Kombucha a great fermented drink that’s easy to make at home with just a few ingredients. It is a wonderful way to support your gut health, and a healthy gut has many benefits, from supporting your immune system to better digestion.
The process of making your own kombucha is not that difficult, from brewing the tea to bottling it.
What You Need
- SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) – this is the living culture that ferments the tea. You can get one from the store, online (I bought my SCOBY on Amazon), or reach out to a friend who makes kombucha.
- Starter liquid – 1 cup of plain, unflavored kombucha from a previous batch or store-bought raw kombucha.
- Black or green tea – Use organic tea bags or loose leaf tea (avoid flavored or herbal teas).
- Sugar – Cane sugar works best to feed the fermentation process.
- Filtered water – Avoid chlorinated water, as it can harm the SCOBY.
- Glass jar – A 1-gallon glass jar is ideal for brewing.
- Cloth cover and rubber band – Use a breathable cloth like cheesecloth or a coffee filter to cover the jar while fermenting.
Brewing
Start by brewing the sweet tea. Boil 4 cups of filtered water. Add 4-6 tea bags. Let steep for 10-15 minutes, then remove the tea bags.
Stir in 1 cup of sugar until fully dissolved.
Add 8-10 cups of cold filtered water to cool the tea to room temperature.
Fermenting
Pour the cooled sweet tea into your glass jar.
Add 1 cup of starter kombucha.
Gently place the SCOBY into the mixture.
Cover the jar with a breathable cloth and secure it with a rubber band.
Let it ferment at room temperature (70-75°F) in a dark, undisturbed place for 7-14 days.
Testing & Bottling
After 7 days, taste your kombucha using a clean spoon.
If it is too sweet, let it ferment longer. If it’s too tart, your fermentation may have gone too long. The ideal kombucha has a balance of sweet and tangy flavors.
Remove the SCOBY and set aside with 1-2 cups of kombucha to use as a starter for your next batch.
Pour the kombucha into glass bottles, leaving some space at the top.
If desired, add fruit, herbs, or spices for flavor (such as ginger, berries, or citrus).
Seal the bottles and leave them at room temperature for 3-5 days for a second fermentation, which creates carbonation.
After the second fermentation, refrigerate your kombucha to slow the fermentation process and enjoy it chilled! Open bottles carefully, as pressure can build up.
With practice, you can tweak the fermentation time and flavors to create your perfect homemade kombucha.
I have been curious about this. I know there are many benefits, so I might have to make my own!
I do love the benefits from this drink but I hate the cost of buying them. I am so going to try this recipe.
One of my friend always makes it and gives it to, never thought of preparing it myself at home. But with your recipe, I think I am gonna give it a try, its so good for digestion and even love it in our cocktails sometimes.
This is so cool and I did not realize it was simple to make at home. I will have to check this out and give it a try. I still have never tried this beverage.
Okay, this actually makes kombucha feel way less intimidating to try at home. I’ve always wanted to make my own but didn’t know where to start—this broke it down so well!
Wow! I had no idea that making your own kombucha at home is possible. Thank you for sharing this. I would love to try making one soon. Hopefully I get it right.