DIY: Brew Your Own Kombucha

Kombucha - A lightly fermented drink of sweetened black tea, green tea or white tea that comes to life (literally) with a Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast.  Otherwise known as a "SCOBY" or "The Mother," this funny, slimy organism is what converts your tea into a probiotic dream!  It eats up the sugars in its brewing stage and in turn gives you this heavenly beverage. The origins of this probiotic drink were first recorded in 221 BC during the Tsin Dynasty and it was knows as "The Tea of Immortality."

There are countless and countless health claims for Kombucha.  Simply google it! Here are a few benefits from the endless lists:  promoting positive gut bacteria, detoxifying properties, promotes healthy liver functions, prevents iron deficiency,  promotes healthy nervous system functions, aids asthma patients, lubricates joint functioning, lowers cancer rates, strengthens the immune system, aids in weight loss, promotes healthy skin and hair and soooooo on and soooooo forth.  Like I said, google it.  I'm no expert on the science of this stuff but I know for fact that it makes me feel good, I enjoy the taste and it is very easy and very affordable to make at home.  So say goodbye to buying those fancy 5$ bottles of Kombucha at your local health shop and say hello to home brewing!

So here we go.

Kombucha Essentials 

1.  Big GLASS jar, allows for at least 8 cups of water (use glass only)
2.  Rubber Bands
3.  Clean Dishcloths 
3.  Black Tea, Green Tea or White Tea
4.  Organic Sugar
5.  Filtered Water
6.  SCOBY
7.  Glass Storage Bottles


Step 1 : Do you have a SCOBY?

If yes, than skip this step!  There are many SCOBYs available at health food shops and farmer's markets these days, since the stuff is so popular.  If you are SCOBY-less than...

Let's make a SOCBY!

1. Get all Kombucha essentials out PLUS one bottle of original, non flavored Kombucha
2. Brew 4 bags of tea with 4 cups of purified, boiling water, place into your sturdy glass jar, 1 cup of water per 1 bag of preferred tea
3. Add 4 Tablespoons of Organic Sugar into the hot brewing tea
4. Remove tea bags once it has steeped for roughly 10 minutes
5. Cover tea jar with a clean dish cloth, rubber band tightly and store in a cool room
6. Allow tea to cool completely (I usually leave it overnight) 
7. Once tea has cooled add your bottle of original, non flavored Kombucha into your jar
8. Re-cover with a clean dishcloth and rubber band
9. Wait and watch your SCOBY develop, this should take around 2-3 weeks

Step 2 : Brewing Kombucha 

Once your SCOBY is ready for brewing you will find that each new batch of Kombucha you make will produce a baby SCOBY.  Therefore, you can buy more and more glass jars and have a full blown Kombucha production line at home!  Or you can give SCOBYs away to friends who also want to start brewing their own Kombucha.  Once you have one SCOBY it's only a matter of time till you have 10 SCOBYs, they are exponential, the gift that simply keeps on giving!  I tend to be a bit OCD so I will select my best looking SCOBYs and discard any mangled, old or discolored SCOBYs.  And since I am always producing SCOBYs I have a good group to select from for my brewing.  

Let's make Kombucha! 

1. Get all Kombucha essentials out PLUS your SCOBY
2. Measure out your glass jar and find out how many cups it takes.  My jar takes 10 cups so I brew 10 bags of green, black or white tea with 10 cups of water.  (Remember it is a 1 : 1 : 1 ratio.  1 bag of tea : 1 cup of water : 1 tablespoon of sugar)
3. Add organic sugar.  My jar takes 10 cups so I add 10 tablespoons of sugar.
4. Allow tea to steep for roughly 10 minutes
5. Remove tea bags
6. Cover jar with clean dishcloth and rubber band
7. Store in a cool room
8. Allow to completely cool!  (Your SCOBY will die if you add it into the hot tea)
9. Once tea is completely cool add your SCOBY into the jar
10. Cover jar with clean dishcloth and rubber band
11. Allow Kombucha to brew for roughly 7-10 days (If you want it stronger than go longer, if you want it sweeter than go shorter, you can play with the time to see how you like your own Kombucha) 
12. After your Kombucha has brewed remove your SCOBY and safe keep it in a clean jar with a small amount of Kombucha, just to keep it happy while your next batch of tea cools. 
13. Pour your freshly brewed Kombucha into glass storage jars and place straight into the refrigerator! 
14. Enjoy your beautiful Kombucha 

Important Side Notes: 

1. You want to make sure you use green tea, black tea or white tea - herbal teas can throw your brew off since they often have added oils in them.
2. You want to make sure you are using glass! 
3. Keep your jars, brewing stations, dishcloths and any utensils extremely clean as to not allow any mold to grow in your Kombucha.  
4. When you remove your SCOBYs after brewing you want to clean them off by running them under cold water.  If there is discoloration, like black, or green growths on your SCOBY than there is a chance your SCOBY grew some mold.  Discard this batch of Kombucha and the SCOBY.  Store your SCOBY in a clean glass jar with a small amount of fresh Kombucha till your next batch of tea cools.  
5. Adding flavors!  If you fancy flavored Kombucha than cheers to you!  Once your Kombucha has brewed add flavorings.  It is important to add flavors after brewing!  Flavors that I love include organic cranberry concentrate, pureed mango, fresh pressed ginger, fresh pressed lemon juice, and chai seeds are also a wonderful addition.  Really the flavorings and combinations are endless so use your creativity! 
6. This beverage does contain live cultures.  Do not be afraid of the random floater swimming around in your Kombucha.  If you get yucked out by these than you can take a sieve and pour your brewed Kombucha through before pouring into your storage jars. 

Trusting you enjoy your home brewed Kombucha!  I would love to know more about the techniques you use and the flavors you choose to add to your Kombucha, so feel free to comment or send me an email!  

Lots of Love <3