How to Make Kombucha at Home: A Beginners Guide

The first time I tasted kombucha at a local farmers market, I was immediately intrigued by its complex flavor—tangy, slightly sweet, and refreshingly fizzy. When the vendor mentioned the price ($5 for a 16oz bottle), I nearly choked. My curiosity about making this fermented tea at home began that day, and within a month, I was brewing gallons of kombucha for pennies on the dollar.

If you’ve found yourself captivated by kombucha but deterred by the cost, you’re in the right place. Home brewing kombucha is surprisingly simple, incredibly rewarding, and significantly more affordable than store-bought versions. This article will explore how to make kombucha at home step by step. In addition, we will discuss some common problems and how to fix them.

What Exactly Is Kombucha?

Before diving into the “how,” let’s first answer the question, what is kombucha?

Kombucha is a fermented tea that’s made using a SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast). This culture ferments the sugar in sweetened tea, producing a slightly fizzy drink with a tangy, vinegar-like flavor.

The fermentation process creates beneficial bacteria and yeast, often referred to as probiotics, which are thought to support gut health.

People brew kombucha for various reasons, from its health benefits to its refreshing taste. But one of the best parts about making kombucha at home is experimenting with different flavors during a second fermentation phase.

Why Make Kombucha at Home?

My journey into home brewing started purely for economic reasons—at $4-6 per bottle in stores, my new kombucha habit was getting expensive. However, I quickly discovered several compelling reasons to make it at home:

Cost savings: Home-brewed kombucha costs roughly $0.50-$1 per gallon once you have your basic equipment, compared to $24-32 per gallon for store-bought.

Customization: You can adjust the sweetness, tartness, carbonation level, and flavors to match your preferences exactly.

Quality control: You know precisely what goes into your brew—no preservatives or questionable ingredients.

Sustainability: Brewing at home eliminates single-use packaging waste.

Connection to food: There’s something deeply satisfying about creating fermented foods yourself, connecting to traditional food practices that have sustained humans for generations.

Essential Equipment for Kombucha Brewing

One of the beauties of kombucha brewing is that you don’t need specialized equipment to get started. Most items you’ll need are probably already in your kitchen, and the few specialized items are inexpensive.

Basic Equipment:

• 1-gallon glass jar: Choose wide-mouth for easy SCOBY handling
• Breathable cover: Coffee filters, paper towels, or tightly woven cloth
• Rubber band: To secure the cover
• Large pot: For brewing tea
• Wooden or plastic spoon: Metal can potentially harm your SCOBY
• pH test strips: Optional but helpful for monitoring fermentation
• Bottles: For the second fermentation and storage (flip-top bottles work best)
• Funnel: For transferring kombucha to bottles
• Thermometer: To ensure tea is at the right temperature before adding SCOBY

When I started brewing, I used a large pickle jar I had thoroughly cleaned and sanitized, covered with a coffee filter held in place with a rubber band. As my brewing expanded, I invested in proper brewing vessels, but the humble pickle jar produced excellent kombucha for months.

Ingredients:

• Tea: Black, green, or a combination (avoid flavored or herbal teas for your base)
• White sugar: Plain granulated sugar works best
• Filtered water: Chlorine-free is essential
• Starter kombucha: Commercial unflavored kombucha or liquid from a previous batch
• SCOBY: The living culture that transforms tea into kombucha

Where to Get a SCOBY

The SCOBY is the heart of kombucha brewing, and you have several options for acquiring one:

Ask a friend: Kombucha brewers regularly produce extra SCOBYs (often called “babies”) and are usually happy to share.

Purchase online: Many retailers sell quality SCOBYs with starter liquid for $10-20.

Grow your own: Though it takes longer, you can grow a SCOBY from unpasteurized, unflavored store-bought kombucha.

I received my first SCOBY from a colleague who had been brewing for years, along with detailed handwritten instructions that became my brewing bible. If you don’t know any brewers, health food stores and online marketplaces like Etsy are reliable sources for healthy starter cultures.

Step-by-Step: How to Make Kombucha at Home

1. Basic Kombucha Recipe: First Fermentation

This recipe makes approximately 1 gallon of kombucha. You can scale up or down as needed, maintaining the same ratios.

Ingredients:

• 14 cups filtered water
• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• 8 tea bags (black, green, or a combination)
• 2 cups starter kombucha (plain, unflavored)
• 1 SCOBY

Step 1: Brew Your Sweet Tea Base

1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large pot
2. Remove from heat and add sugar, stirring until completely dissolved
3. Add tea bags and steep for 15-20 minutes
4. Remove tea bags and add remaining 10 cups of room temperature water to cool the mixture
5. Allow tea to cool completely to 68-75°F (20-24°C) – too hot will kill your SCOBY!

