How to Make Kombucha
Gather Your Materials


Materials
- Gallon Jar or non-lead-based crock.
- Linen or cloth napkin that will fit completely over top of jar or crock
- Rubber band to go around neck of jug or crock
- 1 cup raw sugar or white sugar — Check out these options.
- 4 to 5 tea bags: black or green tea, organic is best
- 3 quarts filtered water, not distilled
- 1 cup kombucha starter tea and 1 SCOBY
- Five 16-ounce bottles (thick bottles made for brewing) to store kombucha in
- Heating element (optional but highly recommended)
Okay! Let's Make Kombucha!
Kombucha
Here is how you make kombucha the wonder tea! Scroll through all my pictures, and take a look at the day-by-day slideshow on step 11. Check out my timelapse video too! Happy fermenting!
Watch How to Make It
Servings: 3 Quarts
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar - raw sugar or white sugar — Check out these options.
- 4 - 5 tea bag - you can use black or green — Check out these options. Note: 1 teaspoon of loose tea is the equivalent of 1 tea bag.
- 3 quarts Water - filtered, not distilled
- 1 cup Kombucha Starter - This will have a kombucha scoby and 1 cup of already made kombucha tea.
Materials
- Gallon Jar - or non lead-based crock
- Linen or cloth napkin - that will fit completely over top of jar or crock
- Rubber band - to go around neck of jug or crock
- 6 16-ounce bottle - Flip-top bottles work best
- Heating Strip - (Optional, but highly recommended)
Instructions
- Place a heating strip around your jar. (optional, but highly recommended) Allow to sit undisturbed in a well ventilated place away from direct sunlight (temp. 65-85 degrees F.) for 6 - 15 days.
- You will notice that a new culture, or "scoby" will begin to form. Scroll through all my pictures, and take a look at the day-by-day slideshow!
Day 1 (side view) Not much is going on. The bacteria are enjoying their sweet tea and warm heating strip! Day 1 (top view) The starter scoby is floating on top, but it can also sink to the bottom. Either way is normal. Day 2 (side view) The starter scoby has sunk to the bottom, but some of the yeast from it is trying to go back up. Day 2 (top view) You can see a few specs, plus a blob of yeast that is still floating. Day 3 (side view) You can start to see a very thin layer forming at the top. Day 3 (top view) All of the spots you see are normal. A lot of people get worried and think that it's mold. Day 4 (side view) As the thin scoby starts to get a little thicker, you can see some bubbles starting to appear! Day 4 (top view) You can really start to see the bubbles on top! Day 5 (side view) The scoby is thick enough for the bubbles to start making bigger pockets of air. Day 5 (top view) Try not to disturb your scoby. You don't want the fizziness to escape! Day 6 (side view) Look how thick my scoby has gotten! Those bubbles are going nowhere!!! Day 6 (top view) Don't worry if your scoby has weird dark spots. This is normal. Day 7 (side view) Look at that big air pocket on the left side! My scoby has done a great job at keeping all bubbles in. Day 8 (side view) Your kombucha should be ready enough to start taste testing.