How to make kombucha from scratch

keep it in the fridge and drink cold

This recipe is the best for making your own SCOBY and kombucha from scratch. It’s very easy & tasty. It’s cheaper than buying, and best of all–there’s no waste afterward!

Kombucha is a very tasty probiotic drink that I always keep in my fridge. I wish I knew how to make my own SCOBY when I started to make my own kombucha about 10 years ago. 

I had no idea it would be this easy. If I did, I would be able to save 20 plus 12 dollars for shipping–well, now I know.

My Kombucha SCOBY I bought worked really well and it kept growing more and more over time. I had a fun time offering some to people I know, but had to compost a lot of it when I ran out of people to give some to. 

Yes, that’s right. Once you have SCOBY, you never have to make or buy it again. The only thing you have to do to keep it healthy is to feed it with sweet tea, and in return, you get to drink tasty kombucha!

Unfortunately, I had to give up and compost my SCOBY when we left the country for a year. When we got back, I wanted to make kombucha again. This time, I wanted to grow my own SCOBY from scratch, and I did!

It’s hard to believe how cheap and easy it is to grow kombucha SCOBY from scratch. 

I bought a bottle of plain kombucha and used half of it mixed with sweet black that I brewed. Left it alone for 4 weeks, and before I knew– the SCOBY grew thick and ready to use to make more kombucha.

I used to make kombucha with store bought tea bags for a while. I switched to use loose black tea when I didn’t want to deal with the packaging. Using loose tea, I can really tell that it’s tastier. 

It’s also cheaper to buy pure loose black tea in bulk.

Kombucha is so refreshing to drink, especially when it’s warm. The perfect combination of sweet, tangy and the fizziness give you energy that is hard to beat.

Ready to make your own kombucha from scratch? Let me show you how!

Ingredients: How to Make Kombucha from Scratch

For growing kombucha SCOBY:

1. 4 tsp (20 ml) of loose pure black tea, or 4 bags if you use store bought ones
2. 8 TBSP (120 ml) of unbleached white sugar (this is for feeding the bacteria for 4 weeks)
3. 4 cups (236 ml) of filtered water
4. ½ a bottle or 1 cup (236 ml) of store bought plain kombucha

For making kombucha:

This recipe is for making 6 cups of kombucha. Feel free to use it to guide and adjust the amount accordingly. For an easy formula to remember. 1 tsp (5 ml) of tea, 1.5 TBSP (22.5 ml) of sugar per 1 cup (236 ml) of water

1. 6 tsp ( 30 ml) of loose pure black tea
2. 1 disc of SCOBY
3. 9 TBSP (135 ml) of unbleached white sugar
4. 6 cups (1,416 ml) of filtered water

Instructions: How to Make Kombucha from Scratch

Growing the SCOBY:

1. Steep the tea in 2 cups (472 ml) of hot water for about 10 minutes.
2. When the tea is done, take out the bag. Add sugar, mix and let it dissolve.
3. In a glass jar, put 2 cups (472 ml) of room temperature filtered water in. When the sugar is dissolved, put the tea mixture in the jar with the water. This step helps the tea to cool down faster.
4. When the mixture is cooled to about body temperature, add the store bought kombucha in. Mix and cover the jar with a breathable cloth.
5. Leave the jar at room temperature in the quiet and dark area. Let the bacteria from the kombucha eat the sweet tea undisturbed for about 4 weeks. 
6. You can see the sign of SCOBY growing around week 2. You can check on it, but try not to stir and disturb it.
7. After 4 weeks, the SCOBY is now mature and thick. It’s ready for you to make your first kombucha with it.
8. Pour the liquid (kombucha) out and leave about 1 cup (236 ml) of it in the jar. The sweet tea is now very sour kombucha. You can keep it in the fridge and mix it with some sweetener before drinking it if you like. It’s still very good and full of good bacteria. You can also drink it without any sweetener added. (that’s what I do)
   

   loose black tea is best

   

   kombucha SCOBY after 2 weeks

   

   SCOBY at 4 weeks

Making Kombucha:

1. Steep the tea in 3 cups (708 ml) of hot water for about 10 minutes.
2. Take out the tea bags, add sugar and let it dissolve.
3. When the sugar is dissolved, add 3 cups (708 ml) of room temperature filtered water. This step helps the tea to cool down faster.
4. When the tea mixture is cooled to about body temperature, pour it into the glass with the SCOBY. Mix, and cover the jar with a breathable cloth.
5. Let it ferment at room temperature in a dark-quiet area for 7 days. You can start tasting the flavor around day 5, but it’s usually ready by day 7 or longer.
6. After 7 days, you can see another layer of SCOBY growing. Taste if you like the flavor. If it’s still too sweet, let it continue to ferment longer. Don’t forget to check it, otherwise you might end up with very sour kombucha.
7. If you are happy with the flavor, it’s time to strain and bottle it. This step can be messy, but you can make it less by putting a towel under. 
8. Strain the kombucha through a mesh, and put it in airtight bottles.
9. Leave the bottles at room temperature to develop more flavor for 1-2 nights. 
10. Move the bottles to the fridge at least another night before drinking.
11. Enjoy!
    

    the SCOBY from scratch

    

    steeping the black tea in hot water for about 10 minutes

    

    feeding the SCOBY with sweet tea

    

    the SCOBY grows another layer after 7 days

    

    SCOBY grows easily

    

    put it in sterilized airtight bottles

    

    a very fizzy kombucha

    

    keep it in the fridge and drink cold

Have you made kombucha from scratch? Please share it with me, I’d like to hear about it!