Kombucha-based alcoholic beverage brewing system and method

Abstract

A system for producing kombucha-based alcoholic beverage includes a brew vessel for steeping tea to form a tea liquor, a primary fermentation vessel configured for anaerobic fermentation of a tea liquor into an alcoholic brew, a secondary fermentation vessel configured for further anaerobic fermentation of the alcoholic brew to an alcohol by volume (ABV) of at least 7%, an aerobic fermenter for fermenting tea liquor when mixed with sugar and inoculated with a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (“SCOBY”) to form a fermented tea liquor, and a mixing tank dimensioned and configured to mix the alcoholic brew and the fermented tea liquor in desired ratios to produce a fermented alcoholic beverage having an ABV of approximately 3% to 7%. A method for producing kombucha-based alcoholic beverage is also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for brewing a fermented alcoholic beverage comprising:
 a brew vessel for steeping tea in a quantity of hot water to form a tea liquor;   a primary fermentation vessel for receiving the tea liquor and one or more yeasts and one or more fermentables, the primary fermentation vessel configured for anaerobic fermentation of the tea liquor into an alcoholic brew such that carbon dioxide released during primary fermentation escapes from the primary fermentation vessel and air is prevented from entering the primary fermentation vessel;   a secondary fermentation vessel for receiving the alcoholic brew from the primary fermentation vessel, the secondary fermentation vessel configured for further anaerobic fermentation of the alcoholic brew to an alcohol by volume (ABV) of at least 7% such that carbon dioxide released during further anaerobic fermentation to escapes from the secondary fermentation vessel and air is prevented from entering the secondary fermentation vessel;   an aerobic fermenter for fermenting the tea liquor when mixed with sugar and inoculated with a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (“SCOBY”) to form a fermented tea liquor; and   a mixing tank configured for mixing the alcoholic brew having an ABV of at least 7% with a second batch of fermented tea liquor, the mixing tank dimensioned and configured to mix the alcoholic brew and the second batch of fermented tea liquor in desired ratios to produce a fermented alcoholic beverage having an ABV of approximately 3% to 7%.   
     
     
         2 . A system for brewing a fermented alcoholic beverage according to  claim 1 , wherein the brew vessel is a heated liquor tank. 
     
     
         3 . A system for brewing a fermented alcoholic beverage according to  claim 1 , wherein the aerobic fermenter includes a fermentation filter prevent outside contamination to the tea liquor/sugar mixture. 
     
     
         4 . A system for brewing a fermented alcoholic beverage according to  claim 1 , further comprising a cooler for cooling the tea liquor. 
     
     
         5 . A system for brewing a fermented alcoholic beverage according to  claim 1 , wherein the primary fermentation vessel includes an oxygen supply for aerating the tea liquor. 
     
     
         6 . A system for brewing a fermented alcoholic beverage according to  claim 1 , wherein the primary fermentation vessel includes a first fermentation lock to allow carbon dioxide released during primary fermentation to escape from the primary fermentation vessel while preventing air from entering the primary fermentation vessel. 
     
     
         7 . A system for brewing a fermented alcoholic beverage according to  claim 1 , wherein the secondary fermentation vessel includes a second fermentation lock to allow carbon dioxide released during further anaerobic fermentation to escape from the secondary fermentation vessel while preventing air from entering the secondary fermentation vessel. 
     
     
         8 . A method for brewing a fermented alcoholic beverage comprising:
 preparing a first tea solution, including steeping tea in a quantity of hot water to form a tea liquor, straining the tea from the tea liquor, and cooling the tea liquor/sugar mixture;   preparing a primary brew in a first anaerobic fermenter using the first tea solution as an anaerobic nutrient solution, including aerating the first tea solution, adding anaerobic fermentation yeast to the first tea solution, adding sugar to the first tea solution, and anaerobically fermenting the first tea solution to form a primary brew,   transferring the primary brew from the first anaerobic fermenter to a second anaerobic fermenter to allow removal of yeast particulate formed during primary fermentation;   preparing a secondary brew in the second anaerobic fermenter, including anaerobically fermenting the anaerobic formation yeast remaining in the primary brew to form a secondary brew having an elevated alcohol by volume (ABV);   preparing a second fermented tea solution, including steeping tea in a quantity of hot water to form a second tea liquor, straining the tea from the tea liquor, adding sugar to the second tea liquor to form a second mixture that will serve as a second aerobic nutrient solution for aerobic fermentation, diluting the second mixture, cooling the second mixture, inoculating the second mixture with a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (“SCOBY”) to begin fermentation, and aerobically fermenting the second mixture, wherein the second fermented tea solution includes live probiotic colonies; and   mixing the secondary brew and second fermented tea solution together to form the fermented alcoholic beverage, wherein the fermented alcoholic beverage includes active probiotic colonies and an ABV of approximately 3% to 7%.   
     
