Kombucha Scoby to Start Your Own Kombucha Brew
Dive into the art of home fermentation with this step-by-step guide to creating your very own *Kombucha SCOBY*! This recipe is a game-changer for kombucha enthusiasts, teaching you how to cultivate the essential symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast from scratch. With just a handful of simple ingredients—water, sugar, black tea, and raw, unpasteurized kombucha—you’ll embark on a 2-4 week fermentation journey, during which your SCOBY will develop into a thick, jelly-like layer perfect for starting your first batch of homemade kombucha. Ideal for beginners and seasoned brewers alike, this recipe combines sustainable, small-batch brewing with the satisfaction of crafting your own probiotic-rich tea at home. Say goodbye to store-bought kombucha and master the foundation of endless flavor experimentation right in your kitchen!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 7 cups Water
- 0.5 cups White granulated sugar
- 4 bags Black tea
- 1 cups Unflavored store-bought kombucha (raw and unpasteurized)
Instructions
Boil 7 cups of water in a large pot.
Add 0.5 cups of sugar to the boiling water and stir until completely dissolved.
Remove the pot from the heat and steep 4 black tea bags in the hot water for 10-15 minutes. Discard the tea bags after steeping.
Allow the sweetened tea to cool down to room temperature. This step is crucial to avoid killing the live cultures in the kombucha.
Once the tea has cooled, pour it into a clean, wide-mouth glass jar (about 1-gallon capacity).
Add 1 cup of unflavored store-bought kombucha to the jar. This will introduce the beneficial bacteria and yeast needed to start your SCOBY.
Cover the jar with a clean cloth or coffee filter and secure it with a rubber band to prevent contaminants while allowing air to circulate.
Place the jar in a warm, dark spot (ideally between 68°F and 85°F) where it won't be disturbed. Avoid direct sunlight and extreme temperature changes.
Let the mixture ferment for 2-4 weeks. Over time, you will notice a thin, jelly-like layer forming on the surface of the liquid. This is your SCOBY!
Once the SCOBY is about 1/4 inch thick, it is ready to use. Transfer the SCOBY along with some of the liquid (known as starter tea) to a new brewing jar to begin your first batch of kombucha.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
431 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 0.3 g | 0% | |
| Saturated Fat | 0.0 g | 0% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% | |
| Sodium | 62 mg | 3% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 106.6 g | 39% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.0 g | 0% | |
| Total Sugars | 101.8 g | ||
| Protein | 0.0 g | 0% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 102 mg | 8% | |
| Iron | 0.2 mg | 1% | |
| Potassium | 15 mg | 0% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
