How to Brew Kombucha - Basics

This post will explain the simplest preparation of kombucha. Feel free to experiment on your own, but start with the original recipe if you are new to this. I assume that you already have a kombucha colony, also called a scoby. If you don’t have one, I’ll be covering that later so stay tuned to the kombucha blog.

1. Start by brewing an entire gallon of tea. You should use about 6 tea bags. Any plain black or green tea is suitable (including decaffeinated tea), but teas with additional ingredients, volatile oils, or herbal infusions should be used with caution. A known colony killer is Earl Grey, which has antimicrobial agents in the bergamot infusion. See the warning below.
2. Let the tea cool to room temperature overnight.
3. Place the tea in a fermenting vessel. Large glass jars are recommended and can be procured from stores like target at minimum cost. Lids are not needed at this stage.
4. Add sugar to the tea. Some recipes call for adding the sugar earlier, but adding sugar before acidifying the tea offers more time for aerial microbes to colonize the tea before the kombucha takes over. Mix until the sugar is dissolved.
5. Add your kombucha colony and starter. Place a significant portion of an active colony (or the entire colony) into the tea along with 1-2 cups of saved plain kombucha from your previous batch.
6. Cover the jar with a cloth to prevent flies from accessing the kombucha and ruining it, secure the cloth with a rubber band, and let it sit in a dark corner of the house.
7. After 6-7 days, you can sample the tea. First observe the kombucha colony. It should be growing a new layer on the surface of the tea which should be free of mold. If that is the case, you can sample your work. Use a plastic spoon or straw, as metals harm the colony on contact. If the kombucha tastes to your liking, it is time to bottle it. Remove your colony and some starter fluid to start a new batch. At this point you can add more flavoring elements if you please (I recommend ginger to start).
8. Bottle the remaining kombucha in sealing containers and let them sit for at least 3 more days at room temperature in order to ensure maximum carbonation.
9. Serve over ice or refrigerate if desired.

WARNING: Kombucha is a living culture of organisms that can be damaged through the addition of foreign substances. If you intend to alter this recipe, be sure to have a spare colony in case the first colony is harmed by the addition of different substances.