The cooling step is crucial—adding a SCOBY to hot tea will damage or kill the culture. During my first brewing attempt, I was impatient and added the SCOBY when the tea was still warm. While the SCOBY survived, the resulting kombucha had an odd flavor and took much longer to ferment properly.

Step 2: Add Starter Liquid and SCOBY

1. Pour the cooled sweet tea into your clean brewing vessel
2. Add the starter kombucha (this acidifies the liquid, protecting against mold)
3. Gently place the SCOBY on top (don’t worry if it sinks—it will often float up as fermentation progresses)

Step 3: Cover and Ferment

1. Cover the jar with your breathable cover and secure with a rubber band
2. Place in a warm, dark location away from direct sunlight and air vents
3. Maintain a temperature between 68-78°F (20-26°C) for optimal fermentation
4. Allow to ferment for 7-14 days, depending on your taste preference and room temperature

The ideal fermentation spot should be out of direct sunlight but not hidden away in a cupboard—SCOBYs need airflow. I keep my brewing vessel in a kitchen corner, covered with a clean tea towel to protect it from light while allowing air circulation.

Step 4: Monitor and Taste Test

After about 7 days, start sampling your kombucha using a straw:

1. Carefully slide a clean straw into the jar, avoiding the SCOBY
2. Cover the top with your finger to trap some liquid
3. Remove and taste

The kombucha is ready when it reaches your preferred balance of sweetness and tanginess. In warmer weather, fermentation happens faster; in cooler conditions, it takes longer. Your first batch may take longer as the SCOBY adjusts to its new environment.

My preference is a fairly tart brew, which typically takes 10-12 days in my kitchen. You might prefer it after just a week or let it go for two weeks for a more vinegar-like flavor. There’s no wrong answer—it’s all about personal taste.

2. Second Fermentation: Adding Flavor and Fizz

While the first fermentation creates kombucha, the optional second fermentation is where the magic of flavoring and carbonation happens.

Step 1: Bottle Your Kombucha

1. With clean hands, remove the SCOBY and about 2 cups of liquid for your next batch
2. Stir the remaining kombucha gently to distribute yeast particles
3. Using a funnel, fill bottles, leaving about 1-2 inches of headspace

Step 2: Add Flavoring

Add flavoring ingredients to each bottle. Some popular options include:

• Fruit juices: 2-3 tablespoons per 16oz bottle
• Fresh or frozen fruit: 1-2 tablespoons chopped fruit
• Herbs and spices: Ginger, mint, lavender, cinnamon
• Honey or maple syrup: 1-2 teaspoons for extra sweetness and carbonation

Through much experimentation, I’ve found that ginger-pear and blueberry-lavender are my household favorites. The beauty of small-batch brewing is that you can try different flavors with each bottle.

Step 3: Second Fermentation

1. Seal bottles tightly and return to your warm, dark location
2. Allow to ferment for 2-4 days, building carbonation
3. “Burp” bottles daily by slightly opening the cap to release excess pressure
4. Once desired carbonation is reached, refrigerate to slow fermentation

Safety note: Carbonation can build significantly during second fermentation. Always burp bottles daily to prevent excessive pressure buildup, which could cause bottles to explode. I learned this lesson the hard way with a strawberry-flavored batch that redecorated my kitchen ceiling!

Maintaining Your Kombucha Brewing Cycle

Once you’ve completed your first batch, you’re ready to establish an ongoing brewing cycle:

1. Starting Your Next Batch

1. Use the reserved SCOBY and starter liquid to begin your next batch immediately
2. Follow the same process as before, adjusting quantities if needed

2. Caring For Your SCOBY

Your SCOBY will grow and reproduce with each batch. Eventually, you’ll need to:

1. Separate layers when the SCOBY becomes too thick (over 1 inch)
2. Use extra SCOBYs to start additional brewing vessels, give to friends, or create a SCOBY hotel (a separate container with sweet tea to store backup SCOBYs)

3. Taking a Break

If you need to pause brewing:

1. Store your SCOBY in a covered jar with enough kombucha to keep it submerged
2. Keep at room temperature for up to 4 weeks
3. For longer storage, create a SCOBY hotel with fresh sweet tea every 4-6 weeks

Troubleshooting Common Kombucha Issues

Even experienced brewers encounter occasional challenges. Here are solutions to common problems:

1. Mold on SCOBY

Appearance: Fuzzy patches, usually green, blue, black, or white

Solution: Unfortunately, you must discard both the SCOBY and liquid and start over with a new culture. Prevent by ensuring proper acidity with adequate starter liquid.

