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Have you ever wondered how to brew kombucha at home? This easy guide will teach you how to transform tea into kombucha in just a few easy steps! This is the most popular guide to brewing kombucha on the internet and has helped over 10,000 home brewers make kombucha in kitchens around the world. Yours next?
save this recipe!It’s a big day everyone! The day your intestinal microbiota have been begging you for. The day you say goodbye to expensive store-bought kombucha. The day you become a brewmaster!
The goal of this guide is to be your one stop shop for homemade kombucha brewage, from SCOBY-less to fermented perfection. No hopping around the internet or buying unnecessary gear. No fuss. No confusion. Because making homemade kombucha is so simple, and I hope after reading this you’ll give it a whirl! Let’s hop right to it.
Meet The Brewer
Hey friends, I’m Sarah! I’m in love with home-brewing kombucha and have helped thousands of people all over the world make kombucha in their homes! I created an entire website dedicated to brewing kombucha called Brew Buch, and run an online community of over 50,000 brewers called Kickass Kombucha Brewers (I’d love for you to join)! If you have any questions about brewing, please drop a comment at the end of this post – I personally read and respond to them daily!
The process looks like this:
This post will go into detail about each step in the process of making kombucha. For succinct instructions and metric measurements, jump to the printable recipe card at the end of this post. The general order of things goes something like this (you can jump around this tutorial by clicking the links below):
- Make SCOBY (1 to 4 weeks) – to make the “mother”
- First Fermentation (6 to 10 days) – to make the actual kombucha
- Second Fermentation (3 to 10 days) – to carbonate the kombucha
“Excellent recipe. I’ve tried ten or more online for comparison and this one has the best flavor balance. Not at all vinegary and not too sweet. Will be using for my base from now on.” -Katherine
Before we start, here are some general notes that are consistent throughout the whole homemade kombucha process.
- No metal or plastic containers. Metal can react with the acidic kombucha, while plastic can house nasty bacteria.
- Clean is key. A recurring theme in kombucha brewing is that everything must be clean! We’re creating the perfect environment for good bacterial growth, but if a bad bacteria sneaks in it could ruin your batch (and make you pretty sick).
- Temperature plays a big role. Fermentation goes a bit quicker in warmer temperatures and a bit slower in colder.
- No mold zone. If you see any mold growing on your SCOBY or in the tea (which I understand can be difficult to discern from the hideous SCOBY but will generally be green, white, or black), then toss your whole batch.
Step 1: How to make a kombucha SCOBY
The SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) is the mother of the kombucha, providing bacteria and yeast to ferment the sweet tea, protecting the tea from outside contaminants, and providing a loose seal to keep a bit of the carbonation in. Yes, it’s hideous…but it’s the very essence of kombucha! And the best part? You can make one at home! You’ll need:
- Water: Tap water is just fine here!
- White Sugar: Feeds the yeast and bacteria—don’t sub with other sweeteners.
- Black Tea: Provides nutrients for fermentation. Black tea works best for a strong, healthy SCOBY.
- Raw, unflavored kombucha: Contains live cultures that kickstart the SCOBY growth. Look for one with sediment at the bottom!
To make a SCOBY, you’ll brew sweet black tea, let it cool, then mix in raw kombucha. Cover and ferment at room temperature for 1 to 4 weeks until a ¼-inch SCOBY forms. Keep the SCOBY in its tea until you’re ready to brew your first batch! Jump to recipe for printable instructions.
Which brand Is best?
Our tried and tested store-bought brand is the GT’s “Pure”. You can find it in most natural food stores.
Important Notes For Making A SCOBY
- Only black tea. Similarly, the SCOBY doesn’t grow as well with green or fruity teas. By all means, once your SCOBY is big and strong, you can use green tea, but for now, stick with black. The SCOBY doesn’t like decaf tea and will not grow as well if fed it (SCOBY = my spirit animal).
- No honey. Honey can contain botulism bacteria that, when grown exponentially as bacteria and yeast tend to do in kombucha, can be dangerous.
- Don’t mess with it! You won’t see anything but a few bubbles in the first few days. But then one day a thin, translucent layer will form, eventually thickening into a full on SCOBY.
