Close-up of kombucha with SCOBY in a jar

Activating The Culture: Kombucha

So what exactly is Kombucha? At its core, kombucha is just fermented tea that’s packed with beneficial probiotics. These probiotics help support your gut health and can offer all sorts of wellness benefits. You’ve probably seen kombucha bottles lining the shelves at your local grocery store or health food market—but as you’ve likely noticed, they aren’t cheap. In fact, the cost of regularly buying kombucha can add up pretty quickly. That’s probably why you decided to buy your starter, right? Let’s get started!

What you will need

  • Glass jar

  • Coffee filter

  • Rubber band

  • Strong starter kombucha

  • Tea bags

  • Sugar

  • Water

    (Click HERE for an awesome selection of kombucha starters!)

Now, let’s get the measurements down. For every gallon of sweet tea you will need 1 cup of strong starter kombucha. If you’re making a half-gallon batch, ensure you adjust your recipe accordingly.

How To Make Kombucha

  1. Begin by preparing your sweet tea. Heat one gallon of water until it's hot but not boiling.

  2. Add 8 to 12 tea bags, depending on your preferred strength, and steep for 10 to 15 minutes.

  3. Remove the tea bags and stir in one cup of sugar until it dissolves.

  4. Cover the mixture and allow it to cool to room temperature, aiming for a temperature between 65 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

  5. Once cooled, add one cup of starter kombucha and stir well. It is essential you are using strong kombucha for this process. This helps lower the pH sufficiently to deter mold growth, ensuring a successful fermentation.

  6. Cover your jar with a coffee filter and secure it with a rubber band.

  7. Let sit and ferment ABSOLUTELY undisturbed in a well ventilated area and out of direct sunlight for 10-30 days.

Around day 10 you can take a whiff and taste your brew. If it is too sweet, let it ferment a day or two longer. If too sour, brew for a shorter period the next batch. Fine tune the brew time to your personal preference. There is no hard and fast rule to when it’s done. It’s done when you say it’s done, whether that’s 7 days or 30!

To create your next batch, simply follow the same steps as before. If you notice that your last batch turned out a bit weak, consider doubling the amount of starter for the next batch.

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