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| Freshly jarred, raw Kombucha – my first batch ever! |
Kombucha is actually just fermented black tea – and it's surprisingly easy to make. There are many ways to brew it at home, but this is just the technique I learned from a friend. Making your own Kombucha takes a little patience, but it's a rewarding process because you no longer need to drink the store-bought stuff!
Let's get into it!
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
TOOLS & SUPPLIES:
- (2) Gallon Mason Jars (preferably wide mouth)
- (1) Large Pot (for boiling the tea)
- (1) Cloth for covering one mason jar; make sure it's a thin, breathable fabric.
- (1) Mesh Strainer
- (4) Quart Mason Jars (for storing finished Kombucha)
INGREDIENTS
- 6 Cups Bottled/Filtered Water
- 6 Organic Tea Bags; I use 3 Oolong and 3 Black Tea (I use Prince of Peace)
- I Cup Organic Cane Sugar
- 2-3 Cups Bottled/Filtered Water
- 1-2 Cups Raw Kombucha (store-bought is fine)
- 1-2 Kombucha SCOBYs (if you don't have one, we'll get to that later)
- OPTIONAL - Organic Fruit or Food Grade Essential Oils for flavoring
HOW DO I OBTAIN A SCOBY?
You have two options for this: You can, a) Ask a friend for one, or b) grow a SCOBY! Please note that growing a new SCOBY will take roughly 1-4 weeks.
DIRECTIONS
1. Bring 6 cups of filtered/bottled water to a boil in a large pot.
2. Once water is boiled, turn off the stove and add the 6 organic tea bags (3 Black, 3 Oolong).
3. Brew tea for 15 minutes; remove tea bags.
4. Add 1 cup organic cane sugar to the tea. Stir occasionally until dissolved.
5. Pour tea and 2-3 cups filtered water into one of the two gallon mason jars. Let cool.
6. Once cooled, add 1-2 cups of raw Kombucha to the mason jar. Then, add the SCOBY(s).
7. Cover mason jar with a clean, breathable cloth; secure with an elastic band.
8. Let tea ferment anywhere between 9-21 days in a dark, warm place, away from perishable foods.
Do not flavor the tea while it is fermenting. That's an added fun part for post-fermentation. :)
AFTER FERMENTATION
1. Remove the SCOBYs from the mason jar with your hands. Do not use metal utensils – the Kombucha will react badly.
2. Place the SCOBYs and 2 cups of fresh Kombucha into the unused gallon mason jar. Cover and keep in a dark, warm place.
3. Pour the remaining Kombucha over a strainer into quart sized mason jars.
OPTIONAL: If you decide to flavor your Kombucha, let it ferment for an additional 1-4 days. You can use organic food grade essential oils. I use doTERRA, and one drop of each flavor is plenty (no I am not a doTERRA consultant, haha). I also like to add slices of organic fruit to a freshly brewed batch.
Some of my favorite flavor combinations include pear, grapefruit, grapefruit + ginger, strawberries, and strawberries + peaches. Given the sensitive nature of Kombucha, it's best to stick to organic fruits and high quality essential oils. This is a great list for flavor inspiration.
FINALLY, enjoy your Kombucha! If you would rather save it for later, seal the jars and keep them in a dark, warm place. Kombucha will continue fermenting as long as its warm. To stop fermentation, place the jars in the fridge.
WHAT NEXT?
If this is your first time brewing Kombucha, I would advise making another batch to mature your SCOBYs. Remember to save at least 1-2 cups of Kombucha from your previous batch for your next one (use this in place of the store-bought brew). Once that has fermented, you can go on to make a SCOBY Hotel.
I LET MY KOMBUCHA FERMENT FOR TOO LONG! WHAT SHOULD I DO?
Don't panic, and don't toss it! It's easy to forget about something when it's sitting in the dark for days on end. The good news is that you can use prolonged fermentation to make Kombucha vinegar.
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This recipe is based purely on handwritten notes I jotted down when learning to make Komucha. Please let me know if I am missing any important information. Happy brewing! :)
DISCLAIMER: This is not a sponsored post.