Step 2: The first fermentation
So you’ve got a newbie SCOBY and you’re ready to get this komboo-choo train rollin’. This first fermentation is where you actually make the kombucha. You’ll need:
- Water: Tap is fine!
- White Sugar: Feeds the SCOBY and bacteria during fermentation.
- Black or green tea: Black tea is most common, but green tea adds a lighter flavor.
- Unflavored kombucha: This has the live cultures and acidity needed to start your fermentation.
- SCOBY: Your live culture pellicle.
To do the first fermentation, you’ll brew sweet tea, cool it, and add it to a jar with your SCOBY and starter kombucha. Cover and ferment at room temp for 6–10 days, tasting around day 6. Once it’s slightly tangy and not too sweet, reserve 2 cups as your starter and move the rest to second fermentation. Jump to recipe for printable instructions.
First Fermentation Tips
- In this step, unlike in the making of the SCOBY, you can use other teas besides black. Feel free to experiment with green, white, oolong, or combinations of them. Fruit teas should be mixed with a few black tea bags to ensure the SCOBY mama gets what she needs to thrive.
- Once the SCOBY gets to be about an inch thick, peel off a few layers to create a second SCOBY (you can share the love and gift this to a friend!)
Step 3: The Second Fermentation
The final step and negotiably the best part of the process! The second fermentation is where the real magic happens. It’s where you can play around with sweet, fruity kombucha flavors that will not only make your homemade kombucha taste better than store-bought, but will carbonate the kombucha! You’ll need:
- Homemade kombucha from the first fermentation
- Sweetener (fruit, honey, or sugar). Here are a few ideas per 1 cup kombucha:
- 1 to 2 Tbsp mashed fruit or fruit juice
- 1 to 2 tsp honey
- a piece of candied ginger
Strain the kombucha and bottle it with your chosen sweetener, leaving some headspace. Let it ferment at room temperature for 3 to 10 days to build fizz, then strain out fruit if needed and refrigerate to chill and stop fermentation. Jump to recipe for printable instructions.
Second fermentation tips
- The more sugar/fruit you add, the faster the kombucha will ferment and become carbonated.
- Your jars can explode if the pressure becomes too high! For your first few batches while you’re still getting the hang of how kombucha reacts to your environment, bottle a portion of it in a plastic bottle. This will act as a gauge for how the others are doing. When the plastic bottle is rock solid, the rest are probably done. “Burp” them by opening each to release some pressure, then place them in the refrigerator to slow fermentation.
The Simple Guide to Kickass Kombucha
Equipment
- Glass Jar (1 gallon or larger)
- Clean Cloth (like a dish cloth or paper towels)
Ingredients
Making a SCOBY
- 7 cups water, 1.6 L
- 4 bags black tea, or 1 Tbsp loose tea
- ½ cup white sugar, 100 g
- 1 cup unflavored kombucha, this should be unpasteurized, unflavored store-bought kombucha, 235 mL
First Fermentation
- 14 cups water, 3.5 quarts, 3.3 L
- 8 bags black or green tea, or 2 Tbsp loose leaf
- 1 cup white sugar, 200 g
- 2 cups unflavored kombucha, from a previous batch or store-bought kombucha, 470 mL
- 1 SCOBY
Second Fermentation
- Kombucha, from the first fermentation
- Sweetener or flavor
Instructions
Making Kombucha SCOBY
- Make Tea: Bring 7 cups water to a boil in a clean pot. Remove from heat and add 4 bags black tea. Allow tea to steep for about 15 minutes. Remove tea and stir in ½ cup white sugar. Let tea cool to room temperature.Alternatively, boil only 2 cups of water and add the remaining 5 cups of cold water once the tea has steeped and sugar has been added. This will quicken the process.
- Add Starter: Add 1 cup unflavored kombucha then pour everything into a large glass jar.
- Ferment: Cover with a clean cloth and secure with a rubber band. Set somewhere dark and room temperature (70-75°F, 21-24°C) for 1 to 4 weeks, until a ¼ inch (½ cm) SCOBY has formed.