     
         9 . A method for brewing a fermented alcoholic beverage according to  claim 8 , wherein the secondary brew has an ABV of approximately 8-9%. 
     
     
         10 . A method for brewing a fermented alcoholic beverage according to  claim 8 , wherein the secondary brew has an ABV of at least 7%, and mixing the secondary brew and the second fermented tea solution together forms the fermented alcoholic beverage having an ABV of approximately 4% to 7%. 
     
     
         11 . A method for brewing a fermented alcoholic beverage according to  claim 8 , wherein the fermented alcoholic beverage having an ABV of approximately 4% to 6%. 
     
     
         12 . A method for brewing a fermented alcoholic beverage comprising:
 preparing a first fermented tea solution, including: steeping tea in a quantity of hot water to form a tea liquor; straining the tea from the tea liquor; adding sugar to the tea liquor to form a tea liquor/sugar mixture that will serve as an aerobic nutrient solution for aerobic fermentation; diluting the tea liquor/sugar mixture; cooling the tea liquor/sugar mixture; inoculating the tea liquor/sugar mixture with a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (“SCOBY”) to begin fermentation;   reducing the number of viable microbes in the first fermented tea solution;   preparing a primary brew in a first anaerobic fermenter using the first fermented tea solution as an anaerobic nutrient solution, including: aerating the first fermented tea solution; adding anaerobic fermentation yeast to the first fermented tea solution, adding sugar to the first fermented tea solution; and   anaerobically fermenting the first fermented tea solution to form a primary brew; transferring the primary brew from the first anaerobic fermenter to a second anaerobic fermenter to allow removal of yeast particulate formed during primary fermentation;   preparing a secondary brew in the second anaerobic fermenter, including: anaerobically fermenting the anaerobic formation yeast remaining in the primary brew to form a secondary brew having an elevated alcohol by volume (ABV);   preparing a second fermented tea solution, including steeping tea in a quantity of hot water to form a second tea liquor; straining the tea from the tea liquor; adding sugar to the second tea liquor to form a second mixture that will serve as a second aerobic nutrient solution for aerobic fermentation; diluting the second mixture; cooling the second mixture; inoculating the second mixture with a second symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (“second SCOBY”) to begin fermentation; and aerobically fermenting the second mixture, wherein the second fermented tea solution includes live probiotic colonies; and   mixing the secondary brew and second fermented tea solution together to form the fermented alcoholic beverage, wherein the fermented alcoholic beverage includes active probiotic colonies and an ABV of approximately 3% to 7%.   
     
     
         13 . A method for brewing a fermented alcoholic beverage according to  claim 12 , wherein the fermented tea solution is a kombucha or a Jun. 
     
     
         14 . A method for brewing a fermented alcoholic beverage according to  claim 12 , wherein aerobic fermentation of the tea liquor/sugar mixture continues until the SCOBY digests a sufficient amount of sugar dissolved in the tea liquor and the first fermented tea solution has a pH of approximately 2.5-3.5. 
     
     
         15 . A method for brewing a fermented alcoholic beverage according to  claim 12 , further comprising cooling the first fermented tea solution prior to anaerobically fermenting the first fermented tea solution. 
     
     
         16 . A method for brewing a fermented alcoholic beverage according to  claim 12 , wherein the primary fermentation yeast consists of a yeast starter from the SCOBY, a champagne yeast, a wine yeast, a cider yeast, a beer yeast, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . A method for brewing a fermented alcoholic beverage according to  claim 12 , wherein the secondary brew has an ABV of approximately 8-9%. 
     
     
         18 . A method for brewing a fermented alcoholic beverage according to  claim 12 , wherein aerobic fermentation of the second mixture continues until the SCOBY digests the sugar dissolved in the tea liquor to produce a second fermented tea solution having a pH of approximately 2.5-3.5. 
     
     
         19 . A method for brewing a fermented alcoholic beverage according to  claim 12 , wherein the secondary brew has an ABV of at least 7%, and mixing the secondary brew and the second fermented tea solution together forms the fermented alcoholic beverage having an ABV of approximately 4% to 7%. 
     
     
         20 . A method for brewing a fermented alcoholic beverage according to  claim 12 , wherein the fermented alcoholic beverage having an ABV of approximately 4% to 6%.