Items Needed

• Kombucha SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast)
• Starter Tea (small amount of liquid in with the SCOBY)
• Water
• Tea (Black or Green works best)
• Sugar (we use unrefined, but refined white sugar works just as well)
• Glass jars or crocks

1st Fermentation (directions for 1 gallon)

• Heat half a gallon of water to boiling.
• Add 10 tea bags (6 tbsp. if loose).
• Keep the water near boiling for at least 5 min.
• Add 1¼ cups of sugar and stir well.
• Pour through strainer to remove tea leaves.
• At this point, make sure all utensils and containers used afterwards have been rinsed in strong Kombucha or vinegar. This protects against mold, and is especially important with your first batch.
• Pour hot tea into a one gallon container, preferably glass or ceramic.
• Add half gallon of cold water – helps cool the tea down.
• Once the tea has reached room temperature, add the SCOBY and starter tea.
• Cover the jar with a permeable top. (I use a coffee filter with a rubber band.)
• Set jar in the dark at room temperature.
• Wait about 5 days.
• On day 6 start sampling your tea each day.
• It’s finished when it tastes the way you want it.

We usually stop our first fermentation when there's still a faint hint of sweetness left in the tea. The remaining small amount of sugar will be used to make carbonation (fizz) during the second fermentation. Or, if you like your KT without fizz, there is no need to do a second fermentation.

2nd Fermentation (optional)

• Bottle the entire gallon of KT except for a cup or two for the next batch.
  • We use crimp-top glass bottles with the metal caps.
  • You can easily buy caps and a hand crimper on Amazon.
  • Ball jars work fine too. Just as long as you have a sealing lid so the carbonation doesn't escape.
• We also like to add flavorings to the tea sometimes during bottling. A all time favorite is ginger. Simply add a slice or two of ginger root to the bottle before you seal it.
• Let the bottles sit at room temperature for 1-2 weeks or longer for best carbonation and flavor.

Kombucha FAQs

1. My 'mother' SCOBY sank when I put it in my first brew. Now what? No worries. It makes no difference to your brew if the SCOBY is at the top or the bottom. If your SCOBY sinks, a new one will soon form on the surface.
2. How do I know if my brew has mold? Many people mistake bits of floating yeast or the beginnings of a new SCOBY as mold. If mold does form, it will always be on the top of the tea and will be soft and fluffy.
3. How long will the KT last after it is bottled? Years and years. Whether it's refrigerated or not, Kombucha simply ages and gets better the longer it sits. Living food is amazing!
4. Do I pour the tea through a strainer when I bottle? Most people do not strain it, but if you don't like the small bits of yeast or SCOBY in it, feel free. Some people affectionately call the little floaters "ooglies."
5. Why does it take so much sugar? The probiotic yeast and beneficial bacteria live on the sugar. They need it to grow and make KT. Most, if not all of the sugar is used up by the time you drink it.

The fun thing about making your own Kombucha is that you can experiment with various methods and flavors to get the perfect brew for you. Kombucha is a living food and will not mind some variation.

For those who want to share your Kombucha making experiences or hear about others' experiments, there's a great yahoo group called Original Kombucha.

All the best of food and blessings...

Your farmer,
Rodrick

~5th generation on the farm

Real Farmers. Real Caring. Real Food.