👉 Kombucha is made by fermenting sweetened tea using a SCOBY—a mix of bacteria and yeast that creates its signature tang and fizz. Photo Credit: Nennieinszweidrei
Kombucha
What is Kombucha? Despite having been around for over 2,000 years, many people are unfamiliar with this fermented tea beverage. Its origins are somewhere in Asia—whether China, Japan, Russia, or Korea is debated. Kombucha is an effervescent, tart, and tangy beverage with myriad flavors, styles, and health benefits. Although it has been popular in health-food circles in America for the past few decades, kombucha gained significant traction in the 2010s. What used to be found only in your local natural food market can now be found on grocery store shelves. It’s tasty, good for you, and easily accessible. The problem? It’s expensive. A bottle can easily cost $4, which adds up quickly if you’re an avid fan. The solution? Brew your own! Want a kit to make your first batch? Check out Independent Fermentation's Homebrew store. Before we get into how to make it, here are a few reasons why you should make your own, and a few terms to be familiar with as you are doing so.
Notes
The benefits of Kombucha:
Terms to know, What is a SCOBY
Ingredients for brewing:
Instructions:
Before you begin, it is important to sanitize your glass jars in boiling water. It’s always vital to make sure you begin with clean materials. The first step in the brewing process is to make a large batch of sweet tea. In a large pot, boil one gallon of spring, well, or filtered water for about one minute. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Steep tea bags, or loose-leaf tea, in pot for 10 to 15 minutes before removing tea bags. Let the tea cool completely. Once your tea is cool, you’re ready to brew! Pour your starter liquid and SCOBY into your one-gallon glass container. Add your freshly brewed sweet tea until the container is full. Discard any extra tea. Place rag on top of the container and secure with rubber band. That’s it! Waiting and Warmth At its root, kombucha is incredibly easy to make. The waiting is the hard part. Depending on the temperature in your home, you might be waiting an entire month for your brew to be ready. The ideal temperature for fermentation is around 80 Fahrenheit. I keep my vessels warm with a seedling heat mat with thermostat control. If you don't have kombucha accessories, keep it warm, perhaps near a heating vent or refrigerator. Begin checking your brew after a week. When inspecting, watch for a slightly vinegary smell, and your SCOBY should be growing larger. You might see brown yeasty strands hanging from the SCOBY. You may also notice bubbling. If there is any sign of mold, throw the batch away and try again. If your vessel has a spigot, it’s easy to taste-test small amounts. If not, use a straw with your finger closing the top end to bring up small amounts to taste. At this point, you can also test the pH of the brew using simple pH test strips. Kombucha’s pH should be less than 4, which is fairly acidic. If your brew tastes very sweet, or has a higher pH than 4, it isn’t ready yet! Once it is to your liking, fill your glass swing-top bottles. If you don’t have a spigot to help with this, a funnel is essential! Save at least 16 ounces as a starter for your next batch. The more starter you add to your vessel, the quicker it will ferment. How to Flavor Kombucha: At this point, you can be done or add flavor to your brew. About a tablespoon of chopped up fruit or ginger can be added to each bottle before closing. A few whole frozen raspberries are one of the easiest and tastiest options, in my opinion! Other options include puréed fruit or fruit juice. Whether you’ve decided to flavor your brews or not, you can place your bottles in the fridge right away or leave them out for a few more days to do a second fermentation. As new sugars are introduced into the bottle by way of the fruit, the yeast consumes them and releases carbon dioxide, creating a fizzier brew than unflavored kombucha. I find my brews are most fizzy when using puréed fruit, and in the summer months when it is much warmer in my home. Not having fizz doesn’t mean you’ve failed; it is very temperature-dependent and kombucha is just as tasty without it. Second fermentation usually only takes around three days, depending on the temperature in your home. If you allow the bottles to sit too long unrefrigerated, you could end up with an explosion. Open bottles slowly and over a sink. You can place a plastic bag over the bottle when opening it if you are worried that your brew has sat for too long and is potentially a ticking time bomb. How to make big batches of Kombucha: If you enjoy brewing, you can upgrade to a continuous brewing system, which is what I am currently employing. With the right temperatures, I can make six bottles of kombucha about every three to five days. Having access to this much kombucha means I have done a lot of experimenting with flavors, timing, and bottling. Some of my personal favorite flavors are strawberry ginger, watermelon, and raspberry. I highly recommend The Big Book of Kombucha by Hannah Crum & Alex LaGory to any first-time brewers looking to get into a new hobby. Cheers! Kendra Parker can be found hiking local nature trails, experimenting in the kitchen, or curling up with a good book, when not brewing and consuming her pucker-empowering probiotic-rich kombucha. Power to the Pucker!
- It’s good for you! As with any other fermented foods, kombucha is packed with probiotics, essential for gut health and overall well-being.
- It’s customizable! Kombucha can be flavored with fruits, herbs, and even vegetables.
- You control the flavor. Commercially produced kombucha is often too tart for first-time consumers. At home you can ferment for shorter periods of time and to your taste, choosing to stop when the brew is still slightly sweet.
