Making kombucha: Like vinegar, but more low-key?

Sunset’s editors have been lately spotted toting bottles of kombucha, fermentedtea sold at Whole Foods Markets and natural foods stores. (So you’renot surprised if you try it: It smells like vinegar, but get past thatand it’s tasty. Plus, it has an aura of good health.) However, at $4 abottle, I’m drinking away my salary.

Which is why I was excited to readon the ApartmentTherapy blog Re-Nest that you can make your own. From reading their description, it’s less complicated than making vinegar; it only takes 10 days from putting a batch together to drinking a batch you made yourself.

Now all I need is a “scoby,” a symbiotic culture of bacteria andyeast that works like the mother in vinegar-making. Oh, no, wait: Thank goodness forthe Internet. According to the Love Your Mother blog (love the name), I can make my own.

Any DIY-kombucha drinkers out there? I’d love to hear about your experiences.

by Elizabeth Jardina, Sunset researcher