"Making your own Kombucha, the ever-popular fermented tea, is a simple and rewarding process. But if the word 'fermentation' seems intimidating, fear not!"
All you need to make your own delicious fermented tea, Kombucha, is a handful of simple ingredients and a SCOBY to set the magic in motion. A SCOBY is the special mother culture at the heart of the fermentation process. You can buy a SCOBY online or why not have a go at making your own from scratch by following our easy step-by-step guide here.
Enjoy the journey to becoming a skilled Kombucha brewer by experimenting with different tea strengths, flavours and brewing times to discover your favourite combinations.
Ingredients and Method
Ingredients:
- 4 x black or green tea bags
- 100g (3.5 oz) white or organic cane sugar
- 1.75l (40 fl oz) filtered or bottled water*
- 1 x SCOBY culture
Equipment:
- Saucepan
- 2 litre large kilner or glass jar with cloth cover
- Wooden spoon
Method:
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Clean the large Kilner or glass jar thoroughly in hot soapy water, then rinse well under hot water and allow to air dry.
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Pour the filtered water into the saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove the boiling water from the heat and add the tea bags and sugar. Give it a good stir until the sugar is dissolved, and let the tea steep for up to 30 minutes before removing the tea bags and letting the tea cool for another 30-45 minutes until it's lukewarm.
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Pour the cooled tea into the prepared Kilner or glass jar, adding the SCOBY and the starter liquid it was stored with.
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Flip the lid of the Kilner jar over, but do not clip it fully. (If you're using a regular glass jar, cover it with a clean cloth secured with an elastic band or string.) Keep the jar at room temperature, away from direct sunlight to prevent it going mouldy, and let the fermentation begin. It usually takes a few days to 3 weeks, during which you'll notice the liquid change colour and go a little cloudy.
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After 3-5 days, taste a little of the kombucha. If it has a pleasant, tart taste resembling apple juice and slight fizz, it's ready. Otherwise, leave it another day or so, and taste again. The brewing time can be adjusted according to your taste preference. The longer you leave it to ferment, the stronger it will taste.
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When your kombucha is ready, transfer the SCOBY and about 150 ml (5 fl oz) of the tea to a clean jar which you can use as the starter for your next batch of kombucha. Strain the rest of the brew through a fine sieve into clean bottles, secure the lids and refrigerate.
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You can drink your kombucha right away, but begin with small amounts to allow your gut to adapt to the beneficial bacteria.
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Once opened, drink within 7 days.
Jars of homemade Kombucha and SCOBYs
Good to know
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Always use filtered water, as the chlorine and fluoride in tap water can stop the SCOBY culture from growing.
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As your bottled kombucha chills, it will become slightly fizzy. The fizziness will increase with storage time. To accelerate the fizziness, keep your bottled kombucha at room temperature for a day or two before refrigerating.
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To release the buildup of gas, remember to open the bottles every day or so.
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When using a new SCOBY, adjust the quantities of water, tea bags, and sugar for your kombucha by 25%. This adjustment will increase the chances of successful kombucha fermentation.
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With each batch of kombucha you make, a new SCOBY baby will form. You can store these SCOBY babies together in one jar, making sure it's topped up with some of the sweet tea liquor to keep the SCOBYs fed. Remember to keep the jar at room temperature.
- To make your own SCOBY click here.
Embrace the DIY Kombucha Adventure
A good place to start making Kombucha is with quality tea bags or loose-leaf tea. At Teabellies, we have a selection of premium teas perfect for creating your own Kombucha concoctions.
When entertaining, why not take your kombucha presentation to the next level. Serve your Kombucha from one of our elegant wine-bottle-styled cold brew tea bottles. This thoughtful touch adds a hint of sophistication and provides a delightful non-alcoholic beverage option that's equally enticing.
