Kombucha Recipe

Boil and dissolve sugar

Bring 1.5 liters of the water to a near boil in a pot. Remove from heat and stir in the granulated sugar until fully dissolved.

Steep tea

Add the tea bags or loose tea to the hot sweet water. Cover and steep for 10–15 minutes until strong. Steeping longer yields a more robust finish.

Cool to room temperature

Remove tea bags or strain leaves. Add the remaining 1.5 liters of cold water to the pot to speed cooling, then let the sweet tea cool to room temperature (20–25°C / 68–77°F). This can take 45–90 minutes. It's important the tea is fully cooled or it will harm the SCOBY.

Prepare jar

Ensure the glass fermentation jar is clean and free of soap residue. Pour the cooled sweet tea into the jar so it fills to about 75–80% capacity, leaving headspace for the SCOBY and some airflow.

Add starter liquid and SCOBY

Pour in the starter kombucha (raw, unflavored kombucha) and gently place the SCOBY on the surface of the tea. The SCOBY may sink initially and should float within a few days as fermentation begins.

Cover and ferment

Cover the jar with a breathable cloth or coffee filter and secure with a rubber band. Place the jar in a warm (21–27°C / 70–80°F), dark or out-of-direct-sunlight spot with good airflow. Let ferment undisturbed for 7–14 days depending on taste preference: shorter for sweeter kombucha, longer for tangier vinegar-like kombucha.

Taste test

After 7 days, begin tasting daily by inserting a clean straw beneath the SCOBY and drawing a small sample. When the balance of sweetness and tartness pleases you, the primary fermentation is complete.

Remove SCOBY and reserve starter

With clean hands, remove the SCOBY and place it on a clean plate. Reserve 200–250 ml of the fermented kombucha as starter liquid for the next batch. This liquid should be kept with the SCOBY if storing between batches.

Prepare bottles and flavorings

Sterilize fermentation bottles and prepare chosen flavorings: strain pulp or use juice, measure grated ginger or sweetener. For each 500 ml bottle, plan about 30–50 ml fruit juice or 1–2 teaspoons grated ginger; adjust to taste.

Bottle kombucha

Pour the fermented kombucha (leaving about 200–250 ml as starter for the next batch) into bottles, leaving ~2–3 cm headspace. Add the measured flavoring (fruit puree, juice, or ginger) to each bottle. If you want more carbonation, add a teaspoon of honey or sugar to each bottle.

Secondary ferment

Cap bottles tightly and leave at room temperature (18–24°C / 65–75°F) for 2–5 days to build carbonation. Check pressure daily by briefly opening a bottle to release gas (burp) and reduce risk of over-pressurization. Refrigerate when carbonation level is to your liking to slow fermentation.

Serve and store

Chill bottles and serve cold. Open carefully to avoid foaming. Store refrigerated kombucha for up to 2–4 weeks; flavor and carbonation may continue to evolve slowly.