- It’s cheap! Homemade kombucha can be made for pennies. All you need is tea, sugar, and a SCOBY.
Terms to know, What is a SCOBY
- Starter liquid: This is already-brewed kombucha, “raw” and unflavored.
- SCOBY: Symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast. This is formed at the surface of your brewing vessel and is basically bacteria and yeast held together with cellulose fibers. It is somewhat gelatinous and sometimes called a jellyfish, pellicle, mushroom, or mother.
Ingredients for brewing:
- 1 gallon water. The water needs to be free from chlorine. Filtered, spring, or well water will work fine here. You can also boil your tap water for about 15 minutes to remove the chlorine.
- 1 cup sugar. (Raw sugar has a smaller carbon footprint, though regular white sugar works fine as well.)
- Tea, black or green. This can be 8 tea bags or 3 tablespoons loose-leaf tea wrapped in a muslin bag.
- Starter liquid, at least 16 ounces. It’s best if you can get fresh kombucha from a friend or local brewer. In a pinch, a bottle of plain commercial kombucha can work here, but the fermentation process might take more time.
- SCOBY. IndieFerm in Plymouth is a great local source for a SCOBY and starter liquid. If you are unable to find a local brewer, a SCOBY and starter liquid can both be purchased online, but the quality of the product might not be as high.
- One gallon glass container (one with a spigot works best).
- Swing-top glass bottles. Depending on the size of your bottles, you will likely need 6 to 8. These are commonly found in 12 or 16-ounce sizes.
- Clean cloth rag and a rubber band.
Instructions:
Before you begin, it is important to sanitize your glass jars in boiling water. It’s always vital to make sure you begin with clean materials. The first step in the brewing process is to make a large batch of sweet tea. In a large pot, boil one gallon of spring, well, or filtered water for about one minute. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Steep tea bags, or loose-leaf tea, in pot for 10 to 15 minutes before removing tea bags. Let the tea cool completely. Once your tea is cool, you’re ready to brew! Pour your starter liquid and SCOBY into your one-gallon glass container. Add your freshly brewed sweet tea until the container is full. Discard any extra tea. Place rag on top of the container and secure with rubber band. That’s it! Waiting and Warmth At its root, kombucha is incredibly easy to make. The waiting is the hard part. Depending on the temperature in your home, you might be waiting an entire month for your brew to be ready. The ideal temperature for fermentation is around 80 Fahrenheit. I keep my vessels warm with a seedling heat mat with thermostat control. If you don't have kombucha accessories, keep it warm, perhaps near a heating vent or refrigerator. Begin checking your brew after a week. When inspecting, watch for a slightly vinegary smell, and your SCOBY should be growing larger. You might see brown yeasty strands hanging from the SCOBY. You may also notice bubbling. If there is any sign of mold, throw the batch away and try again. If your vessel has a spigot, it’s easy to taste-test small amounts. If not, use a straw with your finger closing the top end to bring up small amounts to taste. At this point, you can also test the pH of the brew using simple pH test strips. Kombucha’s pH should be less than 4, which is fairly acidic. If your brew tastes very sweet, or has a higher pH than 4, it isn’t ready yet! Once it is to your liking, fill your glass swing-top bottles. If you don’t have a spigot to help with this, a funnel is essential! Save at least 16 ounces as a starter for your next batch. The more starter you add to your vessel, the quicker it will ferment. How to Flavor Kombucha: At this point, you can be done or add flavor to your brew. About a tablespoon of chopped up fruit or ginger can be added to each bottle before closing. A few whole frozen raspberries are one of the easiest and tastiest options, in my opinion! Other options include puréed fruit or fruit juice. Whether you’ve decided to flavor your brews or not, you can place your bottles in the fridge right away or leave them out for a few more days to do a second fermentation. As new sugars are introduced into the bottle by way of the fruit, the yeast consumes them and releases carbon dioxide, creating a fizzier brew than unflavored kombucha. I find my brews are most fizzy when using puréed fruit, and in the summer months when it is much warmer in my home. Not having fizz doesn’t mean you’ve failed; it is very temperature-dependent and kombucha is just as tasty without it. Second fermentation usually only takes around three days, depending on the temperature in your home. If you allow the bottles to sit too long unrefrigerated, you could end up with an explosion. Open bottles slowly and over a sink. You can place a plastic bag over the bottle when opening it if you are worried that your brew has sat for too long and is potentially a ticking time bomb. How to make big batches of Kombucha: If you enjoy brewing, you can upgrade to a continuous brewing system, which is what I am currently employing. With the right temperatures, I can make six bottles of kombucha about every three to five days. Having access to this much kombucha means I have done a lot of experimenting with flavors, timing, and bottling. Some of my personal favorite flavors are strawberry ginger, watermelon, and raspberry. I highly recommend The Big Book of Kombucha by Hannah Crum & Alex LaGory to any first-time brewers looking to get into a new hobby. Cheers! Kendra Parker can be found hiking local nature trails, experimenting in the kitchen, or curling up with a good book, when not brewing and consuming her pucker-empowering probiotic-rich kombucha. Power to the Pucker!
