Any other Booch makers or maybe just a Kombucha fan and drink it kind of regularly?

For those reading this who have no idea what I might be talking about, Kombucha is a fermented tea with the devotees swearing about the positive impacts on health. Booch is just a nick name. 

Anyway, I do not fall into the devotee this will cure you cancer if you just drink it camp. (Not that I don't deep down really hope that there is some merit to that!) My first bottle was literally a bucket list item- I had only heard about it and wanted to try. Love at first sip and weirdly almost like instant addiction kind of experience. I am never like that with food either even in my SMO days. So, I crave the hell out of it and have to put myself on a budget because one bottle is $3 and my hubby wants half. Then my gypsy like daughter wants to try and she needs her addiction fed too. So I have three new users here. Not to sound like a total crack pot, but I am beginning to believe some of the hippie hype- not all, but for sure some.

Here is what I noticed, and I am wondering if other drinkers out there have a similar benefit?

1, Acid reflux. OMFG what a difference. I thought at first that finally the meds were getting to a point where I could taper, so it took me a bit to connect the booch to the reduction of acid. I went from a fairly high dose twice a day and acid issues still a problem in between, to almost never taking a dose. And when I feel like I should get a dose (more to protect my esphogus lining than anything) sure enough every time I missed my normal booch schedule. I seem to do great at 10 ounces a day or even every other day. I am calling it a far better choice than my meds. (Disclaimer: my gastro doc highly encouraged me to take the smallest dose possible and as infrequent as possible so this is not against doc's orders.) My daughter's clears up too.

2. Allergies. I have had to take Singular and Centirizine daily for as long as I can remember- allergy medicine of some type daily for 30 years at least. Not now. My allergies are not completely resolved, but they are so much better I can drop the meds on most days. Now before someone thinks it might just be there are less allergens in the air (seasonal) I also have a vibration allergy. Normally without meds if I walk half a block hives will be severe enough on my legs to look like poison ivy, hands swollen and hives, etc. Even without the meds it is more controlled than with- mowing the lawn or going for a run (high impact stuff) is still not going to work, but again dropping meds and I am insanely happy.

3. Digestion- it legit seems to help with constipation. I no longer "have" to eat 35 grams of fiber, but more impressively is my daughter. That poor allergy ridden girl gets back up so bad that it is a joyous event for her to finally get things moving. She doesn't even bother reaching for colace now- just 20 ounces of booch and the next day is magic. One warning- I started brewing my own so have just entered the realm of drinking unpastuerized (more probiotics, stronger booch). Ummm... a little overkill for me on 10 ounces, so easing into it. Hubby no issue though.

4. Weight loss- I am calling BS on this claim. Doesn't seem to make a difference in either direction other than I do notice a reduction in cravings. This is true for all three of us.

5. Probiotics- now way to confirm but that was the one original claim that I did buy into. I eat yogurt daily for this reason. Can't confirm a thing though. 

6. ADHD- Now here is where I will start to sound a bit like a quack. Let me preface this with I am a elementary teacher and have had a load of experience with talking with parents about having their cherub evaluated. The ones who insist on taking their kid to the chiropractor **** me off. It just never freaking works. Their magical chamomille tea doesn't work, etc. I am also ADHD, take Adderoll as does my two daughters. Clearly I err on the side of medicine personally. But with all that said, the booch seems to for a short duration anyway lift the mental fog, racing thoughts kind of thing. Fascinating. Once I can kick up how much I brew I am really looking forward to see how this plays out when I drink it daily. If you are a parent DO NOT interpret this as ignore your doctor and teacher and get booch for your cherub! That is not what I am talking about!!

So are you seeing this when you drink too, none of it, or maybe something totally different? And sorry about the long rambly post, but given Anne here also found Booch relieved her severe GERD I just don't think it is a coincidence. If you are thinking about trying a bottle be warned there is 30 cals in it. I don't mind that one bit, but check the label. It drinks like diet soda without any of the bad diet soda crap!! You can get it at Trader Joes or Whole Foods, and at least here locally at the health food stores.

I am curious. Do you have a link to a specific brand or recipe that I can look at?

