How To Brew Kombucha- and Add Flavors
 
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. It may be tempting to make this “healthier” by reducing the sugar, but don’t do it! This is what feeds the culture. Once it’s done fermenting, the sugar will be gone.
  2. Place the water and sugar in the pot and heat until the sugar is dissolved and the water is at least simmering. Turn off the heat and add your tea leaves. Let steep 10 minutes. I’ve only ever used black tea, as it’s the classic kombucha flavor. However, many people enjoy the taste of kombucha made with green tea.
  3. Strain the tea leaves out.
  4. Cool the tea to room temperature, no hotter than 85 degrees.
  5. Pour the tea into your glass jar. SCOBY’s can be sensitive creatures, so make sure the jar has been washed in vinegar, not soap. Repeat, do not use soap!
  6. If this is your first batch of kombucha, add 2 cups of pasteurized vinegar. DO NOT use raw vinegar since it can kill your SCOBY! For future batches, you’ll add 2 cups of starter tea, which is already brewed kombucha from your previous batch. Just reserve the 2 cups each time you make a new batch.
  7. Rinse your hands in vinegar and carefully place your SCOBY on top of the tea. If the tea isn’t the same temperature as the SCOBY, it may sink down a little bit, but this won’t affect the brewing process.
  8. Cover the jar with a tea towel or coffee filter secured with a rubber band and let sit for 1-4 weeks out of direct sunlight. For me, 3 weeks is the perfect brewing time for 1 gallon of Kombucha. Taste it once or twice a week and see how it’s doing. Containers with a spicket at the bottom are perfect for brewing in since you can easily remove the liquid as needed without disturbing the SCOBY.
  9. If you have a regular jar, just slip a straw down into the brew and take a sip. If it still tastes really sweet, it’s not done yet. There’s a sweet spot where it’s still a little sweet, but tangy and fizzy and amazing! If you let it brew too long, it will taste like vinegar.
Recipe by Scratch Mommy at https://scratchmommy.com/how-to-brew-kombucha-and-add-flavors/