It frustrates me when i go to the store and see expensive kits being sold to start your own kombucha at home. Don’t buy into it! You don’t need all that. You don’t even need a scoby, that gelatinous mother that floats on top. You don’t need a special jar either.
Here’s my recipe … you can multiply it to make however much you want and sometimes I prefer to use a little less sugar so mess around and see what you like. It says you need a scoby but you don’t need it.
See? It’s simple. I started some while I was planting my fall garden.
FOLLOW THIS PROCEDURE:
Boil the water.
I used 6 cups. From our Berkey water filter. If you’ve read my posts in the past you know I’m obsessed with it. Check them out if you like clean water.
Add the sugar.
I used a bit less than what I say in my directions. Sugar feeds the culture so you do need it. Use sugar too, not honey or xylitol or another substitute. If you’re worried about sugar like me, just let it brew longer.
Next, Take it off the heat and add the tea.
This tea can be bags or loose, whatever’s your jam.
Steep the tea.
I usually leave them until the water is cool but if you have a certain way you like to steep your tea, do that. I’ve also heard you should use Black Tea. So I always have … But maybe it would be fun to experiment with something. Have any of you?
When it’s all cooled off, pour into a jar.
I prefer glass. It doesn’t need a fancy tap but it helps. For years I’ve never used one, but I finally caved. I looked all over for a glass jag with a metal tap but most of what you find will be plastic that looks like metal. I finally just went with the smallest and cheapest option with hopes to change out the spigot for a metal one in the future.
Now for the “Super Secret” part … Get a bottle of your favorite Kombucha
I usually use GT’s. Drink ½ of it or so. Then when your big batch of tea has cooled and has been poured into your jar, dump the other half of your Kombucha in with it.
Top the jar with a coffee filter and a rubber band.
When I made my first batch I went out of my way to get cheese cloth and I’ve tried dish towels too but trust me the coffee filter is the simplest, cleanest, and most perfect way to go. For those of you who are worried about the garbage … compost them.
And then you wait.
14 days is typical but test it and see. If you want it more sweet bottle it sooner. Less sweet leave it to brew longer. Using a clean coffee filter I’ve never had contamination. It’s pretty obvious when it gets contaminated because it’ll get black, green, or fuzzy. Obviously through that shit out. But in my experience a contamination is rare.
In this method you won’t really get a scoby on top after the first round. You don’t even need a scoby, which we learned in the recipe right? When you make your second batch a thin scoby will begin to form. Keep some of the previous batch, a cup or so, and the scoby if you like. Add these savings to add to your next big batch of black tea and start all over. Remember when adding your scoby or kombucha start wait until the tea is cool otherwise you’ll kill it.
So easy for such good probiotics that are much cheaper than at the store.
Buy one bottle get infinite kombucha.