How to Make Kombucha at Home: a Complete Tutorial for Beginners

sugar

🥗Healthier: honey

💰Cheaper: brown sugar

Honey adds flavor and is less processed.

scoby

Scoby is essential for fermentation.

tea

🥗Healthier: herbal tea

💰Cheaper: black tea

Herbal tea provides variety without caffeine.

flavorings (optional)

🥗Healthier: fresh fruit

💰Cheaper: dried fruit

Fresh fruit enhances flavor with fewer additives.

Boil 4 cups of water in a Dutch oven.

Let the water cool slightly after boiling.

Place organic black tea into the reusable tea bag and cinch it tight.

Steep the tea bag in the hot water for 15 minutes, pressing it down with a spoon to ensure saturation.

Remove the tea bag after 15 minutes, pressing it to extract all tea liquid.

Add 1 cup of organic sugar into the tea and stir for 1-2 minutes until fully dissolved.

Pour 9 cups of cold filtered water into the fermentation vessel using a canning funnel.

Add the sweetened tea to the fermentation vessel with the cold water.

Ensure the mixture is below 85°F before adding the scoby.

Carefully place the scoby into the fermentation vessel with the tea mixture.

Cover the fermentation vessel with a cloth secured with an elastic band.

Place the vessel in a dark, breathable location for fermentation for 7 days.

After 7 days, taste the kombucha to check for readiness.

Remove the scoby and any additional scoby that formed on top.

Set aside a couple of cups of kombucha with the scoby for the next batch.

Funnel the remaining kombucha into bottles, leaving about an inch of space at the top.

Seal the bottles and let them carbonate at room temperature for 2-3 days, checking for carbonation by burping the lids.

If carbonation is present, refrigerate the bottles to stop fermentation.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: