Unified Ferments Recipe

Boil and dissolve sugar

In a large saucepan or kettle, bring 4 cups of the water to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and stir in the cane sugar until fully dissolved.

Steep tea

Add the jasmine green tea bags to the hot sweet water. Cover and steep for 10 minutes to extract a gentle, floral flavor without bitterness.

Add remaining water and cool

Remove the tea bags, pour the concentrated tea into a heatproof container or fermenting vessel, and add the remaining 6 cups of cold water to bring the mixture to roughly room temperature (ideally 68–85°F / 20–29°C). Cooling to below 86°F (30°C) is important so you don't harm the SCOBY.

Add starter kombucha

Once the tea is at room temperature, pour in the 2 cups of room-temperature unflavored starter kombucha and gently mix. The starter kombucha lowers the pH to protect against unwanted microbes.

Add SCOBY and cover

Carefully place the SCOBY on top of the mixture. Cover the opening of the fermenting vessel with a tightly woven breathable cloth or coffee filter and secure with a rubber band to keep out dust and insects while allowing airflow.

Primary fermentation

Place the covered vessel in a warm, dark place (out of direct sunlight) with stable temperature between 68–85°F (20–29°C). Let it ferment for 7–12 days depending on taste preference: shorter time for sweeter, longer for tangier. Do not disturb the vessel during this period.

Taste test and remove SCOBY

After about 7 days begin tasting by inserting a sanitized straw beneath the SCOBY and drawing a small sample. When the balance of sweetness and acidity is to your liking, gently remove the SCOBY and place it with about 1 cup of the kombucha in a clean jar to keep as starter for the next batch.

Optional secondary flavoring

If you want a brighter jasmine aroma, add a light pinch (about 1 tsp) of dried jasmine flowers or an additional small pinch of green tea directly to each bottle for secondary fermentation. This is optional—plain kombucha will carry the jasmine from the primary steeping.

Bottle and carbonate

Pour the finished kombucha into sterilized flip-top bottles, leaving about 1 inch headspace. If desired, add up to 1–2 tablespoons of the reserved filtered water or a teaspoon of juice or sugar per bottle to encourage carbonation (not required). Seal bottles tightly.

Secondary fermentation and refrigeration

Leave the sealed bottles at room temperature for 2–4 days to build carbonation, checking daily and burping if pressure becomes high. After desired carbonation is reached, refrigerate the bottles to slow fermentation. Chill before serving.

Serve chilled. Open bottles carefully to release pressure slowly. Store refrigerated kombucha for up to a month; flavor and fizziness will evolve over time.