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How to Make Kombucha

How to Make Kombucha

A Beginner's Guide on How to Make Kombucha

Homemade DIY Kombucha

Wondering how kombucha is made? Well, it’s simple. You’ll need a few basic ingredients and supplies. Let’s jump right in; we’ll show you how to brew kombucha from start to finish!

Have you Fallen in Love with Store-Bought Kombucha?

The good news is brewing your own kombucha at home is easy. It not only saves you money, but it puts you in total control of your brew, which unlocks the unlimited flavoring world, allowing you to customize your kombucha with your favorite flavors, fruits, spices, and herbs. All you need to know is that if you can make sweet tea, you can brew kombucha.

In this article, we will go over exactly what you’ll need and how to get started brewing your kombucha at home. Let’s learn!

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What is Kombucha?

Kombucha, simply put, is fermented sweet tea. It is made by adding a kombucha culture to a batch of sweet tea and allowing it to ferment at room temperature. Fermenting the sweet tea transforms it into a massively flavorful, tart, effervescent, and healthy beverage that we know as kombucha. The culture used to ferment kombucha is called a S.C.O.BY., an acronym that stands for Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast. During the fermentation, the SCOBY converts sugar into alcohol, which further breaks down into vitamins & enzymes. The resulting beverage is packed with probiotics, vitamins, and enzymes, plus the added health benefits of the tea. For a deeper dive into the kombucha culture, check out our post here, What is a SCOBY?

This fizzy, tangy drink has been brewed for centuries as a health tonic or “elixir of life” and has been recently growing again in popularity. This recent spike can be attributed to the newest health craze: a healthy gut. Remarkable research is being done on our microbiome, revealing the importance of our gut health to the basic functioning of our body and our immune systems. Here, Harvard University calls the microbiome “…a supporting organ because it plays so many key roles in promoting the smooth daily operations of the human body.”

While store-bought kombucha is great, and there are many great choices on the shelves, regularly drinking kombucha at $3-$5 per bottle adds up quickly.

The good news is that you can easily make it at home for a fraction of the cost of store-bought. Check out this post on the cost of kombucha to see which option is best for you!

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Kombucha Brewing Basics

Brewing kombucha is almost always a two-step process. Brewing kombucha is only a one-step process for those who prefer still kombucha. Otherwise, the steps consist of primary fermentation and secondary fermentation. The primary fermentation is when you make kombucha, and the secondary fermentation is when you take the kombucha and bottle, flavor, and carbonate.

Kombucha Jar

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Primary Fermentation

The primary fermentation is the first step of the kombucha brewing process. This is where your SCOBY transforms the sugar in the sweet tea into the tart and slightly sweet kombucha we love.  At the end of this stage, you will have kombucha but it will be unflavored and flat.

Fermentaholics: How To Make Kombucha

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Secondary Fermentation

This is the step where you bottle your kombucha. In addition, this is where you carbonate and/or flavor your kombucha by the addition of sugar and flavors. This step involves adding a bit of sugar or flavor to bottles with lids designed to hold the pressure of fermentation and then letting them ferment a little longer, allowing the yeast to carbonate the beverage in an airtight environment naturally. Have questions on the process? See our guide on kombucha secondary fermentation here.

What do you Need to Make Kombucha?

The Complete Kombucha Brewing Starter Kit

Making kombucha is easy—if you can make sweet tea, then you can brew kombucha. If you’re eager to get started but not sure where to begin, you should definitely consider our Complete Kombucha Making Kit. This kit includes everything you need to get started in one shot. Otherwise, let’s go over what you need to start making kombucha item by item.

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Kombucha Brewing Jar : Glass or lead-free porcelain are popular options for home brewing. Choose anything non-porous and non-reactive. See this post to help determine what is the best container for brewing kombucha.

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Muslin Cloth: During fermentation, kombucha needs plenty of airflow but also requires a cover to keep pests out. When choosing the right cover for your kombucha brew, muslin covers are the best way to go, as they allow maximum airflow while keeping any fruit flies at bay. However, even a coffee filter with a rubber band works here.

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Kombucha Culture | SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast): The SCOBY is the group of living microbes responsible for transforming sweet tea into kombucha. They reside in previously brewed kombucha as well as in the cellulose film that grows on the surface. If you’re looking for a SCOBY, you can purchase an organic SCOBY from us, here!

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Organic SugarWithout sugar, there wouldn’t be any fermentation taking place. The yeast eats sugar, breaking it down into carbon dioxide and alcohol, which then gets broken down by the bacteria into healthy organic acids, enzymes, and vitamins. Since you’re saving so much money making your kombucha, I recommend purchasing organic ingredients. Read more about what kind of sugar to use in our post here which will help you determine what is the best sugar for brewing kombucha.

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Organic Tea: Tea provides the SCOBY with nutrients that help facilitate the fermentation. It’s traditional to use black tea, which has high tannin and nutrient count, however, you can experiment with all types of different teas. Check out our hand-blended, organic kombucha tea blends specifically formulated for brewing kombucha, here!

Water

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Filtered WaterAs the most abundant ingredient in kombucha, you want to make sure that the water you use is high quality. Tap water contains chlorine and chloramines that inhibit microbe growth (not good for fermentation). Questions on water sources? See our post on brewing kombucha with tap water.

Nice-to-Haves When Making Kombucha

pH Test Sticks

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