Brewing Kombucha Tea with These Easy Steps

Brewing kombucha tea, also known as fermented tea, is an extremely easy process. With the help of a kombucha scoby, and sweet tea, you will be on your way to creating a healthy beverage packed full of beneficial probiotics.

In the past few years the popularity of drinking kombucha has grown by leaps and bounds. For many, it could have started as a fad. However, it quickly caught on that there were great benefits to consuming it. Well, this and other fermented items.

A Farm Girl in the Making participates in multiple affiliate programs. She also participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program linked to Amazon.com and other affiliated sites. This allows us to make a small amount of money on goods you purchase at no extra charge. For that, we thank you!

The Benefits of Brewing Kombucha Tea

Kombucha is a fermented tea which is packed full of natural probiotics and antioxidants, making it extremely beneficial for the gut. With 80% of the body’s immune system running through the gut the consumption of unpasteurized Kombucha is beneficial to your overall health.

Think of it this way, a healthy gut is a healthy you. Thank the good bacteria, Lactobacillus, for a job well done!

There are a plethora of reasons why consuming fermented foods is vital. Even something as simple as decreasing the amount of caffeine being consumed. This fizzy carbonated drink can magically do just that.

Another important tip, foods and drinks which contain natural probiotics can be consumed on a daily basis, whereas a synthetic probiotic should only be consumed for a 10 day period at a time. So, make sure to drink-up!

One final thing, the use of antibiotics destroys the flora within the gut. Once a prescription is complete it is important to rebuild the gut. Have a glass of kombucha daily for a two week period to reintroduce the good bacteria. Even fermented food such as garlic scapes or cultured butter work, too.

Tips for Brewing Kombucha Tea

Here are a few things to know before beginning the steps to making fermented tea.

Kombucha Scoby – Scoby is an abbreviation for symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. A living combination of bacteria and yeast create this natural, drinkable probiotic.

Tea Options – The best tea options for brewing kombucha tea are green, black, oolong, red, or white. These are available in tea bags or loose.

Starter Tea Options – Every kombucha brew will need starter tea from an existing brew or a bottle of raw unflavored kombucha tea from the market.

Sugar Options – In order for the sweet tea to ferment the scoby must be fed. Organic white cane sugar is the best choice. There are other options, though they are known to starve the scoby if used for an extended period of time. If these alternatives are used, make sure to feed the scoby with organic cane sugar every few brews. Also, prior to offering alternative sugars have a back-up scoby on hand.

Water Options – The scoby needs minerals in order to thrive. Waters such as spring, bottled, and even drinkable well water are excellent choices. Stay away from urban tap water for it contains fluoride and chlorine. Distilled water lacks the necessary minerals needed.

Ideal Temperature – Sweet tea ferments best between 68 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit. The fermenting process will be longer for temperatures under 68 degrees, whereas the fermentation process is quicker above 75 degrees.

Vessel – 1 gallon ceramic crock, 1 gallon glass vessel

Brewing Kombucha Tea – Ingredients

The ingredients for brewing kombucha tea are items which can easily be found in the pantry. A kombucha scoby is the main ingredient and is a necessity for brewing this probiotic beverage. Once a kombucha scoby is obtained, brewing this fermented tea can begin.

The ingredient amount here is designed for a one gallon fermented tea.

• 1 Kombucha Scoby
• Starter Tea
• Green or Black Tea
• Organic Cane Sugar
• Water

Brewing Kombucha Tea – Instructions

Again, the process for this fermented tea is extremely easy. The most important step? Allow the sweet tea to completely cool to room temperature prior to adding it to the live kombucha scoby. A sweet tea which is too hot can harm or kill the live bacteria.

1. In a stainless steel pot bring to boil 16 cups of water.
2. Remove from heat, stir in 1 cup organic cane sugar until fully dissolved.
3. Add 8 tea bags, allow to soak for 30 minutes.
4. Allow the sweet tea to sit at room temperature until completely cool.
5. In a brewing vessel add 1 cup of kombucha starter, scoby, and sweet tea.
6. Cover vessel with a clean breathable flour-sack towel.
7. Allow to ferment in a cool, dark location.
8. On day 5, insert a plastic straw into brewing vessel to taste the brew. The flavor should be slightly tart and vinegary. Allow to brew until the sweet tea flavor is no longer present. Depending on the temperature within your home, most kombucha teas will need 7 days, maybe more, to achieve this flavor.
9. Bottle fermented tea using recycled kombucha bottles or swing top bottles.
10. Once bottled store in refrigerator to slow the fermenting process.

My Book

New to fermentation? Learn everything you’ll need to know to begin fermenting foods and beverages in my book, The Farm Girl’s Guide to Preserving the Harvest.

The Farm Girl’s Guide to Preserving the Harvest is a comprehensive book covering multiple methods for preserving foods in the comfort of your home. Learn how to safely can, dry, ferment, cure, freeze, and store foods fresh as a sustainable homesteader would. The tips, tricks, and recipes within this book will provide you the confidence and knowledge needed to own your food source.

Printable Recipe Card – Kombucha Fermented Tea

The Farm Girl’s Guide to Preserving the Harvest is a comprehensive book covering multiple methods for preserving foods in the comfort of your home. Learn how to safely can, dry, ferment, cure, freeze, and store foods fresh as a sustainable homesteader would. The tips, tricks, and recipes within this book will provide you the confidence and knowledge needed to own your food source.

Continue to Content

Yield: 1 gallon

Brewing Kombucha Tea

Print

Kombucha, fermented tea, is extremely easy to make, providing healthy bacteria to the gut while tasting delicious.

Ingredients

• 1 Kombucha Scoby, for a gallon vessel
• 1 cup Starter Tea
• 8 tea bags Green or Black Tea
• 1 cup Organic Cane Sugar
• 16 cups Water

Instructions

1. In a stainless steel pot bring to boil 16 cups of water.
2. Remove from heat, stir in 1 cup organic cane sugar.
3. Add 8 tea bags, allow to soak for 30 minutes.
4. Allow to sit at room temperature until completely cool.
5. In a brewing vessel add 1 cup of kombucha starter, scoby, and sweet tea.
6. Cover vessel with a clean breathable flour-sack towel.
7. Allow to ferment in a cool, dark location.
8. On day 5, insert a plastic straw into brewing vessel to taste the brew. The fermented tea should not longer have a tea flavor but instead a tart, slightly sour. Depending on the temperature within your home the tea will ferment within 7 days.
9. Bottle fermented tea using recycled kombucha bottles, or swing top bottles.
10. Once bottled store in refrigerator to slow the fermenting process.

Notes

Equipment

• Stainless steel stock pot

• Fermenting vessel

• Plastic Straw

• Flower sack towel

• Large rubber band or twine

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

1

Serving Size:

1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g

Did you make this recipe?

Please take a minute to leave a review on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

The Second Ferment

Once the process of fermenting tea has been mastered you will be ready to move forward with a second ferment, F2. This process includes adding flavors and allowing the fermented tea to carbonate.

Sharing is caring!