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Kombucha Class, brewing follow-up

Kombucha Ingredients

8 cups of water
2-4 teabags of black tea
1-2 cups sugar
1/2 cup starter tea (from last batch of kombucha)
1 scoby or scoby piece

Directions
1. Make the tea and add sugar. Let the tea over steep to create more tannins
2. Wait for tea to cool completely
3. Take out the tea bags
4. Pour 1/2 cup of starter tea from the last batch into a new jar. Add the freshly brewed (and cooled!) tea. You will now have two jars – what’s left of the last batch, and a new one.
5. Add the scoby. It’s okay if it sinks.
6. Cover with a paper towel and rubberband, wait 4-10 days, until bubbles form under the scoby.
Directions for flavoring the last batch
1. Add your flavors. (Combinations of fruit, sugarcane, herbs, spices = all good.)
2. Seal the jar completely and let sit from 2 days to 2+ months before drinking.<br></br>
Amara’s favorite Flavor combos
Ginger slices + blueberries
Blackberry + sage, boiled on the stove and cooled.
Raspberries

Jacob’s directions for herbal infusions:
To create a solid herbal brew, bring to a boil and steep the herbs until the water has been reduced to a cup, starting with 2 to 3 cups water initially, depending on your patience.
Once room temperature, put the tea in the container for secondary fermentation and then add the kombucha brew to the herbal tea at the bottom.
Here, you have two options. In order to continue the fermentation process of the herbs, they will ideally be left in the brew either free-floating or in a sachet to which a piece of macerated sugar cane or ginger will be added. This increases the efficacy of the herbal properties while curbing the bitter esters of the herb itself.
Some more earthy flavors, like licorice root or ginseng should be removed after a few days to prevent severe unpalatability.

Mugwort + rosehips
Sassafras + anise + sugarcane
Wormwood + elderflower + sugarcane
Thyme
Rosemary + Grapefruit, the rosemary removed after 3-4 days

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Events Info for January 2015

hey yall here is info for some events happening in january, let us know if you have any questions

Black History and Women’s History Month Initial Planning Meeting:

The Ypsilanti Free Skool will be celebrating Black History Month in February and Women’s History Month in March. The initial planning meeting is open to everyone who would like to help plan and create educational opportunities (classes, discussions, lectures, documentary screenings, or more) that focus on black and women’s history and current events. This planning meeting is happening Monday, Jan 12th, 5pm @ B-24’s.  If you would like to participate but cannot make the meeting, contact us at ypsifreeskool@gmail.com

Teach-in: Humanity, Technology & the Internet

Come learn about how the internet came to be, how corporations and the government monitor our internet use and what effects the internet and the runaway technology climate has on us humans.  We will be having how-to workshops with demonstrations and theoretical workshops with discussions.

Topics include:

Sociology of cellphones
Early technology and development of the internet
Encryption
The deep web
Alternatives to google, facebook, twitter ect.

The internet teach-in is happening Saturday, Jan 24th, 1:30-4:30 @ the Ypsilanti Downtown Library.

The Space Commune

A newly formed commune in Ypsilanti, which focuses on Safe Spaces and Anti-Capitalism. As an all-organic household, reducing waste and our footprint while developing a successful cottage industry trade are two current projects.

The Space Commune Free Skool events are located at 1084 Levona Street

Documentary Night:

Wednesday the 14th at 6pm
“Let the Fire Burn” is a documentary about the Philadelphia Police fire bombing the Black Liberation Organization, MOVE

Wednesday the 28th at 6pm

“Ivory Tower” is a documentary on the excessive costs and decreasing values of Higher Education in the United States

Kombucha Class:

Friday the 16th at 6pm
We will be going over the history, uses, and creation of Kombucha fermented tea. To make your first experience is a success, we will go over step-by-step instructions and recipes–from ancient Eleusinian herbal brews to fresh seasonal preserves, and common issues and solutions. Folks will get to take home a S.C.O.B.Y culture and starter liquid, and we will sample some brews.

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Tenants’ Rights Organization to the City Council – Tuesday, November 18th

On Tuesday the 18th, a group of concerned citizens, renters, and organizers will be attending the city council meeting. We will be going to insist that city council and the human rights committee take greater action in response to rampant problems with landlords in Ypsilanti. If you are a renter in Ypsilanti (either residential or commercial) and have had serious issues with your landlord (negligence, harassment, unfulfilled maintenance issues, etc.) please come join us. City council and the human rights committee must take their responsibilities to the residents of Ypsilanti seriously and enforce the codes they have set out.

The meeting will start at 7:00pm, but people will be arriving any time after 6:30 to meet before and discuss other actions that we can take. If you would like more information, please feel free to write to us at ypsitenants@gmail.com.

Thanks and we hope to see you there,
Ypsilanti Tenants’ Rights Organization