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Home » Ferments » How to Make Kombucha – The Tea of Immortality

How to Make Kombucha – The Tea of Immortality

Published: Jun 19, 2014 · Modified: May 22, 2018 by Lauren Glucina • Naturopath, Nutritionist

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Kombucha tea seems to be the latest wellness craze – a fermented beverage that has long been taken as an elixir for longevity and good health. But all for good reason - it's health benefits are numerous and it actually happens to taste quite delicious. Learn about kombucha, the benefits, and how to make it.

How to Make KombuchaHow to Make Kombucha

What is Kombucha?

Kombucha tea has actually been around for over 2,000 years, the first recorded use coming from China in 221BC during the Tsin Dynasty where it earnt the name ‘The Tea of Immortality.’ It is a health tonic that is said to give you energy, improve digestion, boost the immune system, reduce high blood pressure, improve the skin and balance the acidity in your body. It is made by fermenting tea and sugar with a kombucha culture, which is commonly known as a Scoby. Now on to the next burning question...

What the heck is a Scoby?!

I first got the opportunity to see a Scoby up close and personal, during my Raw Chef’s Training in Bali a few years back. There we were, sitting cross legged in a circle inside the Yoga Shala, all eyes and ears as our teacher procured a giant glass jar out from a plastic bag, thrusting it into the centre of our group during the afternoon lecture.

Has anyone ever seen a Scoby? He asked.

What the freaking heck is that?! I heard myself say.

Inside this glass jar, was a creamy, slimy, grey, mushroomy-molluscy-pancakey-brainy-like thing, floating in a horrible smelly vinegary brown liquid. Please tell me you don't eat that, I was quietly thinking. And so he started to explain.

A Scoby is an acronym for a Symbiotic Colony Of Bacteria and Yeast. Also called a mushroom (only because it looks like one) or Mother Vinegar, it is cultivated in a tanin based tea with a little brown sugar and fermented for about five days, until the liquid is then separated and served as, Kombucha Tea.

The organism is then topped up with more tanin based tea and sugar (though a little of the original formula is reserved to kick start the process) and off you go again. Strangely, as the Scoby grows, it forms pancake like layers, also called babies, which can then be separated and given to friends in a little of the mixture, so that they too can grow themselves some little Scobies.

Kombucha Benefits

So why drink this stuff? Well, it is very high in probiotics, good bacteria, and enzymes; which are the catalysts for cell activity in our bodies. For those who extoll the virtues of fermented foods such as kefir and kimchi, Kombucha is pretty much the cream of the Scoby mushroom crop!

Although I was highly suspicious of it at first, curiosity got the better of me and I eventually experimented for myself at home. These days, fermented foods are an absolute non-negotiable in my diet. They help keep the gut healthy with their friendly bacteria, support the immune system and give a general sense of wellbeing. I truly believe ferments should be part of everyone's diet for these reasons.

How to make Kombucha

I have shared the Kombucha recipe with you below, so you can experiment for yourself. It is a bit like being in the ‘cool club’ – because you need to know someone in order to hook you up with a Scoby to start your culture with. If you are in Sydney then I can share such a contact with you, otherwise good old ebay may be able to help.

You will see that this recipe has a second step, called the ‘second ferment’. This part is optional, but if you take the time to do it, and add some yummy flavourings in there, you will end up with a far more palatable beverage. The final product is then stored in the fridge, and should be carbonated with a little fizz to it.

One last note, having a Scoby is a bit like having a pet. It needs certain conditions and attention in order to thrive, and you may have to feed it a little as you go. 

📖Recipe

How to make Kombucha - a fermented beverage full of beneficial bacteria. #kombucharecipe #scoby #kombuchatea #howtomakekombucha #ascensionkitchen // Pin to your own inspiration board! //

Homemade Kombucha Tea

Naturopath Lauren Glucina
A fermented beverage filled with probiotic bacteria. Fermentation takes five or more days on average, climate depending.
4.34 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes mins
5 days d
Total Time 5 days d 25 minutes mins
Course Drink
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 1.5 litres/quarts
Calories 25 kcal

Equipment

  • 2 litre (quart) glass jar with a wide mouth

Ingredients
  

  • 1 SCOBY
  • 6 cups filtered water
  • ½ cup raw cane sugar honey or maple syrup will not work
  • 3 green or black tea bags flavoured herbal teas will contaminate the culture, so choose plain green or black

Instructions
 

FIRST FERMENT

  • Firstly, sterilise your glass jar and set aside.
  • Pour six cups of boiling water into your jar and stir in your sugar till it dissolves.
  • Add the tea bags and let them steep for 15 minutes or more, then remove and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
  • Once cooled, add the Scoby, and ideally, ½ cup of kombucha tea from a previous batch. If you don’t have this, you can use 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar.
  • Cover the mouth of the jar with a breathable fabric held in place with a rubber band.
  • Place your jar in a warm position away from direct sunlight. Leave it to ferment for at least 5 days, longer if you are in a cooler climate.
  • After this point, you can taste test to see how the ferment is going. Stick a clean paper straw into the jar, past the scoby, and put your finger over the other end to trap some liquid in there.
  • It should have a more vinegar like taste than a sweet taste.
  • Carefully remove the scoby and put him in a bowl with ½ a cup of the liquid – now you have what you need to make the next batch.
  • You can stop here, but I suggest a second ferment for a better taste.

