Herbal tea won't work, so steer clear of teas like chamomile and mint tea. Some people use new SCOBYs for making extra batches of kombucha. Add the tea bags and allow them to steep for at least 20 minutes (or until tea has cooled). Making kombucha at home is fun and easy to do. Cultures for Health sells kombucha tea starter cultures (SCOBYs) on their own or as part of their Kombucha Tea Starter Kit.These starter cultures are shipped in a dehydrated state and you have the benefit of knowing that they have been pathogen-tested for your safety. Please note, comments must be approved before they are published. If no signs of SCOBY development appear after 3 weeks, discard the batch and start over. Although not necessary, you are still creating a living organism and it’s better to feed it the best possible ingredients. Before we start, here are some general notes that are consistent throughout the whole homemade kombucha process. There is no limit to the flavoring possibilities. Purchase a bottle of raw, unflavored kombucha. Once SCOBY has formed and grown to at least ¼” in thickness, usually between 1 and 2 weeks but possibly up to 4 weeks, it is ready to be used in your next brew. in your kitchen, make sure all the jars are at least a few feet apart to prevent cross-contamination of the cultures. 6-8 -OR- 1-2 black and/or green tea bags. important and will help prevent mold in your kombucha. Allow the SCOBY to remain in this liquid until you are ready to use the SCOBY for the next step, the 1st fermentation. Test that the tea is room temperature by drawing out some tea with a paper straw, using your finger to keep the kombucha in the straw. EASY CAP Beer Bottles - CLEAR, This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. During fermentation, the SCOBY may float on top or sink to the bottom–don't worry too much about it; SCOBYs are sensitive to temperatures, but they recover if they're undisturbed. While tea is still warm, add sugar & stir until dissolved. Cover the jar with something breathable. At first, it's easy to be wary of the kombucha SCOBY: it's a slimy, living culture that floats in the jar of kombucha during fermentation. If you are up for a little experimenting and have a lot of patience, growing your own SCOBY from a bottle of raw kombucha is another option. For all remaining ingredients, please refer to below chart for measurements based on batch size: Before you begin, ensure all jars and brewing equipment are thoroughly cleaned. EatingWell may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. A trusted source recommended the brand Health-Ade, and I had excellent SCOBY-growing luck with their bottles of small-batch brews. After 7-9 days (newer brews may take over 14 days to ferment), you can start tasting your brew with clean straw. 3. Let cool completely, until the mixture is room-temperature. Once cooled, pour your sweet tea liquid into the fermenting jar. Rather, it is the mother culture required to make kombucha tea. Below steps are measurements for the 1 Gallon jar. Let’s brew! Due to its appearance, it is sometimes referred to as a "mushroom," although it is not technically a mushroom. Secure cap tightly and let bottle rest out of direct sunlight, “burping” the bottle once a day to release excessive carbonation. After activating our dehydrated SCOBY, please follow the enclosed homemade kombucha instructions for making your first batch of kombucha. You may have to play around with how you burb your bottles a little bit. The acronym stands for symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast. Because a new culture is created with nearly every new batch of kombucha, it is easy to quickly become overrun with SCOBYs. Cover the container with a clean cloth or coffee filter and secure with a rubber band. It also goes by the quietly imposing name of mother. But many variables, including type of tea and length of fermentation, can affect kombucha's nutrient profile, and more research is needed before any health claims are proven. Pro Tip: Use flip-top bottles designed for brewing. The SCOBY will grow another layer during the fermentation process; after several layers have formed, you can peel them off and provide a SCOBY to a friend (or discard it). A new SCOBY starts off as a clear film or blob and then slowly become less translucent, more white, and thicker as time goes on. These bottles are meant for fermentation and have an airtight seal, which will prevent carbonation from escaping. 1.) Strain and chill to serve. (Don’t be impatient here – hot water will kill your SCOBY). Making a SCOBY Hotel + Other Ways to Take a Break From Kombucha, HOW-TO VIDEO: Activating a Dehydrated Kombucha SCOBY, expert advice on making homemade kombucha tea, instructions for making your first batch of kombucha, choosing the best equipment for making kombucha in this article, The Complete Kombucha Brewing Glossary: Baby SCOBYs to Second Fermentation, Making Jun Tea: How to Brew Jun with a Kombucha SCOBY. For a fizzy fermented tea, try bottling it in a Grolsch-style bottle or other tightly-sealed container. First step: cultivate a SCOBY. You can also use kombucha to replace vinegar in salad dressings: try whipping up your favorite vinaigrette with kombucha instead. PURCHASE A SCOBY. The first fermentation is where you actually make the kombucha that you’ll be drinking! Pour into a flip-top bottle and seal. Tips and techniques from the Good Food team. Once it boils, turn off the heat and stir in 1 cup sugar, then add 6 tea bags. Pro Tip: Fruit flies love kombucha. A word about ingredients. Use the included pH strips to ensure brew levels remain between 2-4 for best results. Remove from heat and dissolve sugar into it. Hello, you put the self adhesive temperature strip on the outside of the 1 gallon jar. This fizzy probiotic fermented tea has quickly gone from niche to mainstream, showing up in grocery stores and on tap at restaurants and trendy bars. It’s also a wee bit overpriced for my budget at $4 a bottle. Your kombucha needs to breathe in order to ferment. Bring water to a boil. Start by boiling 4 cups of water. All Right Reserved. Not only does this create a nice little fermentation ecosystem, a kombucha continuous brew system is low maintenance and provides a healthy environment for your SCOBY. Discover how to make kombucha and the 'scoby', or 'symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast' that forms the base of this fermented drink – then try a secondary fermentation with added flavours. Using clean utensils, strain out tea or remove tea bag and stir in sugar, then let cool completely until mixture is room-temperature. If you are just doing some research, browse this page along with our expert advice on making homemade kombucha tea. We'll show you how to make up to a gallon of kombucha (that's 8 bottles) for a fraction of the cost of commercial brands with easy homemade kombucha instructions. Working with live cultures like a SCOBY means they need the proper care and attention. In a clean, 4-cup wide-mouth glass jar, combine tea and hot water and let steep at least 5 minutes. 2. But if you begin to see green, black, fuzzy and dry spots, it’s most definitely mold. Once you find your optimal taste, your kombucha is ready for bottling! A word about food safety. Begin tasting at about 6 days by gently drawing out some of the tea with a paper straw (using your finger to hold the tea in the straw – don’t use your mouth). If this is your first brew, we recommend the. To keep them out, a repurposed knit t-shirt folded into layers to cover your brew can keep them out. Kombucha's fermentation process and vitamin C content make its antioxidant potential higher than that of plain black tea. Before you bottle your tea, you can add things like grapefruit peel, elderberries, pears and mashed apples to the brew. Everything else from a SCOBY and tea to bottles, and flavorings are included. When buying a bottle of pre-made kombucha, the most important thing to pay attention to is the amount of floaty sediment in your bottle: the more the better. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. Something to secure the cover to the jar (rubber band or canning jar rings work well), 3 cups Water free of chlorine and fluoride (bottled spring water works well), ½ cup Starter Tea or Distilled White Vinegar. You can learn more about choosing the best equipment for making kombucha in this article, but in short you will need: Most of the supplies you need can also be found in one of our DIY Kombucha Kits.