Making kombucha at home is an easy process that, once mastered, takes very little effort with BIG reward. There are some things you will need to decide before you start; how much Kombucha do you think you will drink in a week? This will determine what size jar you should be using. Will you want to make a single batch brew or continuous brew? Once you have decided how much and what type of brew, you'll need to find a vessel.
You'll need a large glass jar, with an added spigot for a continued brew, I prefer a one gallon size. You can use smaller or larger jars, depending on your need. Pictured here is my one gallon jar with a spigot.
Next you will need a SCOBY.
SCOBY stands for Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria & Yeast. They are disgusting looking slabs of firm goo, they're super creepy and ugly. They're also full of probiotics and essential for making Kombucha. There are a few ways to obtain such a creature, you can get one from a friend, buy one online (not really recommended) or do like I did and grow your own from a store bought bottle of booch. If you wish to do a second ferment (2F) and I honestly can't imagine NOT doing a 2F, you will need additional bottles or jars. Mason jars, old store bought kombucha bottles or reusable swing top bottles work great.
That's it for special equipment, next you'll need ingredients. Every brew needs 'starter liquid,' this can either be some brew from a previous batch, store bought Kombucha or, in a pinch, some raw organic apple cider vinegar with the mother. Your basic brew will need sugar; preferably organic cane sugar, also some black tea; plain and organic and also lots of filtered water. The measurement for these are as follows: for a one gallon jar; about 2 tablespoons of loose tea, or 8 tea bags. 1 cup of sugar. 13-14 cups of water. 2 cups of starter liquid. You should be able to look up the amounts you'll need based on the size of jar you have.
Brew your tea by boiling your water and sugar together, then, removing from the heat, add your tea and let it sit until cool, about room temperature. A great trick I learned is tying your tea bags together, so much easier than having to fish for them!
You can refrigerate to speed up the cooling process. A friend of mine sits hers in the snow outside in winter, fabulous idea! Once your tea is cool (not too cold, your SCOBY doesn't like extreme temperatures) you can add it to your jar with your starter liquid and carefully plop your SCOBY on top. Generally the SCOBY's are floaters but it's not any concern if they don't.
On top place a breathable material like a dishcloth, fitted tightly with a rubber band... and an adorable ribbon and bow if so desired. I so desired. So I do ;p
Leave your brew for about 5-7 days, tasting after 5 days until you think it's just right. It should be still a tiny bit sweet but not too sweet and sour but not too vinegary. If left alone it will keep fermenting until it is actual vinegar.
A Word About SCOBY Care
SCOBYs are fairly hearty organisms, however, if not treated right they can become unhealthy or even contaminated.
~Temperature is important, room temperature is great for SCOBYs, too cold or too hot can kill them.
~SCOBYs don't like metal, if cutting them to share, use a plastic or ceramic knife, when stirring use wood or plastic, I would only recommend glass for brewing and bottling containers.
~You will want to avoid touching the SCOBY as much as possible. Sometimes during maintenance you will need to handle your SCOBY, make sure you wash your hands well before, and a great additional step is to pour some white vinegar over your hands. This helps kill any additional bacteria and makes your hands a PH level SCOBYs love.
~SCOBYs have two most common mortal enemies, mould and fruit flies. If your SCOBY becomes contaminated with either, you'll have to start new.
Second Ferment
Most people who brew kombucha enjoy a second ferment. This is how you get flavour into your brew and add natural carbonation. To achieve this you will need some glass bottles or jars with tight fitting lids. The flavour of your beverage is only limited by your imagination! Common flavours include ginger, blueberries, apple, strawberry, grape, lemon and lime etc. My personal favourite is grape juice! You can use whole pieces of fruits, purées, chunks of root like ginger or natural juices. All you have to do is add your flavour of choice, maybe a quarter of your bottle, then fill to the top with your brewed kombucha. Make sure to leave some brewed booch in your large jar for your SCOBY to live in! About 2-4 cups, this will be the starter liquid for your next batch.
Fit your lid tightly on the top and store in a dark place at room temperature for another 2-4 days. This is often depending on what ingredients you use. What you're looking for here is for your booch to be nice and carbonated.
CAUTION!
Kombucha CAN explode! If not properly looked after the carbonation will become too much for the bottle to handle and it will explode. You also have to be careful after a 2F when opening your bottle, sometimes it's like a soda that's been shaken. I have an absurd amount of stains on my walls and celing, insta-stain! Hahaha
An option some people choose to do is to 'burp' the bottles every day to avoid having too much pressure. This is sometimes a great idea, however, sometimes it just kills all the carbonation you're working for, again it depends on your choice of flavour, as well as your amount of yeast.
SCOBY babies
Generally about every second brew your SCOBY will make a baby. Basically it will make another layer on itself, getting thicker. You can peel this baby from its mother and store it, use it, eat it, feed it to your dog, give it away etc. If you wish to store it, to have a back up in case your main SCOBY becomes contaminated, you'll need a SCOBY hotel. This is basically an additional large jar filled with kombucha that your SCOBY can live in long term. Generally every couple months you need to add a little fresh brewed tea to feed your hotel guests. For a lid you can use a cloth with a rubber band.
I'll admit, I haven't been brewing lately, I've been a bit too busy and have been buying store bought booch which is a crazy expensive habit! I think it's time to get the system back to its former glory :)
Do you brew?