Homemade Kombucha

This ancient fermented tea creates a tangy, effervescent drink packed with beneficial probiotics.

Equipment Needed

• 1-gallon glass jar
• SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast)
• 200ml strong starter tea
• Coffee filter or cloth
• Rubber band

Ingredients

• 8 tea bags (black or green tea)
• 200g sugar
• 3.5L filtered water
• SCOBY and starter tea

Method

First Fermentation (7-10 days)

1. Brew sweet tea: Steep tea bags in 1L hot water for 15 minutes.
2. Add sugar, stir until dissolved, remove tea bags.
3. Cool completely by adding remaining 2.5L cold water.
4. Add SCOBY and starter tea to cooled sweet tea.
5. Cover with cloth, secure with rubber band.
6. Ferment 7-10 days at room temperature away from direct sunlight.
7. Taste daily after day 5 - should be tangy but not overly sour.

Second Fermentation (2-4 days)

1. Reserve SCOBY and 400ml kombucha for next batch.
2. Bottle remaining kombucha in airtight bottles.
3. Add flavorings if desired (see variations below).
4. Ferment 2-4 days for carbonation.
5. Refrigerate to stop fermentation.

Flavor Variations

• Ginger: 1 tsp fresh grated ginger per bottle
• Berry: 2-3 fresh berries per bottle
• Citrus: Zest and juice of 1/4 lemon per bottle
• Herbs: Fresh mint or basil leaves

SCOBY care

Store in sweet tea in refrigerator between batches. A healthy SCOBY produces new layers and maintains the culture.

The longer the first fermentation, the more tart and less sweet the final product becomes.