First Fermentation
- Make Tea: Bring 14 cups water to a boil in a clean pot. Remove from heat and add 8 bags black or green tea. Allow tea to steep for about 15 minutes. Remove tea and stir in 1 cup white sugar. Let tea cool to room temperature.Alternatively to quicken this up, boil only 4 cups of water and add the remaining 10 cups of cold water once tea has steeped and sugar has been added.
- Combine With Starter + SCOBY: If your SCOBY is still in the jar you made it in, use a clean spoon to push it down into the tea, then pour out all but 2 cups of the tea that’s in that jar (you can bottle the remaining tea to keep as a strong starter kombucha). Pour in your freshly made cooled tea.
- Ferment: Cover with a clean cloth and secure with a rubber band. Set somewhere dark and room temperature (70-75°F, 21-24°C) for anywhere from 6 to 10 days. Begin tasting the tea at about 6 days. It should be mildly sweet and slightly vinegary when finished.The longer the tea ferments, the more sugar molecules will be eaten up, the less sweet it will be. This process will go faster if it is warm in your house.
- And Repeat: Reserve 2 cups from this batch to use as starter kombucha for your next batch (just leave it in the jar with the SCOBY). The rest can move into the second fermentation!
Second Fermentation
- Flavor: Add your desired flavors to each bottle, then funnel kombucha into bottles, leaving about 1 inch at the top. Seal each shut.
- Ferment: Let ferment somewhere dark and room temperature for 3 to 10 days.This process will go faster if it is warm in your house. Carefully open bottles to prevent volcanoes. You can do this over a bowl with a baggie over the top just in case!
- Serve: If desired, strain out flavorings before serving. Place bottles in the fridge to slow the carbonation process and to chill before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!Supplies Needed for Making Kombucha
- Large Glass Jug: It should hold at least 1 gallon (buy on Amazon or in most homeware stores)
- Fermentation Bottles: These bottles have a tight seal specifically designed to keep the carbonation in (hellooo fizz!) (buy flip-top bottles here or collect and reuse GT’s bottles)
About the gear
Above is a list of the supplies needed to make kombucha. These are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you make a purchase. I’ve only included products I know and trust, and have included multiple buying options for each. I personally use and love the products from Kombucha.com. For 10% off their online store, comment below and I’ll get our secret code to you!
You’re very welcome! I hope you’ll try it out!! 🙂
Hi! I am giving this a try later today. I had originally bought decaf black tea, but have been reading that the tea needs to be just black tea. Do you have any experience with this? I was thinking of going back to the store to buy caffeinated black tea since I don’t want to mess it up! Thanks!
Hi Amara! I’ve never tried it with decaf tea, but after doing a bit of research it looks like you’ll be better off using caffeinated tea for our first go at it. Some articles (here and here) say that you can make caffeine-free kombucha, but you would need to ensure the tea was decaffeinated naturally (i.e. not treated with chemicals to remove the caffeine). My suggestion would be to go with caffeinated for your first few rounds until you’ve got the hang of it and know what to expect from your kombucha and SCOBY, then start experimenting with decaffeinated teas 🙂 Happy brewing!
WOW! I’m SO totally excited for this – I may be back with some questions though 🙂
I was gifted a mother and two babies. Do I start in part two? Is two cups of tea starter available everywhere?
Oh lucky you! Yes start at part 2. Kombucha is becoming more popular so you’ll find it in many stores, namely the healthy food stores (Whole Foods, local organic stores, possibly Trader Joes). If you can’t find any, Cultures for Health says you can use 2 cups distilled white vinegar in place of the starter tea (I haven’t personally tried this though). Best of luck and feel free to come back with any questions!
So what are the benefits if Chia seeds in kombucha? doesn’t it get thick?
Ready for my second fermentation with my gifted scoby. So happy I didn’t kill it.
Hey Heather! Aside from a little nutrition punch from the chia seeds, I just really love the texture of the seeds once they’ve become a bit gel-y. We don’t add so much that the entire liquid thickens (like in chia puddings), but just enough for the chia seeds to be well-dispersed. Try making a small glass of it to see if you like it! And I’m so happy to hear you’re on to round 2! Your SCOBY will get stronger and less kill-able the longer you keep brewing 🙂
So it was a little bubbly, but after I added fruit or juice for next fermentation, it has no fizz, no burping needed. What did I do wrong?
