Kanna in Kombucha & Beer: The Secret to Earthy Elegance
There's something charmingly symbiotic about nature and fermentation collaborating. Anyone who's a brewer and home brew kombucha enthusiast is familiar with how a single component is enough to significantly change entire sense profile, the aroma, finish, even mouthfeel. One of the herbs we're seeing a great deal of excitement about among experiential fermenters is Kanna (Sceletium tortuosum), a South African succulent famous for its characteristic, earthy profile.
If you've considered whether it's possible to give your kombucha or beer a new direction by adding Kanna, then yes but not quite as you might imagine it. Subtlety is at play here, layering, and it's all dependent upon how and when you are adding it to your brew.
Additional Personality Analysis of Kanna
The kanna is neither a flashy plant. A demure, soothing, bittersweet flavor of a plant of a flavor which by itself, somehow, is ancient, nearly meditative. It was classically fermented prior to consumption, something even by itself previewing its indigenous suitability to a brew-centered culture.
With Kanna by Healing Herbals, you are getting a clean, duly processed material retaining this quiet intensity of multi-dimensional complexity. Its weak tannings and alkaloids give a herbal kick which adds a dimension to whatever drink it's an adjunct of ranging from sour kombucha to ambitious ales.
How Kanna Affects Taste and Mood
1. Earthy Mellow and Herbal Astringency
Even a touch of Kanna will give a brew a note of grounding. As a terrestrial note of a thin or berry-like brew of kombucha, it shows a delicate herbal bitterness cutting sweetness and acidity. As a component of craft beers, hopped citrusy or piney, bitterness of Kanna might coexist nicely, emphasizing depth instead of overwhelming it.
2. Texture and Mouthfeel Alterations
Depending upon how powdered Kanna is, there may be a variation of mouthfeel for you. A raw powder will give a smooth, moderately drying mouthfeel if it's not dissolved thoroughly. A liquid extract or pre-infused preparation, however, will dissolve cleanly, having a snappy, clean sensation to the liquid.
In reality, some brewers prefer it rich and thick, saying it yields a better "rounded" or "velvety" flavor profile that quenches the brew of a homemade touch.
3. Reactions Involved in Fermentation and Carbonation
Fermented beverages like kombucha and bier are a live set of acids, yeasts, and bubbles. As Kanna connects with that universe, its fragrance and flavor are greatly transformed. The acid may raise its botanical fragrance, while carbonation lifts elevated floral notes to the head.
You can add Kanna before fermentation, which might remove more of its bitterness, or you can add it after fermentation, which yields a smoother, milder taste.
4. Combinations with Other Botanicals
Kanna is best complemented by robust, complementary flavors. Ginger, mint, lemongrass, and citrus perfectly counter its earthiness. In kombucha, it achieves a bright contrast of sharp and light flavors. With beer, Kanna may complement roasted malts, citrusy hops, or herbal bifluors for a multi-dimensional, virtually vintage character.
Experimentation Hints Using Kanna in Your Ferments
If you are interested in utilizing Kanna in your own work, here are a few useful pointers:
- Begin slow- A few pinches is usually sufficient to see its effect. You can always increase upward after determining how it responds.
- Add it at a late stage- It is better to add Kanna after fermentation.
- Pre-soak ahead of time- Combine Kanna with a neutral liquid, e.g., warm water or weak tea, strain, and add to your drink.
- Taste it as you go- It's going to change fermented drinks. Let your palate dictate, not a recipe.
- Pair thoughtfully- Ground herbs like Kanna enjoy companionship. Pair it with ginger, cinnamon, or citrus for a balancing effect.
What You Can Expect
Inviting Kanna won't radically alter your drink it'll enrich it. You'll notice a note of earth, a finish of bitter orange, or a less harsh texture. It's less a revealing thing and more a soft nuance, of the type adding to interest and character instead of stocking it all for itself.
Over a period, as it matures or carbonates, the flavor becomes less sharp and more balanced, a fine, almost sentimental finish.
Conclusion
Add kanna to kombucha or beer, less an act of experimentation, an act of alchemy rather a subservient union of plant and brew a respectful one for those curious and waiting.
If it's your delight to bask something elegantly earthy to your beverages, try a wee bit of the Kanna line of Healing Herbals. Begin modestly, keep a journal, and pay heed to your palate's lead. You may discover it's less your drink, it's the entire process of enjoyment of it, your drink, it shifts.
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