Scoby Secrets: Making Kombucha at Home

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What's Kombucha?

Kombucha is a delicious fermented sweet tea, full of good-for-you probiotics that support gut health. Like sourdough, kombucha is made with a starter (called a scoby) that is fed periodically to continually produce batches of tasty kombucha.

What's a Scoby?

Scoby stands for “symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast”, and is also often called a mother, starter, or pellicle. This is a rubbery film of bacteria and yeast that forms over your tea. It can look a little bizarre if you aren’t used to it, but these bacteria are the magic behind the kombucha that cause the entire fermentation process. You can grow a scoby yourself, but it can take 3-4 weeks to grow and is a bit tricky to get right. If you have a friend who brews kombucha, getting a piece of scoby from them is a great way to start. We also have live scobys here at sensible edibles that come ready to go so you can get right into making your kombucha.

What do I need to make kombucha?

Lucky for us, the ingredients for kombucha are very simple and easy to come by. All you need is sugar, water, black tea, unflavored store bought kombucha, and a scoby, as well as any flavorings you may want to include. For materials you will need a glass jar, a breathable cloth and rubber bands for your first ferment, and airtight bottles for your second ferment.

Making the Kombucha

First Fermentation

You will need:

14 cups of water
1 cup sugar
8 tea bags
Scoby
2 cups unflavored store-bought kombucha. (You only need this for your very first batch. For future batches, use the kombucha saved from your prior recipe.)

Steps:

Prepare 4 cups of sweet tea using caffeinated black tea.
Dissolve the sugar in the hot tea and allow it to cool.
Remove the tea bags and transfer the tea into a large glass jar. Add the scoby and kombucha.
Cover the jar with a towel or 2 cloth napkins and secure with a rubber band. This will protect your batch from dust/bugs and allow the kombucha to breathe.
Place your glass jar away from direct sunlight at room temperature. Try not to disturb the jar.
By day 3 you may see something starting to form on the surface of the liquid. Don’t panic, it's your scoby growing another layer! By the time you’re ready to taste there will likely be a thin new layer of scoby over the top of your kombucha.
Wait for 1-3 weeks. Start tasting around day 5. You're looking for a tart, tangy flavor. If you want a more acidic and less sweet kombucha, let it keep fermenting for longer. Also keep in mind if you’re planning on adding fruit or other flavorings that will sweeten the kombucha more in the second ferment. Keep tasting until it's at the right balance for you.

Some people drink their kombucha straight after the first ferment, so if you enjoy the plain kombucha flavor and don’t care for carbonation, enjoy your kombucha now! Otherwise, a second ferment is great for experimenting with all sorts of different flavours and produces a nice fizzy drink. Once you're happy with the tanginess, you're ready to bottle for your second ferment.

Second Fermentation

Remember to set aside 2 cups of kombucha for your next batch, along with your scoby. Pour the remainder into airtight bottles.
Add flavors and/or sweeteners, if desired. Experiment with real fruit or juice. Ginger is a favorite; rosemary and thyme are safe bets.
Allow to carbonate at room temperature for 4-5 days. If it’s not at the level of carbonation you’d like, you can leave it out a bit longer. If it's over carbonated, move it to the fridge and cool completely to prevent mess when opening.
Your kombucha is ready to drink! Refrigerate and enjoy within 2 weeks. If you added fruit or ginger, strain before drinking.

With every new batch of kombucha, your scoby will grow a new layer. This can be kept, gifted to a friend, or discarded.

Happy Fermenting!

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