2. Too Sour

Cause: Fermented too long or at too high a temperature

Solution: Shorten fermentation time in future batches. For the current batch, dilute with a small amount of fruit juice when serving.

3. Too Sweet

Cause: Insufficient fermentation time

Solution: Allow to ferment longer next time. For current batch, mix with some from a more mature batch if available.

4. Weak Carbonation

Cause: Insufficient sugar for second fermentation or bottles not sealed properly

Solution: Add a small amount of sugar (1/2 tsp) during bottling and ensure bottles seal tightly.

5. SCOBY Sinking

Cause: Normal variation, not a problem

Solution: No action needed—the SCOBY may float up as fermentation progresses or remain at the bottom. Either way, it’s still working.

6.Yeasty Strands or Brown Particles

Appearance: Brown stringy bits hanging from SCOBY or settling at bottom

Solution: Normal yeast buildup. Can be filtered out when bottling if desired, but they’re harmless.

Is My Kombucha Safe?

New brewers often worry about safety, which is understandable when working with fermentation. Kombucha is remarkably safe to brew at home due to its acidic environment, which inhibits harmful microorganisms.

Signs your kombucha is healthy:

• Vinegar-like smell
• Tangy, clean taste
• SCOBY that’s tan to brown, possibly with stringy bits underneath
• pH between 2.5-3.5

Signs something is wrong:

• Mold (fuzzy growths, especially colored ones)
• Rotten or putrid smell (different from the normal vinegar smell)
• Lack of tanginess after proper fermentation time

I was initially paranoid about every unusual formation in my brew, constantly searching online for “is this normal in kombucha?” Over time, I learned to distinguish between normal SCOBY variations and actual problems. When in doubt, remember this brewing mantra: “When in doubt, throw it out.” It’s better to start over than risk consuming contaminated kombucha.

Beyond Basic Brewing: Creative Variations

Once you’ve mastered basic kombucha brewing, consider exploring these variations:

Continuous brew: A system that allows you to draw off small amounts regularly while adding fresh sweet tea to the top.

Jun kombucha: A cousin of traditional kombucha made with green tea and honey instead of black tea and sugar.

Hard kombucha: Extended fermentation or additional steps to create a higher alcohol content (typically requires more specialized equipment).

Kombucha vinegar: Allow your brew to ferment much longer until it becomes strongly acidic, then use as a flavorful vinegar in salad dressings and marinades.

FAQs

1. How Long Does the First Fermentation Take?

The first fermentation (F1) typically takes 7 to 12 days. The exact time can vary based on temperature and your taste preferences. Start tasting around day 5; if it’s too sweet, let it ferment longer.

2. What Should I Do After the First Fermentation?

After F1, you’ll want to:

• Remove the SCOBY and set it aside for your next batch.
• Reserve about 2 cups of the kombucha as starter tea for your next brew.
• Bottle the remaining kombucha for the second fermentation (F2).

3. What is the Second Fermentation?

The second fermentation (F2) is where you can add flavors (like fruit or herbs) and carbonate your kombucha:

• Pour the kombucha into airtight bottles, leaving about an inch of space at the top.
• Add your chosen flavorings and seal tightly.
• Let it sit at room temperature for another 3 to 10 days, checking daily for carbonation.

4. How Can I Tell When My Kombucha is Ready?

During F1, taste your kombucha starting around day 5 until it reaches your desired level of sweetness and tanginess. For F2, check daily for carbonation—open a bottle to see if it fizzes.

5. What Should I Do if My Kombucha Tastes Too Vinegary?

If your kombucha turns out too vinegary, it may have fermented too long. To prevent this in future batches, monitor fermentation closely and taste regularly.

6. How Do I Store My Kombucha?

Once you’ve completed fermentation, store your bottled kombucha in the refrigerator to slow down any further fermentation processes. This will help maintain its flavor and carbonation.

7. Can I Reuse My SCOBY?

Yes! Your SCOBY can be reused multiple times for new batches of kombucha. Just make sure to keep it healthy—store it in some kombucha or sweet tea when not in use.

8. What Should I Do if My SCOBY Develops Mold?

If you see any signs of mold on your SCOBY (usually a fuzzy, greenish substance), discard both the SCOBY and the batch of kombucha immediately, as mold can be harmful.

9. Can I Make Kombucha Without a SCOBY?

While you need a SCOBY for traditional kombucha brewing, you can create one from raw, unflavored store-bought kombucha combined with sweetened tea over several weeks.

10. How Much Kombucha Can I Drink Daily?

It’s recommended to limit consumption to about 4 ounces per day, especially when starting out. Excessive intake may lead to digestive discomfort due to its acidity and probiotic content.