Adventures in Kombucha Making
Almost a year ago, I dove into the world of kombucha. What is kombucha? Kombucha is a tangy, bubbly, fermented sweet tea containing some probiotics. It is made using a “symbiotic ‘colony’ of bacteria and yeast” (SCOBY). More info at CulturesforHealth.com.
We have randomly drank kombucha off and on for a few years, but when we picked up a six pack GT’s Ginger at Costco we started joking around for the price we should make it ourself. Turns out, my husband’s co-worker makes his own and bestowed a wealth of knowledge to my husband as well as a SCOBY a few days later. “Surprise! I brought you a present!” is pretty much how that encounter went down. Into the fridge the SCOBY went for a growth pause and I went to Amazon to buy a few recommended items I had just barely started to research.
Our whole family loves the kombucha. If you have kids drinking it, start them out slowly and work your way up to a few ounces. If you try to chug the brew in large quantities at first, your gut will probably get a bit cranky. So, go slow, your belly will thank you!
Save This!
Before we go too deep, it’s not hard but I have been keeping a few pins of important information here recipes, tips and tricks, and most importantly the process: https://www.pinterest.com/thesugarpixie/getting-cultured/
**Disclosure: There’s a few affiliate links to the products below. I have been very happy with these products, and if you click through and purchase I get a small percentage of the sale. If you don’t click through, that’s cool too I don’t know either way!
How I Brew and What I use
- Equipment
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- 2 Gallon Glass Jar from Anchor Hocking (easily found at Target, or Amazon)
- Stainless Steel Beverage Dispenser Replacement Spigot (Amazon) – You can not use plastic during the fermenting
- Thermometer Strip Adhesive (Traditional – 58-88°F Range) – Kombucha needs to brew within a certain range.
- PH strips – Kombucha has a safe zone (protected from microorganisms) between 2.5 – 3.5
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- Red Rose Tea
- White Sugar (Aldi or Target brands)
- One Gallon Glass Jar – set of two** (for SCOBY hotel, SCOBY storage)
Brewing Method
I use the Cultures for Health website for my brewing method. I am just going to point you there to bookmark that page, because it’s full of so much good stuff.
I generally make a one or two gallon batch, depending on how much I think we need. For a family of four, I definitely would not make less than a gallon (about 7-10 days for first ferment brew, and then another 3-5 or so for the second ferment.) A gallon batch makes about 4ish 32oz bottles.
What you do need to know:
- Don’t put your SCOBY into hot tea. Unless you like killing things.
- Make sure everything is clean. Cleaned with white vinegar and filtered water.
- Buy a plastic funnels, and silicone spoon to only use in making kombucha.
- Use EZ cap grolsch style bottles. They’re so easy to clean and put together. I sleep better knowing my bottles have a smaller chance of exploding. Look in your area for a homebrew or wine supplier, because the shipping is ridiculous on glass bottles. I scored a 12 pack of 32oz glass bottles for about $50. If Amazon is your thing, check this affiliate link. As of writing, the price for 12-32oz bottles was $50ish.
- The Reddit Kombucha thread is awesome. Full of “is this okay” and other great tips.
- Keep a SCOBY hotel. This like keeping backup copies of your scoby, in case….something happens, like fruit flies. Ew. Kombuchahome.com is my go-to guide on this. How many punny names can you give your SCOB&B?
More helpful tips
- Temperature and fermentation: Warmer days will cause your brew to ferment faster. In summer, I might check it after 5-7 days. In the winter, it might be 10-14 days depending on where your brew is located and what the temperature is inthe house.
- Taste: I prefer to test my batch with a PH strip first, and then pour off about a tablespoon into a tiny shot glass or glass bowl. (The later being something you might use dipping sauce, or mis-en-place your foods.) Everyone’s palate is different, but I’m usually looking for something that has a hint of sweet, but mostly tangy – not sour, and bubbly. It should be at least drinkable, and as time goes on your learn what does an extra day or two tastes like. My most bubbly brews happen in the summer, but it’s definitely possible in the winter months. All batches will have some degree of bubbliness, and it’s a sign that fermentation is happening.