This guide covers everything: what you need, how to do the first fermentation, how to do the second fermentation (that is where the fizz and flavour happen), and how to fix things when they go sideways. Total time from start to drinkable kombucha: about 10-14 days.
What you need
Equipment
- 1-gallon glass jar (wide mouth)
- Cloth cover and rubber band
- 6-8 swing-top glass bottles (16oz)
- Funnel and fine mesh strainer
- pH strips (optional but helpful)
- Temperature strip (stick-on type)
Ingredients
- 1 healthy SCOBY with 1 cup starter liquid
- 4-6 tea bags (black or green, unflavoured)
- 1 cup white cane sugar
- Filtered water (no chlorine)
- Fruit, juice, or spices for flavouring
Our Complete Starter Kit includes everything on the equipment list plus the SCOBY, tea, and sugar.
First Fermentation (F1)
This is where the SCOBY does its work. You are making plain, unflavoured kombucha. It takes 7-14 days.
Boil water and steep tea
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Remove from heat and add 4-6 tea bags. Steep for 10 minutes, then remove the bags. Do not squeeze them; that makes the tea bitter.
Dissolve the sugar
While the tea is still hot, stir in 1 cup of white cane sugar until fully dissolved. Yes, that is a lot of sugar. The SCOBY eats most of it during fermentation. Your finished kombucha will not be nearly that sweet.
Cool and fill the jar
Pour the sweet tea into your glass jar and add cold filtered water to bring the total to about 3.5 quarts. Let it cool to room temperature (below 85F). If you add the SCOBY to hot tea, you will kill it.
Add SCOBY and starter
Gently place the SCOBY on top of the tea and pour in the starter liquid. The starter acidifies the tea immediately, which prevents mould while the SCOBY gets established.
Cover and wait
Cover the jar with a tight-weave cloth and secure with a rubber band. No lids: the SCOBY needs airflow. Place it somewhere dark-ish and warm (72-80F is ideal). Do not move it around once fermentation starts.
Taste-test from day 5
Use a straw or spoon to taste. You are looking for a balance between sweet and tart. If it tastes like sweet tea, it needs more time. If it tastes like vinegar, you went too far. Most batches hit the sweet spot around day 7-10.
Second Fermentation (F2)
This is where the magic happens. You add flavour (fruit, juice, spices) and seal the bottles so the carbonation builds up. Takes 2-4 days.
Remove the SCOBY
Take out the SCOBY and set it aside in a clean bowl with 1-2 cups of the finished kombucha. That is your starter liquid for the next batch.
Add flavourings to bottles
Put your chosen fruit, juice, or spices into each bottle. See our recipe section for specific combinations. General rule: about 10-15% of the bottle volume should be fruit or juice.
Fill and seal
Pour kombucha into bottles through a strainer. Leave about an inch of headspace. Seal the flip-top caps tightly. This traps the CO2 and builds carbonation.
Wait 2-4 days, then refrigerate
Leave sealed bottles at room temperature for 2-4 days. Important: "burp" the bottles once a day by cracking the top briefly to release excess pressure. After 2-4 days, move to the fridge. Cold stops the fermentation and sets the carbonation. Drink within 2-3 weeks.
Troubleshooting
My SCOBY sank
Totally normal. A new SCOBY will form on the surface within a few days. The sunken one is still working.
There is white fuzzy mould on top
If it is fuzzy and dry (like bread mould), throw everything away including the SCOBY. Mould means contamination. If it is smooth and wet, that is just a new SCOBY forming and is fine.
My kombucha is too sweet after 14 days
Your environment is probably too cold. Move the jar somewhere warmer (72-80F). If it is winter, consider a heating mat designed for fermentation.
No carbonation in F2
Three common causes: bottles not sealed tightly enough, not enough sugar/fruit for the yeast to eat, or environment too cold. Try adding a pinch of sugar to each bottle and make sure the caps click shut.
Bottles exploded
Too much sugar and too warm for too long. Always burp bottles daily during F2. Never leave sealed bottles at room temp for more than 4 days. When in doubt, refrigerate early.
Tastes like vinegar
You let F1 go too long. Next time, start tasting earlier. Vinegar-strong kombucha is still safe to drink (it is basically tea vinegar). You can also use it as salad dressing or as starter liquid for your next batch.
Ready to start?
Grab a starter kit and follow this guide. Your first batch will be ready in about 10 days.
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