Folk Kombucha On Tap Recipe

Prepare and cool the sweet tea

Bring 4 liters of filtered water to a boil in a large pot. Remove from heat, add 8 tsp of tea and 1 cup granulated sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Steep tea 10–15 minutes (shorter for green tea). Remove tea leaves or bags and allow the sweet tea to cool to room temperature (ideally 20–26°C / 68–79°F).

Combine with starter

When the tea is fully cooled (important to avoid killing the culture), pour it into a sanitized glass fermentation vessel. Add 2 cups of unpasteurized starter kombucha and gently place the SCOBY on top of the liquid. Cover the vessel with a breathable cloth secured with a rubber band or use an airlock.

Primary fermentation

Store the covered vessel at stable room temperature (21–26°C / 70–79°F) out of direct sunlight for 7–10 days. Taste starting at day 5 — when it reaches a balance of tangy and slightly sweet to your preference, it’s ready for secondary fermentation. Keep a small amount (~1 cup) aside as starter for the next batch.

Sanitize keg and equipment

Thoroughly clean and sanitize the keg, lines, fittings, funnel, and any tools with a no-rinse sanitizer. Rinse if required by sanitizer instructions and drain.

Prepare flavoring

If using fruit, puree or finely strain 500 ml of fruit into a clean container. If using juice, ensure it is unsweetened or at desired sweetness. For ginger or herbs, lightly bruise or slice to release flavor.

Rack kombucha to keg

Gently decant the fermented kombucha (leaving the SCOBY and some sediment behind) through a sanitized funnel and fine mesh strainer into the sanitized keg. Aim to transfer only clear kombucha and minimal yeast sediment to avoid off-flavors or excessive pressure development.

Add flavor and priming sugar (optional)

Add the 500 ml fruit puree or juice to the keg and, if you want more carbonation, dissolve 1 tbsp of sugar or honey in a small amount of warm water and add it to the keg as a priming sugar. Stir gently by rocking the sealed keg—avoid introducing oxygen if possible.

Secondary fermentation and carbonation

Two methods: natural carbonation or force-carbonation. For natural: seal the keg with the spunding valve or disconnect the gas out post and let it sit at 20–22°C for 2–5 days, checking pressure regularly and chilling when desired carbonation achieved. For force-carbonation: chill the keg to 3–5°C, attach CO2 at 10–15 PSI and agitate for 10–20 minutes or set to 20–30 PSI and leave for 24–48 hours until desired carbonation.

Cold crash and settle

Once carbonation is achieved, refrigerate the keg for 24–48 hours to cold-crash the yeast and help particulates settle. This will clarify the kombucha and stabilize carbonation.

Serve on tap

Connect the keg to your tap system, set serving pressure low (6–10 PSI depending on lines and desired pour), and test pour. If flavor is too strong or sweet, dilute with chilled plain kombucha or water; if flat, gently top up with CO2 as needed.

Storage and maintenance

Keep the keg refrigerated and out of direct sunlight. For best quality consume within 2–4 weeks. Sanitize lines and faucets regularly. Reserve starter kombucha and the SCOBY for your next batch.

Safety and sanitation: Always sanitize any equipment that contacts kombucha after primary fermentation to avoid contamination. Use food-grade stainless steel for kegging; prolonged contact with acidic kombucha in reactive metals can cause off-flavors or leaching. Monitor pressure during secondary fermentation carefully to avoid over-pressurization—use a spunding valve or pressure relief.