Enough of the $4 bottles of kombucha already! If you’re a fan of this beautiful fermented glass of goodness, then it’s high time you learn how to make your own at home. With an endless list of flavor possibilities, brewing at home is as easy as can be and incredibly affordable. Home brewed kombucha makes a thoughtful gift, and it’s always pleasant to open your fridge to a nice stock of bottles. Once you get going on your first batch, you’re bound to be addicted to the art of fermentation!
I prefer to brew in two gallon batches to get more bang-for-my-buck when it comes to time commitment. Feel free to half this recipe to make a one gallon batch! So long as you follow the basic rules, you should be good to go. Not sure where to get a SCOBY or some starter? Check the notes section below for my recommendation!
Boil 8 cups water.
Turn off heat and add tea bags (or loose leaf). Stir and allow to steep for 10 minutes.
Remove tea bags - if using loose leaf, leave tea leafs in the batch and continue to follow the instructions below.
Add sugar and stir to dissolve.
Once the sugar is dissolved, transfer sweetened tea to your brewing vessel. If you used loose leaf tea, strain the tea leaves out as you pour into your vessel.
Add remaining 16 cups water.
Once the diluted tea's temperature is below 84°F, add plain kombucha (or starter tea) and stir.
Carefully add SCOBY.
Cover and secure.
Place vessel in a warm (70° - 85°F) space, away from direct sunlight and allow to ferment for anywhere from 7 to 21 days (see notes!).
Bottle or enjoy flat (see "Part 2, Bottling" for instructions on secondary fermentation - link in notes).
Ingredients
Directions
Boil 8 cups water.
Turn off heat and add tea bags (or loose leaf). Stir and allow to steep for 10 minutes.
Remove tea bags - if using loose leaf, leave tea leafs in the batch and continue to follow the instructions below.
Add sugar and stir to dissolve.
Once the sugar is dissolved, transfer sweetened tea to your brewing vessel. If you used loose leaf tea, strain the tea leaves out as you pour into your vessel.
Add remaining 16 cups water.
Once the diluted tea's temperature is below 84°F, add plain kombucha (or starter tea) and stir.
Carefully add SCOBY.
Cover and secure.
Place vessel in a warm (70° - 85°F) space, away from direct sunlight and allow to ferment for anywhere from 7 to 21 days (see notes!).
Bottle or enjoy flat (see "Part 2, Bottling" for instructions on secondary fermentation - link in notes).
Notes
- Ready to bottle and looking for the DL? Checkout How to Make Kombucha – Part 2
- Don’t have a friend who can share a SCOBY with you? My first recommendation would be to reach out to a local kombucha brewery in your neighborhood to see if they’d be willing to share or sell you one. If that fails, here is a link to a fabulous company with a high quality product – both SCOBY and starter!
- Ok so every fermentation experience will be different… feel free to begin tasting your kombucha around day 5. I personally like to harvest and bottle around day 7, but everyone has different tastebuds so listen to your instincts. The longer you ferment, the more acidic and tart your brew will be – inversely, the sooner you harvest to sweeter your kombucha will be. If you’ll be bottling your brew and adding flavorings, don’t forget to account for the sweetness you potentially will be adding there!
