Homemade Kombucha Starter Batch
Homemade Kombucha Starter Batch
Ingredients
For the Sweet Tea Base
- 1 gallon filtered water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 8 black tea bags, or 8 teaspoons loose leaf black tea
For the Starter Culture
- 2 cups unflavored kombucha, raw, unpasteurized, with live cultures
- 1 SCOBY, symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast, about 6-8 inches in diameter
Instructions
- 1
Bring 1 gallon of filtered water to a boil in a large pot. Once boiling, remove from heat.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 212
- 2
Add 1 cup of granulated sugar to the hot water and stir until completely dissolved.
⏱️ 2 min
- 3
Add 8 black tea bags (or 8 teaspoons of loose leaf black tea in a tea infuser) to the sweetened water. Steep for 5-10 minutes, depending on desired tea strength. Do not over-steep, as this can make the kombucha bitter.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Remove the tea bags or infuser and allow the sweetened tea to cool completely to room temperature. This is crucial; adding a SCOBY to hot liquid will kill the beneficial bacteria and yeast.
⏱️ 240 min
- 5
Once the tea is at room temperature (around 68-75°F), pour it into a clean, sanitized 1-gallon glass jar or brewing vessel.
⏱️ 1 min
- 6
Add 2 cups of raw, unflavored kombucha (starter tea) to the jar. This lowers the pH of the sweet tea, preventing mold growth and kick-starting the fermentation process.
⏱️ 1 min
- 7
Gently place the SCOBY into the jar. It may float, sink, or hover, which is all normal.
⏱️ 1 min
- 8
Cover the opening of the jar with a breathable cloth (like cheesecloth, a coffee filter, or a clean kitchen towel) and secure it with a rubber band. This allows air circulation while keeping out fruit flies and contaminants.
⏱️ 1 min
- 9
Place the jar in a warm spot (ideally 70-80°F) away from direct sunlight. Allow it to ferment for 7-14 days. The fermentation time will vary depending on the temperature and your desired taste.
⏱️ 14400 min
- 10
Begin tasting the kombucha after 7 days. Use a clean straw to draw a small amount from under the SCOBY. It should taste tart and slightly vinegary, with a hint of sweetness. If it's too sweet, let it ferment longer. If it's too vinegary, it's over-fermented.
⏱️ 1 min
- 11
Once the kombucha reaches your desired taste, your starter batch is complete! You can now use this kombucha and SCOBY to brew subsequent batches, or proceed to a second fermentation for flavoring.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Homemade Kombucha Starter Batch
Ingredients
For the Sweet Tea Base
- 1 gallon filtered water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 8 black tea bags, or 8 teaspoons loose leaf black tea
For the Starter Culture
- 2 cups unflavored kombucha, raw, unpasteurized, with live cultures
- 1 SCOBY, symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast, about 6-8 inches in diameter
Instructions
- 1
Bring 1 gallon of filtered water to a boil in a large pot. Once boiling, remove from heat.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 212 - 2
Add 1 cup of granulated sugar to the hot water and stir until completely dissolved.
⏱️ 2 min - 3
Add 8 black tea bags (or 8 teaspoons of loose leaf black tea in a tea infuser) to the sweetened water. Steep for 5-10 minutes, depending on desired tea strength. Do not over-steep, as this can make the kombucha bitter.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Remove the tea bags or infuser and allow the sweetened tea to cool completely to room temperature. This is crucial; adding a SCOBY to hot liquid will kill the beneficial bacteria and yeast.
⏱️ 240 min - 5
Once the tea is at room temperature (around 68-75°F), pour it into a clean, sanitized 1-gallon glass jar or brewing vessel.
⏱️ 1 min - 6
Add 2 cups of raw, unflavored kombucha (starter tea) to the jar. This lowers the pH of the sweet tea, preventing mold growth and kick-starting the fermentation process.
⏱️ 1 min - 7
Gently place the SCOBY into the jar. It may float, sink, or hover, which is all normal.
⏱️ 1 min - 8
Cover the opening of the jar with a breathable cloth (like cheesecloth, a coffee filter, or a clean kitchen towel) and secure it with a rubber band. This allows air circulation while keeping out fruit flies and contaminants.
⏱️ 1 min - 9
Place the jar in a warm spot (ideally 70-80°F) away from direct sunlight. Allow it to ferment for 7-14 days. The fermentation time will vary depending on the temperature and your desired taste.
⏱️ 14400 min - 10
Begin tasting the kombucha after 7 days. Use a clean straw to draw a small amount from under the SCOBY. It should taste tart and slightly vinegary, with a hint of sweetness. If it's too sweet, let it ferment longer. If it's too vinegary, it's over-fermented.
⏱️ 1 min - 11
Once the kombucha reaches your desired taste, your starter batch is complete! You can now use this kombucha and SCOBY to brew subsequent batches, or proceed to a second fermentation for flavoring.
⏱️ 1 min