With only a few ingredients in kombucha, it’s essential to understand the role that each one plays. Not to say that if you don’t know what sugar’s purpose is, it won’t ferment. The knowledge allows you the freedom to play around and tweak your recipes to make your kombucha brewing experience truly your own.
Sugar is food for the yeast and bacteria, and them eating and breaking it down is the essence of fermentation. The yeast breaks down the sugar and converts it into carbon dioxide and alcohol. The bacteria break it down into healthy acids. Without sugar, there would be no fermentation.
By the end of the primary fermentation, most of the sugar has been eaten. It’s important to realize that the sugar in kombucha isn’t there for you; it’s there for the microorganisms. In many store-bought brands, you may have noticed that the sugar content or carbs are higher than you’d like. This comes mostly from flavors added in the second fermentation, which is after the kombucha has finished fermenting. One of the beauties of making your own kombucha is the sense of control that you have over the final result. If you’re trying to avoid sugar, caffeine, alcohol, etc., your brew can be tailored to suit your individual needs and goals!
Organic cane sugar is the best option for brewing kombucha. It is easily broken down by the yeast and bacteria with consistent results. When sugar is more complex, it is less available for microbial consumption, introducing extra variables that can affect brewing duration, flavor, and overall success.
Yes, and I encourage you to experiment with the different variables in your brewing to see what works best for you. This is part of the fun of making kombucha. You get to try things and sometimes it works and other times it doesn’t.
Before you ferment, though, I recommend brewing a few times following the classic kombucha recipe until you understand the basic principles. Keeping a SCOBY hotel or backup of kombucha starter tea is good practice when you’re experimenting with different key ingredients. This way, you have a backup plan to start fresh if and when something goes awry with your experiment. In essence, a simple jar with 3-4 cups of matured kombucha starter tea will do, covered with a breathable cloth.
Pro Tip: Before experimenting with any brew it, you should have a backup kombucha starter culture to start fresh in case something doesn’t work out as planned.
Turbinado, sucanat & demerara are all common types of sugar that you may find in the grocery store. Each of these is a different type of cane sugar, refined to various degrees. These less refined sugars include more molasses, aka trace minerals for you and your SCOBY. If using, you’ll want to taste test often to make sure you don’t over ferment and let it get too sour!
Beet sugar will ferment just fine, but I would not necessarily recommend it as it is highly processed, includes microbial inhibitors, and is made from GMOs. Most brown sugar in stores is made from beet sugar, so be sure to read your labels!
Molasses is made during the production of cane sugar. Sugar cane is juiced and goes through several stages of boiling, encouraging the sucrose to crystallize so it can be easily removed and processed as cane sugar. By the 3rd boil, most of the crystallized sugar has been removed, and the result is a thick, high mineral content molasses. Since it is so low in sucrose, I don’t recommend using it as a stand-alone sugar source in your kombucha. Instead, I would only replace about 1/4 of the sugar with molasses. Adding molasses increases the mineral content and adds some depth of flavor in your kombucha, especially for those wanting to brew more “original” flavored kombucha and not mess with flavoring during the secondary.
Honey contains a high percentage of sugar and works great to ferment kombucha. Different types of honey include different ratios of sugar so that you can expect different results with a Tupelo honey (lower percentage of sugar) versus wildflower honey or Brassica (high percentage). It is a bit harder for the SCOBY to break it down when compared to cane sugar but will ferment and has the added benefit of minerals and a delicate honey flavor. If you want to use honey, you should make jun kombucha as the standard jun kombucha recipes call for honey as opposed to cane sugar. What is jun kombucha?
Agave is extracted nectar from the agave plant and is the source of sugar for tequila fermentation. As a naturally derived sweetener, it’s popularity has risen recently for all kinds of uses–adding kombucha to that list! You may notice a few off-flavors or changes in fermentation time, pellicle formation, or yeast activity, but your culture will adjust. I would recommend supplementing with some cane sugar or rotating between brews.
Maple syrup is made from the sap of maple trees and is comprised of mostly sucrose, making it an excellent choice for kombucha. Its high mineral content is a bonus for your SCOBY and you! Use about 3/4 cup per gallon of kombucha and expect an adjustment period with your brew.
Coconut palm sugar is another sap-derived sugar, made from the coconut palm tree. The sap flows out of the cut flower stem and can be collected twice per day. The sap is heated to allow for evaporation and crystallization. It can be used as a cane sugar replacement for most applications, including kombucha. However, a lot of brewers will tell you that this sugar tends to create off-flavors in their kombucha. The primary sugar in coconut palm sugar is sucrose.
There are no real limitations on the types of sugars that you can use as long as they’re real sugars. There are a lot of “sweeteners” in the market that chemically mimics sugars, but the yeast and bacteria do not recognize them as sugars and, therefore, will not ferment. This includes sweeteners like Sweet n Low, Xylitol, Stevia, Splenda, etc. These work great for “back sweetening” if you want to add sweetness after the fermentation without restarting the fermentation. This is common in homebrewing wine, champagne, mead, and cider to add sweetness to a completely dry end product. What is backsweetening?
Is there a sweetener that you use, or have a question about one not listed here? Let us know in the comments below!
Sugar serves as the primary fuel source for the SCOBY during the fermentation process. The bacteria and yeast in the SCOBY consume the sugar and convert it into organic acids, carbon dioxide, and trace amounts of alcohol, creating the distinct flavor and carbonation in kombucha.
For brewing kombucha, it is recommended to use plain white cane sugar, also known as granulated sugar. This type of sugar is readily available, affordable, and provides the necessary nutrients for the SCOBY to ferment the tea effectively.
The ideal amount of sugar to use when brewing kombucha is 1 cup (200 grams) per gallon (3.8 liters) of water. This quantity provides enough food for the SCOBY to ferment the tea and achieve the desired balance of flavors. However, adjustments can be made based on personal taste preferences.
Yes, brown sugar can be used in kombucha brewing. However, it’s important to note that the mineral content and molasses in brown sugar may affect the fermentation process and flavor of the final kombucha.
While it is possible to experiment with alternative sugars like coconut sugar or maple syrup, they are not commonly used in primary fermentation. These sugars contain additional compounds and may impact the flavor, fermentation, and health of the SCOBY.
No, it is not possible to make kombucha without sugar. Sugar is essential for the SCOBY to ferment and produce the characteristic flavors, carbonation, and beneficial compounds in kombucha. Without sugar, there is no fermentation.
