How to Make Kombucha

Benefits of Kombucha

• Packed full of natural probiotics (source)
• Benefits from the Green Tea such as weight control and loss (1), weight loss and cardiovascular support (2), blood sugar control (3), and healthy cholesterol (4).
• Supports a healthy liver and helps to reduce toxins. (5) (6) (7) (8)
• Antioxidant rich (9) (10)
• Antimicrobial (11)
• Supports those that suffer from Candida overgrowth (12)
• Supports healthy cholesterol and those with diabetes (13) (14)
• Supports healthy cells (15)

You can see why we like to drink Kombucha in our home! There are many, many benefits to consuming Kombucha daily. Plus it’s delicious. You can flavor your kombucha anyway you like and it has a wonderful fizz. It’s the perfect replacement for soda.

The problem?

Store-bought Kombucha is expensive. It’s cost $3-$4 PER BOTTLE. That’s insane. It’s delicious but insane.

So I started to make my own at home. It takes time but it’s so worth it. I now pay pennies for Liter of Kombucha I make and I can make it any flavor that I like.

How to Make Kombucha at Home

What you Need:

• SCOBY and starter tea (adopt one from a friend or make your own)
• 1 gallon filtered water
• Large Jar or dispenser
• 8 bags of Black or Green tea (or 2 Tablespoons of loose tea)
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 liter Jars (or other assortment of jars)
• Items for Flavoring your Kombucha.

Directions for the first fermentation:

1. Make a large pot of sweet tea. Heat as much of the water as you can on the stove, add sugar, stir until dissolved. Turn off heat and add tea bags. Let steep and cool to room temperature.
2. Wash your hands VERY well. Any bacteria can cause your entire batch to mold and go bad. Place your SCOBY into the large jar or dispenser. Add the cooled tea (you don’t want to kill your SCOBY with hot water). Add the rest of the gallon if you couldn’t fit it all into the pot you used on the stove.
3. Cover with a cloth, place in a dark, warm place. Let sit and ferment for 7-10 days.

Directions for second fermentation:

1. Poor the Kombucha from the large jar or dispenser into the liter jars. Leave the SCOBY and some starter tea in your dispenser. You can start the first fermentation process over again with that leftover tea. At this point you’ll also have a second SCOBY. You can use it for a second batch or adopt it out for a friend.
2. Add items for flavoring if desired. I like to add a whole lemon worth of juice and 2 TBSP of ginger to each Liter.
3. Next close jars and store away for a week. The Kombucha will take on the flavor of the lemon and ginger and it’ll become fizzy.
4. Cool in the fridge and then enjoy!! You may need to strain the Kombucha while pouring it into a glass.