I love drinking Kombucha. I’m a huge fan of GT’s Trilogy and Watermelon Wonder. There’s something magical about that fizzy elixir. It’s so refreshing! Below, I’ll show you how to make kombucha at home.
What is Kombucha?
Kombucha is a fermented sweet tea. The tea is fermented with a SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria And Yeast) That is basically a gelatinous mass of good bacteria and yeast. It’s what gives Kombucha its probiotic properties, and guards against bad bacteria by overwhelming the brew with good stuff. The end result is a sweet, sour and fizzy delight.
Kombucha is often double fermented with fruit juice or fruit puree for flavor and a little extra fizzy boost.
Some benefits of making kombucha at home!
While this all may seem complicated, but it’s actually really easy to make kombucha at home. It just takes a few minutes to assemble, and about a week of waiting. The benefits of brewing your own ‘buch are many. You can control the intensity and sweetness of the final product. You can pick your own flavors. I like to mix a few like mango, cherry and lime, watermelon and cherry, raspberry and beet, etc. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.
The cost savings are significant. Undoubtedly the cost of making your own gallon of kombucha is significantly less than buying it from the store. Just a few bags of tea, some water and 1 cup of sugar. Your first batch will require you to get a SCOBY from someone who brews at home (I got mine from my local Buy Nothing Group on Facebook), or you can order one on Amazon here. Also, you will need about 1 cup of previously brewed kombucha or some Apple Cider Vinegar.
I use a container like this drink container to make 1 gallon at a time, but you can find any 1+ gallon container that is glass and has a wide opening at the top. Then I cover it with a flour sack towel and rubber band to keep any bugs and dust out, but allows it to breathe.
Ingredients:
64oz (8 cups) hot filtered water for tea
64oz (8 cups) cold filtered water
4-6 bags of black or green tea (I ran out and had to use loose tea in the video)
1 cup organic sugar
1 cup kombucha or apple cider vinegar
1 SCOBY
Method:
1. Place the tea bags and sugar in the 64oz of hot water and brew a strong, sweet tea. 2. 2. Once you’ve steeped the tea for several minutes, remove the tea bags and pour it into your brewing container.
3. Pour the cold water into the brewing container and check the temperature. It should be slightly warm, but not hot. If it’s above 100 degrees you need to let it cool.
4. Once your tea is at the right temperature, place your SCOBY in the container, and pour in the kombucha or ACV.
5. Cover the container with your towel and rubber band.
6. Let sit somewhere it will be undisturbed for about a week (shorter brew times result in sweeter Kombucha, longer brew times result in a more sour brew. 1 week is a good balance, but brew to taste)
Optional Flavoring:
Afterwards,i f you want to add flavor to your Kombucha, you will need to do so after you make the plain brew. here’s the instructions
1. Remove the SCOBY and 1 cup of Kombucha and set aside covered.
2. Pour the remaining Kombucha into one or multiple containers with screw on lids
3. Add in any fruit or juice you like. Try combinations of fruits. I like the sweetness and color that beets add, so I buy frozen, sliced beets and toss a few into almost every batch.
4. Screw the lids on tight and
5. Set aside. It usually takes a few days for the fizz to properly develop. Keep an eye on the jars or bottles as the air builds up and the lids can pop off if they go too long.
6. Make a new batch of Kombucha with the SCOBY and do it all again!
You can also find this recipe on our food blog, Plated Glory
