Kombucha
- Total Time
- 1½ hours, plus fermenting
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:1 gallon
- 3½quarts water
- 1cup granulated sugar
- 8bags black tea or 2 tablespoons loose black tea leaves
- 2cups unpasteurized, unflavored store-bought kombucha or kombucha from a previous homemade batch
- 1Scoby
- 1gallon fermented kombucha
- 2 to 4tablespoons orange or apple juice
- 13-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced lengthwise into 4 slivers
For the First Fermentation
For the Second Fermentation
Preparation
- Step 1
Bring the water to a boil in a pot, then remove from heat, and whisk in the sugar until dissolved.
- Step 2
Add the tea, and allow it to steep on the countertop until the sweetened tea is almost room temperature, at least an hour. Discard the tea bags.
- Step 3
Strain the sweetened tea into a very clean 1-gallon glass or ceramic jar (or 2 half-gallon jars), followed by the kombucha (divided equally if using 2 jars).
- Step 4
Using very, very clean hands, gently place the Scoby into the jar (if you’re using half-gallon jars, you can cut your Scoby in two with scissors or a knife that has been thoroughly cleaned and rinsed in hot water). Cover with a clean dish towel, and secure with a rubber band or a length of string.
- Step 5
Set the jar or jars somewhere dark and cool, and allow to ferment 8 to 14 days, tasting occasionally after 1 week. The longer the tea ferments, the more sugar will be eaten by the Scoby and the less sweet it will be. Aim for a light fermentation and a slightly vinegary taste.
- Step 6
Using very, very clean hands, transfer the Scoby to a jar, then pour 2 cups of the fermented kombucha on top. (You can save this mixture for the first fermentation process of another batch. You could also peel off the newer second layer from the Scoby, separating the “child” from the mother to double your production of kombucha, give it to a friend or discard it, as you like.) Strain the remaining fermented kombucha through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a large bowl for use in the second fermentation.
- Step 7
Strain kombucha again, and whisk in the juice. Pour it through a funnel into 4 very clean quart-size fermentation bottles with swing-top caps.
- Step 8
Add 1 piece of peeled ginger to each bottle, and seal tight.
- Step 9
Let sit somewhere dark and cool for 3 to 7 days, checking after 3 to taste how bubbly the kombucha has become, then place in the refrigerator until ready to drink, to stall fermentation.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Marti
You can make your own SCOBY. Prepare one-half the basic tea and sugar recipe. Add a bottle or two of high quality store-bought kombucha and ferment as directed in the basic recipe. You will start to see the SCOBY form on the top. Add more tea and sugar in the correct proportion as the SCOBY develops. Once the SCOBY is large enough to remove from the top of the brew, use it to make the first batch of Kombucha.
J Fay
I believe you omitted the need to remove/strain the tea leaves before adding the sweet tea to the SCOBY jar. The sweet tea should be completely free of any organic material during the first stage of fermentation. (For years I have used a mixture of 2/3 green tea to 1/3 black, removing the black tea bag after the first five minutes of steeping, allowing the green to remain until the mixture cools. This creates a less bitter, clearer tea.)
Tokyo
Please don't confuse this kombucha, though it has a Japanese name, with real kombucha as I did. In Japan, kombu or kobu is an edible kelp which is boiled and flavored with salt and sometimes sour pickled plum, and enjoyed as tea or soup stock. According to Japanese Wikipedia, the completely different probiotic drink became popular in Russia and Europe, and at some point, an English speaker confused it with kombu, and hence, the name stuck. I learned something today! Thanks for this article.
Katie
If you have everything else but the Scoby mat, you can do without it, it just takes a little longer to ferment. Your kombucha will grow a new Scoby after about a week.
MaryAlecia
You also forgot to mention a critical step in the secondary fermentation: you must burp the bottles daily or risk exploding glass. It's a real thing. Some batches are super bubbly, some aren't; but you should be burping the bottle daily. On the last day of secondary fermentation, i'll burp the bottles in the morning, and the stick in the fridge later that night.
Jenna
While it's true that you don't want Kombucha to be exposed to direct sunlight, allowing the Kombucha to ferment in a cool place actually increases the likelihood of mold development, and it takes more time. Fermenting at temperatures between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit will produce a better tasting Kombucha and reduce likelihood of mold development. I use a heating mat around the glass jar to achieve these temps. The people at Kombucha Kamp have a great book and recipes.
Rachel
For the second fermentation, I recommend placing the jars inside an empty ice chest/cooler. The pressure can cause the bottles to explode, especially if you're reusing them, as most people do. Easier to clean a cooler than the walls/ceiling and contents of your closet or wherever you've put them for those few days! Hasn't happened to me, but has to a few friends!
Rachel
I made my own SCOBY in a quart mason jar with half sweet tea as above and a bottle of plain GTs kombucha- try to find plain, not flavored, as you flavor just your second ferment (2F) The clear jelly layer that will form on top is your SCOBY. Your first "brew", you will swear is "bad". Brown stringy stuff (yeast byproducts) and a vinegary smell. All normal and you're doing great! Lots of blogs online for more info... I've been making it for years and love it! Good luck!!!
LeAnn B
The longer you brew, the more probiotic it becomes. I love this hobby because you can forget your booch for weeks and it just gets better! Add 10-20 percent fresh juice (not just ginger) in the second ferment to get natural carbonation. Just be careful not to let it explode: pineapple is the fastest carbonator and can get wild in just a week if the weather is warm. Do NOT strain until serving. Experiment with different teas (anything EXCEPT Earl Grey) and juices. Keep brew away from bread!