Here is an example- this brand has raw and the other, and different flavors. https://www.amazon.com/GTs-Enlightened-Synergy-Organic-Kombu cha/dp/B00B04A79O

My Aunt told me about this years ago. Kombucha mushroom tea. She was given a mushroom to babysit while a neighbor went on vacation. She was told she could keep the baby mushroom that it produced and she drank the tea daily. She was going through menopause at the time and it eliminated all her symptoms. She lived about 12 hours away from me so she was trying to figure out how to mail me a mushroom so I could start my own. She didn't know the name of it and there really wasn't internet back then to research it. Her mushroom died or quit reproducing and her neighbor moved so that was the end. We couldn't figure it out. Finally!! Thanks!!

Let me know where you buy the bottles of it. It can be made at home but meanwhile I might buy some. 

Trader Joes, Whole Foods, and health stores is where I get it- in the refridgerator section

I am trying to drink the store bought. It is not something I am loving, looking at it more as medicine. 

I can get about 4 ounces down before that is it for me.

I read online that for many it is an " acquired" taste- so opposite for me, total love at first sip! I started with the gingerade, and it helped settle my stomach. Maybe try different flavors, you might find one you like.

I will. First of meo tried was Connery and so tar I am liking the ginger berry the best so far

I think you just sold me on this. How did you get started? I have had it once or twice in bottled form and I found it drinkable enough although a bit expensive as a casual drink. I am not sure I am committed to brewing it yet, although I love to cook and am interested in kambucha and fermented foods, just have to commit to it and jump in.

I have issues with most of the things you mentioned above so anything that covers more than one is very interesting. On the ADHD front, i have been on Adderall many years in the past, I stopped taking it a while ago because I felt like while it was beneficial I would like alternatives to control it. Lately I have been on a ketogenic diet partly for weight loss and partly because according to some articles I have read your brain really likes ketones and I have found that when I am generating ketones the most (mid morning to early afternoon) my ADD is pretty much non-existent. I have also noticed I have fewer issues at other times when I have burned up the ketones in my blood like after a long run or hard workout. There is a product called Keto Cana which are exogenous ketones that apparently work really well for this. I will be trying that soon.

In the meantime I will give the kambucha a try, any suggestions on brands/flavors? How/where did you get your scoby?

Thanks,

k

The brand I buy is GT, and I get it from Trader Joe, Whole Foods, and health food stores. Given I usually get it at TJs the only two choices are gingerade and a cherry. Both are terrific. I prefer the ginger because it helps to settle my stomach, hubby prefers the cherry. The only flavor I have not liked so far is mango. But I realized after I drank it it was out of date.

I was blessed with findng my scoby. My husband happened to mention while checking out at Trader Joe that our new addiction was pricey, and that I tried to brew at home and it was a fail. I had ordered the scoby on amazon and it came moldy, but since I had never seen one thought it was the spots they say was ok. Anyway, turns out the cashier brewed booch. He instantly offered to give me a scoby and starter. My husband gave him my email, and two weeks later when his batch finished he was kind enough to bottle it up. I picked it up at Tjs, returned his mason jar a week later with a big ol' container with a spicket so he could switch to continous brew instead of batch brew. (Anyone thinking of trying this- Sams has the large ice tea dispenser on clearance, it is the glass jar with the stainless steel spiket and holds around 3 gallons. It is under $15 by my house!

Since I had a two week waiting period I read a bunch online. I then bought a book because I am enough of a geek to want to read far more than is needed. It has everything you need to know to start, the history of it, recipes... everything. But you can find directions online for free or I can post here if folks want. 

Kombucha Kamp sells scobys online. They are pricier than Amazon by far, but I keep reading in a ton of different sources that they are great quality with quality starter. 

Now for an offer: For anyone in the Detroit area I will have a scoby I can give you with starter. Just PM me. People mail them to one another in ziploc bags- I know it sounds gross, but in the anarobic state apparently the scoby hotel will keep it well plenty long enough to ship. If someone wants to take a chance on me shipping (knowing it would be my first attempt at doing it- I will diligently follow the directions that I have) I would be happy to send one out with starter. Another great choice is if you can find a bottle of the raw original GT kombucha, that can actually be used to grow your own scoby! 

Booch brewing is very easy, and very little time commitment.. ingredients are cheap as well. You can do a batch brew (gallon jar, once ready pull out what you bottle, leave enough starter for the next batch and return the scoby to the jar and begin again) or continuous brew. The continuous method is less work with greater output. My first attempt was in that vessel though, and I did not want to risk my scoby molding that was gifteed to me. So I did a batch brew, then used the baby scoby for the continuous brew. My second batch brew is already done and I think I can seperate out a baby scoby to share. :)