The Easiest Way To Brew Kombucha From Home (Step by Step Instructions)

If you have been thinking about brewing your own Kombucha from home but feel intimidated by the process or feel nervous that you’ll screw up,  then you’ve come to the right place.  I will show you the easiest way to brew kombucha from home.  I have been making Kombucha for a few years now and have mastered the art of brewing it successfully– I am sure you will too.

Find out how to make Kombucha from the comfort of your home, while saving hundreds if not thousands of dollars a year. Plus you can make your favorite flavors while you are at it.

What is Kombucha?

Kombucha is essentially fermented sweet tea.  It can best described as a lightly sweet and tangy drink that can be fermented twice with fruits, juice, herbs and even healthy spices like Turmeric to enhance its health benefits.

Kombucha is an ancient fermented tea-based probiotic infusion and it continues to be cherished as a healing tonic for about 3,000 years. It has been thought to offer healthy and balanced bacteria and micronutrients valuable to digestion, detoxing and immunity . Today, more and more people drink and make Kombucha all over the world, for its healing properties,  and mainly for the way it makes them feel. Kombucha has the ability to give you natural energy, makes you feel alive, healed and replenished.

Through the power of fermentation, regular tea is transformed into a nutritionally alive drink that nourishes your body with compounds that detoxify, energize, support your immune system, streamline your digestive system, clarify your skin, prevent disease and elevate your mood, say Eric and Jessica child from Kombucha Kamp.

To start making your own Kombucha from home…

This is what you’ll need:

1. Kombucha SCOBY also knows as (mother, mushroom).  I can send you one, please send me a  private message here to get your organic vintage SCOBY and starter.
2. Unfluoridated unchlorinated filtered water (I use this filter)
3. Organic green or black tea. You may buy green Puerh tea in bulk as well.
4. Organic cane sugar
5. Plastic or wooden mixing/stirring spoon
6.  Cotton woven fabric or unbleached coffee filters

Instructions

1. If you are going to brew a gallon of Kombucha~  Boil 13-15 cups of filtered water, then steep 8 bags of green and black tea or (you can split the tea according to your taste) as you would in making a regular cup of tea.

2. Let it steep for about 10 minutes or as strong as you’d like your tea.  Remove tea bags or completely strain loose leaves (if you used loose leaves tea such as oolong or Puerh) from the liquid. Cool the mixture to 68-85ºF.

3. Combine sugar with tea until it is fully dissolved. Then pour this mix into a  glass jar.

4.  At this point you can add starter tea from a previous batch or if you got it from me or another source.  Send me a private message here if you want an organic vintage SCOBY.  Then make it according to the ratios in the picture below.

5. Add an active kombucha SCOBY to this mixture. Active means a Kombucha that isn’t dry.  Contact me here (private message) if you want a live organic vintage SCOBY for the cost of shipping.

6. Cover the jar with a coffee filter (I prefer unbleached coffee filters) cotton woven cloth  (organic preferably), tight-weave towel or any other material that allows air to circulate.

7. At this point, you will let the mixture sit undisturbed at 69-85°F, preferably on the kitchen counter or in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight, for 7-12 days or to taste. The longer the kombucha ferments, the less sweet and more vinegary it will taste.

8.  Taste the kombucha by inserting a plastic or glass straw on the side of the SCOBY.  I cover the top of the straw submerge it in the liquid then take it gently then taste it. If it is to your liking then go ahead and bottle it for a 2F (second ferment) or drink it plain.

9.Pour kombucha by using a funnel if you are ready to consume it just like that. Set aside two cups of liquid and keep the SCOBY from the original brew ( I like to use the tea from the lower part of the jar to use as starter tea for the following batch.)

10. The finished kombucha can easily be bottled and flavored with fresh or frozen fruits, organic juice, herbs and even turmeric.  If preferred you can simply enjoy the first ferment. 

How to Get Perfect Fizz on Your Second Ferment

There is a lot of talk on getting that perfect fizz, but based on my experience it all starts within the first ferment.  Make sure you have the right ratios when it comes to ingredients, strong starter, and a quality SCOBY (heirloom, vintage) is what I recommend. That means that the SCOBY didn’t come from bottled commercially made Kombucha, because often times commercially sold booch has to be pasteurized.  Not in every case, though.   With the perfect starter and scoby you are all set for the perfect brew.

For my second ferment, I have always had success by using airtight EZ cap beer bottles.   You can add your favorite fresh fruits, herbs, healing spices, frozen fruit you name it.  However, these are my top super-fizzy-combos with fresh fruit:

• Ginger, raspberry or any berries (In my opinion berries give the most fizz)
• Pineapple, mango, ginger
• Ginger, orange
• pomegranate, ginger
• strawberry, pear
• peach, raspberries, mango.. and the list goes on. Be creative the options are endless…

Check out my Instagram and facebook pages for more fermenting ideas.  Also, check out some of my best healing salads and fermented healing foods.

There you have it. How to make Kombucha from the comfort of your home, the easy way!
Now tell me, have you made Kombucha at home?

If so, how did it go and how successful was your first brew. I’d love to hear your comments, see pictures and hear all about it.  

Did you get a SCOBY from me and made the most amazing booch ever? Post a picture on my official facebook page or share your testimonials below.

Other articles you may find helpful:

9 Probiotic Foods To Take Your Digestion and Health To The Next Level

18 Benefits of Sipping Kombucha

Here’s a great article on the Benefits of Kombucha by Kombucha Brooklyn.