based beverage about some 2000 years ago. From the Orient, kombucha has spread all over the world for its unique taste and beneficial properties.

This drink is great for health because it contains thousands of probiotic bacteria, as well as antioxidants and polyphenols. Kombucha tea, in particular, is made by fermenting an infusion of tea, which is called SCOBY - an acronym for Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast.

Over the course of a few days, the bacteria and yeast in the SCOBY, a curious little gelatinous disc of cellulose, will transform the tea infusion into kombucha, consuming the added sugar and turning it into a health drink.

Benefits of Kombucha for the body

Kombucha is known for its purifying properties and immune system support. As mentioned, it is a probiotic drink suitable for restoring the bacterial flora and stimulating metabolism and intestinal mobility.

Its consumption is recommended for those suffering from constipation and those who want to quickly eliminate waste and toxins from the stomach and intestines, while if taken after meals, kombucha counteracts diarrhoea. Not only that, it is also useful in treating menopausal symptoms, asthma, joint and muscle pain and kidney stones. Besides this, it facilitates sleep, improves eyesight and counteracts diabetes.

It is also believed that coffee kombucha is a true beauty elixir that counteracts baldness and wrinkles, while also protecting the cardiovascular system. A glass of kombucha helps to regularise blood pressure and prevent arteriosclerosis. Among the elements provided by this Asian elixir are enzymes, vitamin C, B vitamins, lactic and glucuronic acid, yeast and small traces of caffeine. Thanks to its supply of minerals and vitamins, this drink is also very popular among sports enthusiasts.

How is this drink prepared?

The recipe for coffee kombucha is prepared in a similar way to traditional tea-based kombucha and the ingredients are:

• 3 litres of freshly extracted Portioli hot coffee (you can extract it with a filter or cold brew extraction)

• 250 g brown sugar in crystals

• 1 SCOBY of 100/150 g

Preparation starts with infusing the coffee in boiling water for 15 minutes. Once the coffee extract is obtained, the sugar is added, taking care to dissolve it completely.

Then everything is left to cool, and as soon as it reaches room temperature, the SCOBY is added. The glass container is then covered and left to ferment, depending on the temperature, for 7-10 days.

Once this time has passed, you can taste the coffee kombucha and enjoy all the benefits this drink brings to your body. Remember: the best coffee kombucha is prepared with a quality blend like the one proposed by Portioli.