SECOND FERMENT

  • Decant the tea into a new bottle, one that can easily store in the fridge.
  • Add some flavouring to the tea, and a small amount of sugar. My favourite combination is one split vanilla bean, a couple of strawberries, a few slices of freshly peeled ginger, and a small teaspoon of raw honey.
  • Cap the lid and leave it to ferment again at room temperature for another week.
  • You may notice some new scoby action floating near the top. That’s perfectly ok. You may also need to ‘burp’ the jar every so often, as gases will be produced as the bacteria gobble up the sugar.
  • After this second fermentation period, you can strain or leave in your flavourings, then store in the fridge.
  • I like to enjoy a small glass on an empty stomach, inbetween meals.

Notes

Take care to always have clean hands and utensils, don’t let the scoby touch anything metal, and don’t drink the tea if it goes moldy. When your pet scoby grows up, he’ll make a baby pancake layer underneath the ‘Mother’. Gently peel this off and either use it for a new batch or share with a friend. If you are lucky and have a super sized jar – double the recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 25kcal
Keyword Homemade Kombucha, Kombucha Tea
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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About the Author

I’m Lauren, practising Naturopath, Medical Herbalist, Nutritionist, and essential oils educator in Auckland, New Zealand. I’m incredibly passionate about food as medicine, and helping connect people with the healing power of Nature.

BNatMed, AdDip NutMed, BCS, Certified FitGenes Practitioner.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Feng Lei

    January 01, 2016 at 8:08 am

    If one is not supposed to eat sugar/food with added sugar, would kombucha or coconut water kefir for that matter have a detrimental effect?

    Reply
    • Ascension Kitchen

      January 01, 2016 at 9:51 am

      The sugars in these fermented beverages are there to provide food for the bacteria and yeasts, you will notice that if you taste the drink on day 1 it will taste quite sweet, and by the time you get to the end of the recommended fermenting time, the taste is now quite tangy, sour and fizzy. Yes there will still be some sugars in there, but for the most part they would have been used up during fermentation. They pay off of course is that you now get all that lovely probiotic goodness. Hopefully that helps? 🙂

      Reply
      • Feng Lei

        January 10, 2016 at 11:25 pm

        Thank you very much for your reply! I'll approach it with caution 🙂

        Reply
  2. Stella Hayman

    October 01, 2019 at 3:43 am

    I'm just about to start my first Komucha and I'm very excited! I would love to know if anyone has Kefir grains to share?

    Reply
  3. Cait Walker

    October 01, 2019 at 3:43 am

    Hi Jess,

    Do you have a scoby I could borrow at the moment? I'm in doubleview

    Reply
  4. Ascension Kitchen

    October 01, 2019 at 3:52 am

    Hi Mariana, of course, Alice is your lady, here is the link... http://thewholedaily.com.au/shop/make-kombucha

    Reply
  5. Mariana Gregorio Franco

    October 01, 2019 at 3:52 am

    Thanks for sharing this technique with us!
    I am in sydney (eastern suburbs) and I was wondering if you could help me to get a SCOBY 🙂

    Reply
  6. Floss Monro

    October 01, 2019 at 3:52 am

    Sarah Elizabeth Derry

    Reply
  7. The Mindful Morning

    October 01, 2019 at 3:52 am

    Love this! I have been interested in making kombucha for a while! Thank you for such a great post - you have made it interesting, and easy to follow!

    Reply
  8. Corina Hayes

    October 01, 2019 at 3:52 am

    I live on the central coast if anyone has a scoby to share with me

    Reply
  9. Oil&Life Extra Virgin Oliv

    October 01, 2019 at 3:52 am

    Great!! I want to have a plant...so benefits!!! I need it. Thanks!!!

    Reply
  10. Ascension Kitchen

    October 01, 2019 at 3:52 am

    Ky Saadya http://thewholedaily.com.au/shop/make-kombucha/ Lx

    Reply
  11. Chee Lai

    October 01, 2019 at 3:52 am

    kombucha intrigues me. surprisingly i haven't tried it still.

    Reply
  12. Ky Saadya

    October 01, 2019 at 3:52 am

    is it a good time to brew it now because of the weather? i'd love a scooby!!! please!

    Reply
  13. Chantal Negri

    October 01, 2019 at 3:52 am

    hey Jess, I'd love to get one again as when we moved I got rid of the last one.

    Reply
  14. Jessica Oma

    October 01, 2019 at 3:52 am

    I've been brewing kombucha for the past year and have grown to crave its uniquely sweet/vinegary taste. I follow the continuous brew method and make mine in a big 6 lt jar with a spigot tap... If anybody is looking for a scoby in Perth I'd be more than happy to share 🙂

    Reply
4.34 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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ABOUT

I'm Lauren Glucina, a New Zealand based Naturopath, Medical Herbalist and Nutritionist. My main goal is to empower you to connect with the healing power of Nature. I've been sharing plant-based recipes, natural remedies and health articles here since 2012.

If you're here, you're not here by mistake. You're ready to put your physical, emotional and spiritual health first. Welcome!

BNatMed, AdDip NutMed, BCS.

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