If only the world’s annual 10bn kilos of used coffee grounds were used for fertiliser, leathers, skin-care products and even bio-fuel. A serious caffeine kick’: Tom Hunt’s spent coffee ground kombucha. Last modified on Sat 14 Jan 2023 14. Mabel coffee bar table as she handed me a huge bag of used coffee grounds.

Last week, someone came in asking me for some to make a plant-based leather. I walked out grinning from ear to ear, happy to connect with a local barista and to have just scored a kilo of Browns of Brockley’s finest used coffee grounds. Across the world, almost 10bn kilos of coffee beans are consumed each year, and those beans are grown on 10m hectares across the so-called bean belt, an area roughly 25 degrees on either side of the equator. For starters, they are free, and they are also carbon-positive, because you’re repurposing a product that would otherwise have gone to waste. I was happy to learn recently that coffee drinking is associated with increased longevity and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. If you’re sensitive to caffeine as I am, don’t worry, because it’s likely that the other 100 or more biologically active components in coffee contain the health benefits.

Also, this recipe will work just fine using caffeine-free coffee, too. Measure two litres of just-boiled water into a heatproof glass or ceramic jug, stir in the sugar and spent coffee grounds, and leave to infuse overnight. The next day, strain the flavoured water through a non-metallic sieve into a fermentation jar, add the kombucha and gently float the scoby on top. Cover the jar with a clean tea towel, secure it in place with a rubber band or string, then put the jar in a warm, roughly 20C spot out of direct sunlight. Strain into sterilised bottles, keeping back 300ml of backslop for the next batch, and store in the fridge, or leave to ferment a second time, which will carbonate the drink. Media Limited or its affiliated companies. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title.