Glasses with delicious kombucha

How to make kombucha at home - step by step

Kombucha is a fermented tea drink that is fresh, slightly bubbly and full of live bacterial culture - a natural probiotic! Making your own kombucha at home is cheaper than buying ready-made, and you can easily customize the taste to your liking. When it ferments, it forms a kind of 'cake' of lactic acid bacteria and yeast called SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast). You use it together with some starter liquid the next time you make kombucha.

What you need:

  • 1 liter of water
  • 1 dl of white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons of loose-leaf tea - see tips below
  • 1-2 dl of ready-made kombucha (unpasteurized, as a starter liquid - available in stores or from previous batches)
  • One glass jar (1, 5 liters or larger)
  • Thin tea towel or coffee filter + rubber band
  • Glass bottles with tight-fitting caps (for storage and carbonation)

How to:

  • Brew the tea: Boil 1 liter of water. Add the tea and stir in the sugar until it dissolves. Allow to cool completely to room temperature.
  • Prepare the fermentation: Strain the cooled tea into the glass jar. Add the starting liquid.
  • Cover the jar: Use a thin piece of cloth or coffee filter, secured with rubber bands. It must be breathable, but protected from dust and insects.
  • Let ferment: Place the jar at room temperature (20-25°C), in a dark place or protected from direct sunlight. Leave for 7-10 days depending on how tart you want the drink. The longer it stands, the less sweet it will be.
  • Taste: When it's just right for your taste, it's time to bottle it.
  • Bottle storage: Save the SCOBY and 1 dl of kombucha as a starter for the next round. Pour the rest into bottles (maybe with a little flavor, see below) and seal.
  • Second fermentation (optional): For carbonation - leave the bottles at room temperature for 2-4 days. Open gently each day to release the pressure. Then refrigerate, where you can store the finished kombucha for several weeks

Tasting tips:

We like to drink kombucha as it is, but many people like to flavor it before they bottle it, so why not give it a try! Here are some great combinations:

Ginger + lemon
Raspberry + mint
Blueberry + lavender
Mango + chili
Use fresh or frozen fruits/berries, or natural juices. Experiment, but about 1-2 teaspoons per bottle is enough.

 

Which tea should I choose?

There are lots of different teas to try, and you can always try what you have at home. Organic teas are usually recommended when making kombucha, as they tend to make the SCOBY thrive best. It's also easiest to succeed if you use pure (unflavored) teas so that any flavorings don't interfere with fermentation. Here are some popular varieties:

  • Morning Kick - Flavorful black tea that gives a good, classic result
  • Chun Mee - Pure green tea for a slightly lighter taste
  • Jasmine Gold - Gives an interesting taste, reminiscent of Campbell grapes(! )
  • High Grade King of Pu'er - Makes the SCOBY thrive, gives an incredibly rich and complex kombucha

Tips & Safety:

  • Always wash your hands, utensils and jar thoroughly - preferably with hot water and vinegar.
  • SCOBY may change appearance and turn brown - this is normal!
  • If it smells bad (rotten, moldy) - throw it all away and start over.
  • Avoid metal utensils other than stainless steel (acid-proof) that come into contact with the SCOBY.
  • OBS! Remember to aerate the bottles, especially if you let them ferment at room temperature. Otherwise, the pressure may be so high that the bottle will burst.

Making kombucha is a fun kitchen project that gets easier every time. Once you get into the routine, you can start experimenting more - perhaps brewing larger batches and sharing the SCOBY with a friend.