Make kombucha at home with our live organic scoby! Kombucha is a delicious, fizzy fermented tea full of healthy probiotics. There are 3 main steps to making kombucha:
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Make a scoby (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast). This is a rubbery film of bacteria and yeast that forms over your tea. It can take 3-4 weeks to grow and is a bit tricky to get right.
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First Fermentation - make the kombucha (1-2 weeks)
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Second Fermentation - flavor and carbonate the kombucha (4-5 days)
We've done the hard part for you, so you can start at the first fermentation.
First Fermentation:
- 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.)
- Prepare 4 cups of sweet tea using caffeinated black tea and sugar 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.
- Wait for 1-3 weeks. Start tasting around day 5. You're looking for a tart, tangy flavor.
Second Fermentation:
- Once you're happy with the tanginess, you're ready to bottle. 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.
- 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.
