Where to Start with Hannah Crum
Hannah Crum is known as “The Kombucha Mamma,” a title she earned through years of teaching, writing, and advocating for kombucha brewing. Together with her partner Alex LaGory, she founded Kombucha Kamp, one of the largest online resources for kombucha education and supplies, and co-founded Kombucha Brewers International, the trade association for the commercial kombucha industry. Her work bridges the gap between home brewers and professionals, and her writing reflects that dual perspective: rigorous enough for serious fermenters, accessible enough for someone brewing their first batch.
Start here
The Big Book of Kombucha
Hannah Crum · 400 pages · 2016 · Easy
Themes: kombucha brewing, fermentation, SCOBY care, flavoring techniques, health benefits
The definitive guide to kombucha, co-written with Alex LaGory. At 400 pages with more than 400 recipes and 268 unique flavor combinations, this is the most comprehensive kombucha resource available. Crum’s years of teaching workshops and consulting for commercial brewers shine through in how the book anticipates beginner mistakes and addresses them with patience and clarity.
Why Start Here
This is Hannah Crum’s signature work, and it represents everything she has learned from years at the center of the kombucha world. The book teaches the science behind fermentation in plain language, walks you through your first batch with step-by-step photographs, and then opens up into an enormous collection of flavoring ideas, cooking recipes, cocktails, and smoothies.
The troubleshooting section is particularly valuable. Crum has seen every mistake a brewer can make, and her guidance on mold identification, SCOBY health, and temperature management is the kind of practical wisdom you only get from someone who has answered thousands of questions from real brewers.
What to Expect
A comprehensive reference at 400 pages that works both as a beginner’s guide and a long-term companion. The first chapters get you brewing. The rest of the book gives you years of experimentation ahead. Winner of the 2016 Silver Nautilus Book Award.