Science of Fermentation and Brewing Kombucha

Hold my kombucha …  Whether a super fan who knows their SCOBY or just wondering what this exotic fermented tea beverage is all about then this workshop for you.

Join Danny Foley, of local Flagstaff based Bright Angel Kombucha to learn about what kombucha is and how you can make it at on your own. This lecture / workshop will provide a hands-on demonstration showing the basics of how you can make kombucha from home and what you need. Once you get over your fright of the often-misunderstood SCOBY which stands for Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast allowing the “magic” of fermentation to happen,  you can see it is rather simple involving a blend of both science and art. 

This new lecture / workshop to be held for the first time at the Flagstaff Festival of Science will be led by Danny Foley who knows a thing or two about kombucha. Although no formal training in the science of fermentation, he is a scientist by training and artist at heart. Therefore, he finds a way to combine these two favorites in the process of brewing kombucha. 

Danny has been making kombucha for over 6 years now.  In that time his passion has grown from a hobby to building a brand. One of Danny’s favorite things to do is to share a Kombucha with friends and family.  What started out as a fun project just to sip occasionally has led to a lasting labor of love. Following a general lecture on what kombucha is and demonstration of how you can brew at home, Danny will open up to a Q & A format to share his insight to help budding brewers.  For example, why is some kombucha acidic, why is some sweet? Is it good for you? How does it get carbonated? 

In recent years this sparkling pro-biotic fermented beverage has been gaining attention and is becoming more and more a drink of choice in the mainstream. With enigmatic origins from the ancient far east it is generally accepted that this natural strain of yeast and bacteria found its way into a sweet tea in present day China or Korea and gradually migrated west where it remained rather unknown in America until the last few decades.

Now Kombucha is available in several grocery stores, coffee shops, cafes and even on draft in some bars and restaurants not to mention the plethora of options available on the shelf now. Well, you may be wondering what is it about this drink that is so good for me and tasty? What is all the craze about healthy pro-biotic digestive enzymes that are good for my gut health? Why is gut health important? … guess you’ll just have to come to workshop.  This class may even provide an option to take home your very own SCOBY for a few budding kombucha enthusiasts out there interested in creating their favorite elixir. 

Join Danny Foley, from Flagstaff-based Bright Angel Kombucha, to learn about what kombucha is and how you can make it at on your own. Come to the workshop on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 6:30 a.m. at the NACET Accelerator Building. All ages welcome!