How to Brew Kombucha


I have a love affair with kombucha. It’s the perfect amount of sweet, cool, refreshing and not hyper-carbonated like commercial soda pop.
The health benefits are great and I love the fact that I can sit on the front porch sipping my favorite beverage, knowing that it’s beneficial!
Before starting, make sure you have all the ingredients, the most important being a kombucha scoby (also known as a mushroom or mother). You can find them here: Kombucha scobies and starter kits
How to Brew Kombucha
Ingredients:
1 gallon water
4 bags of green or black tea (you can use between 4-10 tea bags per gallon, personal preference)
1 cup organic sugar*
1 kombucha scoby, with 1/2 cup – 1 cup kombucha liquid
1 Gallon Jar
Directions:
Bring water to boil, pour over tea bags in a gallon jar. Allow to steep and cool. Stir in sugar. When tea is completely cooled, add kombucha and scoby, gently placing it at the top on the jar. (It’s okay if it sinks.) Cover with cloth and set on the counter for desired amount of time. You can start taste testing the kombucha 5-7 days and repeat the process when it has reached the desired taste.
I enjoy mine fermented at 7 days, many prefer it at 2 weeks and some even at a month. The longer it sits the more vinegar taste there will be.
*I recommend using an organic sugar, as most sugars sold in stores has been made with GMO sugar beets.
Resources:
Kombucha scobies and starter kits
Points to remember:

  • Do not use honey. Kombucha feeds on sugar and the antibacterial properties of honey may harm the scoby.
  • Use filtered or well water. Avoid tap water that has chlorine or other chemicals in it.
  • Make sure the tea is completely cool before adding the scoby, as heat kills the living organisms.

More FAQ answered:

About Rachel Jones

Hi there! I’m Rachel Jones, and I founded Nourishing Minimalism in 2012 at the beginning of my minimalist journey. If you're looking for encouragement in your journey, I created a FREE Facebook Group - feel free to join me there: Nourishing Minimalism Facebook Group and I share videos each week on YouTube

4 Comments

  1. Terri on 09/24/2013 at 6:56 pm

    You only use one tea bag per quart of water? I’ve been using 4. Looks like I could use less, then, huh?

    • Rachel on 09/26/2013 at 3:17 pm

      I’ve seen people use between 4-10 tea bags per gallon, so whatever you prefer works!

  2. Anonymous on 10/01/2013 at 1:46 am

    So then you keep your kombucha jar on the counter? I have wood heat, so the temperature is not as warm during the night. Does that matter?

    • Rachel on 10/01/2013 at 3:05 am

      If it’s cooler, it will just take longer to ferment. But it will still work just fine!

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