Oh no I’m sorry to hear that, Heather! So you did the 1st fermentation with the SCOBY, poured the kombucha into bottles/jars, but then didn’t get any fizziness from the 2nd fermentation? Some things that could have an impact on fizziness at this stage:
-What bottles did you use? Mason jars do an okay job, but fermentation bottles with a clasping lid are truly airtight, meaning none of the precious carbonation can escape. Perhaps your lids weren’t on tight enough?
-How full did you fill the bottles? They should be nearly full, as this creates less room for the gasses i.e. more pressure.
-The bottles should be somewhere warm. The yeasts won’t carbonate as quickly at cool temperatures (like in the fridge).
-Did you taste the tea during the end of the first fermentation? I’m thinking maybe your tea fermented too much, in which case it would have tasted very vinegary and wouldn’t have had many sugars left for helping with carbonation.
-Final thoughts, maybe just let it sit a few more days. Sometimes I feel like nothing is happening with my kombucha, but then one day I’ll wake up and it’s worked magic overnight!
I hope these help and I’d definitely urge you not to give up! Everyone’s kombucha is a little different and I’m sure it’ll work for you soon! Please don’t hesitate to come back with anymore questions 🙂
There are so many “How to make kombucha” posts out there, but yours is so simple to follow, plus your drawing is awesome! Thanks for sharing.
Aw thanks so much, Emily! When I was trying to learn there were just so many different articles and instructions out there. I wanted to make this a one-stop-shop to show how easy it is 🙂 Let me know how it goes for you!
Thanks for this, I’m trying it out as we speak! Could I use the tea from the “making a scoby” first phase as the starter tea for my first batch?? Or could I use a premade bottle of kombucha instead? I can’t seem to find starter tea. Also, what is the best way to make a ginger flavored batch – candied ginger or fresh? Thanks!!
Hi Josie! The tea from making your SCOBY fermented for a long time so it’s going to be very sour, which is why you shouldn’t use it as a starter tea. A premade bottle of kombucha would work perfectly (something like this).
I haven’t tried ginger-flavored kombucha before, but I think you could use either freshly grated or chopped candied ginger. I love the kombucha tutorials from The Kitchn, and they have a great one here about making ginger kombucha.
Good luck and happy brewing!! 🙂
Great post, Sarah! I found it so helpful and can’t wait to try it myself. I am a bit confused about one part – do we add the scoby itself to the first fermentation batch or just the starter tea? And is the starter tea the liquid that has been hanging out with the scoby for a couple of weeks?
Thanks – sorry this is probably so obvious to veterans 😉
Hi, Amanda, thanks for stopping by! So you’ll add both the SCOBY and the starter tea in the first fermentation. Starter tea can either be a bottle of flavorless store bought kombucha (example) (if it’s your first batch ever), or kombucha that you made previously. Starter tea is not the liquid that your SCOBY has been hanging out in for a few weeks. That’s going to be really sour and no good for drinking. Really great questions and I’ll amend the instructions to clarify as well.
It is so warm in my house this summer. Should I wait until fall to start brewing or maybe just shorten the fermentation time?
Hey Christine! You can brew good kombucha at up to 80 degrees F, so if your house is cooler than that (or if you can find a relatively cool, dark pantry), you can make kombucha, just shortening the fermentation time like you said 🙂
Hi Sarah,
I loved your post so much, I decided to try it myself! But then… I accidentally left my first/Scoby making batch unattended for a really long time. Now the Scoby is REALLY thick and the tea that was in it is very sour, almost like vinegar. Do you have any suggestions on how to troubleshoot this? Thank your lovely post and help!
I’m so gad you tried it out, and this is definitely fixable! As long as there are no moldy spots on your SCOBY, just gently separate the layers in half (or thirds if it’s really thick) so you have a few SCOBYs! If you’re not ready to use them right away, this article by Kombucha Kamp has a few ideas on how to keep your “SCOBY Hotel” happy. I hope this helps and happy brewing! 🙂