Beverages

How to make Kombucha

Name: Kombucha
Total time: 14 d
Ingredients: 1000 ml Filtered water; 4 Black tea bags; 100 g White sugar; 1 SCOBY; 100 ml Starter kombucha

Naturally fermented sweet tea with a living SCOBY. A two-week first ferment followed by a fizzy bottle-conditioning stage.

Quick answer

Steep strong black tea, dissolve the sugar, and cool completely before adding the SCOBY. Add starter kombucha to acidify, place the SCOBY on top, and cover with breathable cloth. After 7 days, taste the kombucha at the one-week mark and inspect the SCOBY before deciding on timing. After 14 days, remove the SCOBY, bottle the kombucha with optional flavourings, and carbonate at room temperature.

Difficulty: Intermediate
Total time: 14 days
Ingredients: 5
Steps: 4

Safety

• Never use an airtight lid during first fermentation because trapped gas can crack the jar.
• Black, green, blue, or white fuzzy spots are mold. Discard the whole batch if you see them.
• For second fermentation, only use pressure-rated bottles and burp them carefully because carbonation can build fast.

Ingredients

• 1000 ml Filtered water Non-chlorinated -- chlorine harms the SCOBY
• 4 Black tea bags Unflavoured -- provides tannins the SCOBY needs
• 100 g White sugar Food source for yeast and bacteria
• 1 SCOBY Symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast
• 100 ml Starter kombucha From a previous batch or raw store-bought kombucha

Equipment

1.5-2 L glass jar Wide-mouth glass makes it easy to add tea, starter liquid, and the SCOBY.
Tightly woven cloth and rubber band Keeps out fruit flies while still allowing airflow during first fermentation.
Saucepan or kettle Needed to brew the tea and dissolve the sugar completely.
Pressure-rated bottles Required for second fermentation if you want carbonation.
Funnel (optional) Optional, but it makes bottling much cleaner.

Step-by-step

Day 0

Step 1: Brew Sweet Tea

Steep strong black tea, dissolve the sugar, and cool completely before adding the SCOBY.

Steep the Tea Bring 1 L of filtered water to a boil, remove from heat, add 4 tea bags, and steep for 10-15 minutes.
Dissolve the Sugar Remove tea bags and stir in 100 g of white sugar while hot until completely dissolved.
Cool Completely Allow the sweet tea to cool below 30C before adding the SCOBY.

Day 0

Step 2: Assemble the Brew

Add starter kombucha to acidify, place the SCOBY on top, and cover with breathable cloth.

Pour Tea and Add Starter Transfer cooled sweet tea to a clean wide-mouth glass vessel and stir in 100 ml of starter kombucha.
Place the SCOBY Gently lower the SCOBY onto the surface. It may float or sink -- both are normal.
Cover and Position Secure a tightly woven cloth over the jar with a rubber band and place in a warm, dark spot at 20-26C.

Day 7

Step 3: First Fermentation Check

Taste the kombucha at the one-week mark and inspect the SCOBY before deciding on timing.

Taste with a Straw Slip a clean straw below the SCOBY and sip to assess the balance of sweetness and tartness.
Inspect the SCOBY Check for healthy new pellicle growth on the surface and look for any signs of mold.
Decide on Timing Taste daily from this point and bottle when the flavour hits your preferred sweet-to-tart balance.

Day 14

Step 4: Bottle and Second Ferment

Remove the SCOBY, bottle the kombucha with optional flavourings, and carbonate at room temperature.

Remove and Reserve the SCOBY Remove the SCOBY with clean hands, peel off the new layer, and store both with 100 ml of kombucha as starter for the next batch.
Bottle with Optional Flavouring Pour kombucha into pressure-rated swing-top bottles, adding optional fruit juice or ginger for flavour and carbonation.
Carbonate and Refrigerate Leave sealed bottles at room temperature for 2-4 days, burping daily, then refrigerate as soon as desired fizz is reached.

What to look for

• Before adding the SCOBY: The sweet tea is fully cooled and no longer hot to the touch. Hot tea can damage the SCOBY and the starter culture.
• Around day 7: A new pale pellicle forms on top and brown stringy yeast hangs below. Both are normal. Dry fuzzy spots in unusual colors are not.
• When tasting: The flavor shifts from sweet tea toward a balanced sweet-tart finish. Bottle when it reaches the balance you prefer instead of waiting for a fixed calendar day.

Troubleshooting

The kombucha is still very sweet after a week. The room is cool or the culture is fermenting slowly. Give it more time and keep tasting daily instead of bottling on a fixed date.
It becomes too sour. It fermented longer than your preferred window. Bottle earlier next time and use this batch in dressings, shrubs, or as a vinegar-style ingredient.
There is little or no fizz after bottling. The bottles were chilled too early or there was not enough fermentable sugar left. Let the bottles stay warm longer next time or add a small amount of juice or fruit for the second ferment.
The bottle pressure gets intense very fast. The second ferment is running warm or the flavoring added extra sugar. Burp the bottles sooner, refrigerate as soon as the fizz is good, and use less juice next time.

Storage

Reserve starter liquid and a healthy SCOBY for the next batch. Refrigerate finished kombucha once it tastes or fizzes the way you want.

Shelf life: about 1-3 months refrigerated

Serving suggestions

• Serve plain over ice for a clean, tart drink.
• Flavor the second ferment with ginger, berries, or citrus.
• Use over-fermented kombucha in vinaigrettes or quick shrubs.

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Frequently asked questions

What is Kombucha?

Naturally fermented sweet tea with a living SCOBY. A two-week first ferment followed by a fizzy bottle-conditioning stage.

How long does it take to make Kombucha?

Most batches of Kombucha are ready in about 14 days, though exact timing depends on temperature and how the ferment tastes along the way.

Is Kombucha hard to make?

Kombucha is an intermediate project — straightforward for home fermenters with a bit of experience.

What do you need to make Kombucha?

You'll need Filtered water, Black tea bags, White sugar, SCOBY, Starter kombucha.

How do I know when Kombucha is ready?

Watch for these cues: Before adding the SCOBY: The sweet tea is fully cooled and no longer hot to the touch.; Around day 7: A new pale pellicle forms on top and brown stringy yeast hangs below.; When tasting: The flavor shifts from sweet tea toward a balanced sweet-tart finish..

How do I store Kombucha?

Reserve starter liquid and a healthy SCOBY for the next batch. Refrigerate finished kombucha once it tastes or fizzes the way you want. Shelf life: about 1-3 months refrigerated.

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