Extolled for its health benefits stemming from good-for-your-gut probiotics, kombucha is one of the hottest trends in health beverages right now.

Though the fermented tea drink dates back to 220 B.C. in China, it is taking over drink aisles at even the most mainstream of grocery stores. But many, like South Lake Tahoe resident Kaitlin Campbell, prefer to brew their own.

“One of my friends taught me how to brew kombucha for the first time four years ago,” said Campbell, who is preparing to teach her second kombucha-brewing workshop at Yoga Om on March 22.

Now the Florida transplant has a batch of kombucha going at all times and is spreading the knowledge with her new hometown.

Sometimes called mushroom tea, kombucha is made by fermenting sweetened black or green tea using a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast) for anywhere from a week to 30 days.

“It’s the gift that keeps on giving,” said Campbell of the “mother” SCOBY that grows to the size of its jar in layers that can be peeled off to create more SCOBYs.

“She feeds off of the caffeine from the tea and the sugar you used to sweeten it,” explained Campbell. “So by the time the drink is done, it has very little caffeine in it, very little sugar in it, and very little alcohol” — the byproduct of the fermentation process.

“You can get all these different flavors from it, it has great exponential health benefits, and it tastes good,” she added.

Though experts disagree on the health benefits of kombucha, regular drinkers assert that the tonic aids in digestion, sleep, weight loss and detoxification; boosts the immune system; and improves liver function.

At her workshop, Campbell covers the brewing process from start to finish and will gives each participant their own SCOBY so they can start brewing right away.

“In the workshop I go over what kombucha is, how to brew it, what fermentation is, what tea is, how you brew tea, how teas are different from each other, how to brew herbals, how to flavor kombucha, and how to bottle it,” said Campbell.

“It’s great to share with other people. I was taught how to do this; I enjoy doing it, and why not teach other people?”

Campbell’s kombucha workshop costs $20, and will take place on March 22 at 6:30 p.m. at Yoga Om. The studio is located at 2520 Lake Tahoe Blvd. #11 in the Swiss Chalet Village. To sign up, email Campbell at kkcampbell@gmail.com.