How to Make Kombucha at Home:
A Beginner’s Guide

Kombucha has surged in popularity over recent years, becoming a favorite among health enthusiasts and those seeking a refreshing, probiotic-rich beverage. This tangy, effervescent tea is not only delicious but also offers numerous potential health benefits, including improved digestion, increased energy, and immune support. While store-bought kombucha is widely available, brewing your own at home can be a rewarding and cost-effective endeavor. This beginner’s guide will walk you through the essentials of making kombucha at home, covering ingredients, equipment, the brewing process, and tips for success.

What is Kombucha?

Kombucha is a fermented tea drink made by fermenting sweetened tea with a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY). During fermentation, the SCOBY feeds on the sugar in the tea, producing organic acids, enzymes, vitamins, and carbonation. This results in a slightly sour, fizzy drink that’s packed with probiotics.

The fermentation process usually takes about 7 to 14 days depending on temperature and desired taste. The longer it ferments, the less sweet and more vinegary it becomes.

Why Brew Kombucha at Home?

• Cost-effective: Homemade kombucha costs significantly less than store-bought versions.
• Customization: You control the flavors, sweetness levels, and fermentation time.
• Freshness: Enjoy fresh kombucha without preservatives or added sugars.
• Sustainability: Reduce plastic waste associated with bottled beverages.
• Fun and educational: Brewing kombucha offers insight into fermentation science.

What You’ll Need

Ingredients

• Tea: Black tea is most commonly used because it supports healthy SCOBY growth. Green tea or white tea can also work but avoid flavored or herbal teas as they may inhibit fermentation.
• Sugar: White cane sugar is ideal because it’s easily consumed by the SCOBY. Avoid honey or artificial sweeteners.
• Water: Filtered or spring water free of chlorine and chloramines to protect the SCOBY.
• SCOBY: The living culture required for fermentation. You can source this from a friend who brews kombucha or order online.
• Starter Tea: Previously brewed kombucha (unpasteurized) that helps acidify the new batch to prevent harmful bacteria growth.

Equipment

• Large glass jar (1-gallon size recommended)
• Breathable cloth cover (cotton cloth or coffee filter)
• Rubber band for securing cover
• Non-metal stirring utensil
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Bottles for storing finished kombucha (preferably glass with airtight lids)

Step-by-Step Guide to Brewing Kombucha

1. Prepare the Sweet Tea Base

Start by boiling about 4 cups of water. Add 5 to 8 tea bags (or equivalent loose leaf tea) and steep for 10–15 minutes. Remove the tea bags or strain out leaves.

Next, stir in 1 cup of sugar until fully dissolved. Pour this sweetened tea into your large glass jar.

Add additional water to bring the total volume up to about 1 gallon (16 cups). Allow the tea to cool completely to room temperature — this step is crucial because hot tea can damage your SCOBY.

2. Add the SCOBY and Starter Tea

Once your sweetened tea is cooled:

• Pour in about 1 to 2 cups of starter tea from a previous batch or store-bought raw kombucha.
• Gently place your SCOBY in the jar. It may sink initially but should float within a few days.

Cover the jar with your breathable cloth and secure tightly with a rubber band.

3. Ferment

Place your jar in a warm spot between 70°F and 85°F (21°C–29°C). Avoid direct sunlight or drafts.

Let it ferment undisturbed for 7 to 14 days. After about a week, you can start tasting your brew daily by slipping a straw beneath the SCOBY and drawing out a small sample.

When it reaches your preferred balance of sweetness and tartness, it’s ready for bottling.

4. Remove SCOBY and Save Starter Tea

Use clean hands or utensils to remove the SCOBY gently; set it aside in a clean container along with at least two cups of kombucha to use as starter tea for your next batch.

5. Flavoring and Bottling

At this stage, you can bottle your plain kombucha or add flavors such as fresh fruit juice, ginger slices, herbs like mint or basil, or even dried fruit.

Pour your kombucha into glass bottles leaving some headspace for carbonation buildup. Seal tightly.

6. Second Fermentation (Optional)

For enhanced fizz and flavor development:

• Leave sealed bottles at room temperature for 2–5 days.
• Check pressure daily by carefully opening bottles (beware of spray).
• Once carbonation is sufficient, transfer bottles to fridge to slow fermentation and enjoy chilled kombucha.

Tips for Successful Brewing

• Cleanliness is key: Always wash hands and utensils thoroughly before handling SCOBY or kombucha.
• Avoid metal contact: The acidic nature of kombucha reacts with metal; use wood, plastic, silicone, or glass instead.
• Keep temperature stable: Sudden temperature changes can stress your SCOBY.
• Don’t over-ferment: If left too long, kombucha becomes very vinegary and less palatable.
• Monitor mold: If you see fuzzy black, green or white mold forming on top (not just yeast strands), discard both kombucha and SCOBY — mold is harmful.
• Store SCOBY properly: Keep unused SCOBYs submerged in starter tea in a sealed jar in fridge if not brewing immediately.

Common Questions

Can I use flavored teas?

It’s best to use pure black or green teas without oils or flavorings as these can inhibit SCOBY growth or cause off flavors.

How often can I brew?

You can continuously brew new batches as soon as you harvest your SCOBY from prior fermentations — usually every one to two weeks.

Is kombucha alcoholic?

Due to fermentation alcohol content varies but homemade batches generally contain less than 0.5% alcohol by volume unless second fermentation heavily carbonates it.

Can I make kombucha without sugar?

No—the sugar feeds the SCOBY so it’s essential for fermentation even if most sugar is consumed during brewing.

Conclusion

Making kombucha at home is an accessible way to enjoy this nutritious beverage tailored exactly to your taste preferences. With just simple ingredients—a good quality tea, sugar, water—and your trusty SCOBY culture you can create refreshing batches over and over again while exploring endless flavor possibilities.

As with any home fermentation project, patience and cleanliness are critical components of success. Once you master the basics described here, you’ll have confidence experimenting further with second fermentations, flavor infusions, or even continuous brewing systems.

Embrace this ancient tradition revitalized for modern wellness—happy brewing!