How to make kombucha

Start by boiling the water for your tea. You’ll need about 20 teaspoons of black tea for 5 litres of water. Once the water is boiling, add the tea and let it steep for about 10 minutes. After the tea has steeped, remove the tea leaves or tea bags and add 5 cups of granulated sugar. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved.

Allow the sweetened tea to cool to room temperature. This step is crucial to avoid killing the kombucha culture with hot liquid. Once the tea has cooled, pour it into your clean fermenting vessel – ideally one with a tap. Add the SCOBY along with 2 cups of starter tea from a previous batch of kombucha or store-bought plain live unpasteurised kombucha. Most store bought scobys like this one, come with starter kombucha.

Cover the vessel with a breathable cloth or paper towel and secure it with a rubber band to keep out dust and insects. Place the kombucha in a warm, dark place. Let the kombucha ferment for 7 to 10 days, tasting it every now & then until it reaches your desired level of tanginess. The longer it ferments, the less sweet and more acidic it will become.

Once the kombucha is ready, bottle the kombucha in airtight bottles, leaving a little space at the top. You can enjoy it plain or add flavourings like these ones or add your favourite fruits or herbs before sealing the bottles. Leave at least 2 cups of kombucha in the vessel so that you can make another batch. 

Let the bottled kombucha sit at room temperature for a few more days to carbonate, then refrigerate to stop the fermentation.

Please be sure to watch the above masterclass video for extra tips.