Kombucha: Brewing Basics

Kombucha Overview: 
Kombucha success depends upon three ingredients. 

1. SCOBY: There is no substitute for this symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) but thankfully SCOBY's are easy to acquire, grow or purchase. 

2. SUGAR: White cane sugar is the most common type of sweetener used in kombucha brewing but many individuals have success brewing with alternatives such as brown sugar, molasses, maple syrup and agave nectar. If you are having difficulty brewing kombucha, revert to white can sugar for the most reliable results. 

3. CAFFEINE: Most sources cite the necessity of real tea (camellia sinesis) but as I have successfully brewed coffee kombucha it seems that the necessary ingredient is caffeine.

The SCOBY feeds on the SUGAR and CAFFEINE during fermentation.  

Kombucha Brewing Basics: 
The process of kombucha brewing is very simple. First you need to brew tea. Bring a pot containing 4 cups water to just below a simmer on the stove. Add 1/4 cup sugar and stir until dissolved. Turn off the heat and add the teabags. Let cool to room temperature. Remove the tea bags. Do NOT add the SCOBY until the tea is at room temperature. 

Now it is time to ferment. Remove the SCOBY from your previous batch and separate the baby from the mother. It should be fairly easy to separate as the top portion should be creamy white and firm while the lower portion should be grey and flabby. Place the white firm SCOBY in a clean container and cover with a portion of fermented kombucha. Bottle your fermented kombucha and clean and dry your fermentation container.

(SCOBY on right is the baby, while SCOBY on left is the mother. Use the baby to brew your next batch)

Transfer the sweetened tea to the fermentation container. With clean hands, transfer the SCOBY to the fermentation container. Pour in the fermented tea which was covering the SCOBY. Now it is time to wait.  Allow to sit undisturbed and lightly covered for 8-14 days or until desired level of fermentation is reached.  

  

Grow a SCOBY: 
1 bottle raw, unpasteurized Kombucha with no fruit juice added
2 bags caffeinated tea
1 T sugar
Large glass jar
Piece of breathable fabric
rubber band

Place your sugar and tea bags in jar. Pour in 2 cups of boiling water. Allow the tea to steep for 10 minutes then remove the tea bags. Stir to dissolve sugar. Allow to cool then pour in the whole bottle of store-bought Kombucha. Cover jar with fabric and secure with rubber band. Place bowl in a warm, dry space free of drafts and sunlight. Let sit for a full two weeks without disturbing it.