Jennie
Try it using oolong tea. Very delicious. I use 2 liters water, Tabs tea, bit less than 1/2 cup sugar. Favourite flavour is putting a raspberry in each bottle for the second fermentation, perfect and it all goes pink.
John Shinnick
I have made Kombucha for a number of years. You can make your own scoby. It takes about two weeks. Set everything up as noted here, add your starter (the store bought bottle of flavourless kombucha) and let it sit for about two weeks in a dark corner with a constant temperature. Your scoby will form. I've done this twice, once out of necessity, once just to remind myself how easy it is.
Alexa Weibel, Senior Staff Editor, NYT Cooking
Hi there! Thanks for your point. We have tweaked the recipe to make it crystal-clear when the tea bags should be removed, before straining the tea in Step 3.
Ruth
Suggest the following: 1. organic, loose tea--or at least, organic tea in a bag. ( Amazon) 2. Green tea (with some black) results in fizzier, healthier drink 3. Brew for 5 mins--this reduces some of the caffeine & avoids risk of bitterness 3. Temp. of 'cooled' tea, before adding 'Mother' needs to be 65-85 degrees or we risk killing the mother 4. To each bottle, add 1/4-l/2 tsp. Vit. C powder (Amazon)-, some organic, dried hibiscus---for health & color 5. Suggest used Kombucha bottles
laurie
Don't leave it in too cool a place. If it gets too cold it won't ferment. I use honey in the second fermentation, along with lemon and ginger.
Jeff h
Look at beet kvass also for fermented beverage ideas
Mercedes
You do not need to burp. This is a myth and I have never burped mine. You let go of the precious carbon when you burp, which is what it gives it that bubbly goodness! Also someplace warm and dark will have better effects for the carbon build also… cheers
Dman
People actually do all this work at home?
g d c
jun is a cousin of kombucha in that instead of black tea, substitute green tea and instead of sugar use honey. i go organic with both. it ferments more quickly and has a lighter taste. jun scobys are available online. it was love at first sip for me. the minimal prep time is so worth it compared with buying bottles that end up needing recycling. yummy and so good for tummy!
gerry in Oregon
Super addition to morning green drinks - even adding some of the SCOBY if you choose. I've been making Kombucha for years; sharing SCOBY's with our local Buy Nothing Facebook group here in Talent Oregon. A great probiotic for a clean and vital gut.
Skip
Kombucha liquid can make great syrup! Just make a reduction! It can be used in salad dressing or on pancakes. I was inspired by the noma book on fermentation. Much recommended
Skip
Tip: simple syrup with at 1:1 raw cane sugar water ratio first helps a lot. Do not economize on the type of sugar! Make a cup/Picardy glass of tea. Let tea and syrup cool.strain tea. Sterilize Mason jar or vase with wide open top. Add sugar syrup until sterized jar is 1/8 full. Weigh scoby, double the weight is the max amount of kombucha you can add. Add kombucha liquid to Sterilized Mason jar. Add scoby. Add water, do not fill to top leave at least 3 cm air. Cover with clean kitchen towel.
rick
Be sure tea has cooled to room temperature before adding Scoby to it, heat will kill bacteria
Kate
Does kombucha retain its probiotic qualities if you freeze it once it is ready to drink? I have more space in my freezer than refrigerator so that’s why I ask.
Neil
I’ve been continuously brewing two individual gallon jars for a few years now. I never strain anything and almost always use my favorite recipe, fresh ginger and turmeric root ground in a Nutribullet, for the second fermentation. Electric seedling mats around the jars help keep the temps around 75 to 80 degrees year round. I’ve never lost a batch to mold. Usually 9-14 days for the first fermentation. All from 1 mail order scoby and starter. So easy and so good!
Leslie
I make this regularly. I use loose Dragonwell tea. And organic sugar, as regular granulated sugar has too much filler, which doesn't dissolve. For the second fermentation, I use a few juniper berries, a few pieces of coarsely chopped ginger root, a few pieces of coarsely chopped dried mango, a few fresh or frozen blueberries, or a few raisins.
Leslie
I store a few extra scobies in half a quart of plain kombucha in a jar, covered with a cloth, in the cupboard where I ferment the kombucha. I use these as starter and scoby for my next batch. I routinely make several things using fermentation (sourdough bread, ginger beer, sauerkraut) and so must be careful not to let them contaminate each other during mixing or fermentation.
Dana
When I make my own kombucha, I use all decaf tea because I'm sensitive to caffeine and less sugar (3/4 c) because I'm pre-diabetic and like my kombucha a little tart. That's the beauty of making it yourself, you can tweak it to your own dietary needs and taste. Besides ginger, my favorite tweak is to use a couple of springs of fresh lemon thyme in my second fermentation.
Dana
I like my kombucha more tart so use 3/4 c sugar. It's still plenty for the fermentation. I also like brewing my own because I am sensitive to caffeine and use decal teas (a 50/50 mix of black and green). That way I can drink it later in the day without issues. I usually also skip the fruit in my ginger version and add only the ginger.
Carol Eichler
Does the 2nd fermentation require something with sugar? I've generally added fruit juice or instant sweet ginger tea both of which contain sugar but I've been wary of adding ingredients without sugar.
Dana
Not necessarily. The second fermentation can contue to work off the residual sugar you used initially.
Judy
I just started this about a month ago. I currently have 3 different jars fermenting, 1 each of green, black and white tea. My favorite second ferment adds are raspberry, peach or white grape.
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