It's slimy and smelly but it sure makes a tasty drink! Meet my friend SCOBY. This beautiful Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast perfectly ferments sweet tea into a health food powerhouse full of probiotics and antioxidants.
And is super simple to make!
With just a few simple ingredients and a little bit of time you can have fresh brewed kombucha flavored just the way you like it.
One Gallon Recipe
Step 1 - Brew up some sweet tea.
Bring 14 cups of water to a boil. Add in 1 cup of sugar and stir to dissolve. Steep 8-10 tea bags (2 tablespoons of loose leaf) of black tea. Allow the tea to steep until liquid has cooled to room temperature.
Step 2 - Drop in your SCOBY and add a little starter kombucha.
Add in your SCOBY and 2 cups of unflavored and unpasteurized store bought kombucha. Cover your vessel with a few layers of tightly woven cheese cloth and secure them tightly with a rubber band. Set in a warm but dark area where it won't be disturbed.
Step 3 - Wait and taste test.
After about 6 days start tasting your tea. Fermentation time will vary so taste test daily until you've reached your desired sweet to sour ratio.
Step 4 - Bottle and enjoy!
Bottle up your kombucha and transfer your SCOBY to a jar for storage or to a new batch of sweet tea to start brewing another batch. If you will be storing your SCOBY make sure to cover with your kombucha and a tight-fitting lid. Store in the refrigerator until you're ready for your next batch.
Supplies, Ingredients, and Tips
Supplies
- 1 Gallon Glass Jar
- Cheese Cloth
- Rubber Bands
Ingredients
- Water
- Sugar
- Tea
- SCOBY
- Plain Store Bought Kombucha
Tips
- Make sure all of your utensils are clean.
- Avoid using metal containers as they can react with the kombucha
- Use water that is free of chlorine and fluoride (most city tap water contain those chemical so use bottled if necessary)
- Use organic sugar, tea, and starter kombucha if possible
- No SCOBY? You can find SCOBYs online or at health food stores. Or ask around, you might be surprised who is a closet kombucha brewer. I was gifted one at a horse show of all places!
- If mold forms throw it out and start over. Sometimes things don't work out and that's okay. Start with a new SCOBY, make sure your water is free of chemicals, and try again.
- Experiment with herbs, fruit juices, and your favorite flavors. The best part of brewing kombucha at home is making it your own. My favorite blends so far have been holy basil infused and jalapeno apricot!
Good luck and drop me a line when you try it out, I would love to hear your results!