As someone who loves kombucha, but hates paying $4 for a bottle, I decided it was time to start brewing my own. Not only to save money, but to reduce waste in store bought packaging as well emissions from production and transport. My journey began when I saw someone giving away some SCOBYs on my local Facebook marketplace. What's a SCOBY you say?
A SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) is used to ferment kombucha. Welcome my baby SCOBYs to the family!
SCOBYs are alive, so they must be properly taken care of. They should be stored in a glass jar without a sealed lid. Instead, cover them with coffee filters or a thin cloth then secure with a rubber band so they can breathe. They should be maintained at a temperature around 70-85°F and not in direct sunlight.
After I took my little SCOBYs home and let them settle in, I attempted my first brew. I did a little research online as well as spoke with the person I got the SCOBYs from to try and determine the best steps, and this is what I came down to.
1) Heat 2-3 cups of water for brewing the tea. Doesn't need to be boiling, just enough for the tea to steep.
2) Mix 1/4 cup of sugar with the hot water and stir until its dissolved.
3) Steep 2 tea bags of tea of your choice (or 1 and 1/2 teaspoons loose tea) and let sit for 10-15 minutes, or as long as you'd like the strength of your tea to be.
4) Take a glass jar and transfer the SCOBYs in (Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly before handling the SCOBYs! They are very sensitive).
5) If you received your SCOBYs from a lovely soul like I did, then they are probably already in a jar with "starter tea". After brewing with the SCOBYs, they need to live in a jar with that starter tea which is usually leftover tea from the previous batch or just plain black tea. If you're using a rehydrated SCOBY or don't have starter tea, white vinegar is another option.
6) Put 1/4 cup of your starter tea or vinegar in the jar with your SCOBYs.
7) After your tea has cooled down to 65-75°F and the tea bags have been removed or loose tea has been strained out, pour the tea into the jar with the SCOBYs.
8) Cover this jar with a coffee filter or thin cloth and secure with a rubber band or canning ring.
9) The suggested brewing time is 7-30 days, depending on how strong you want your kombucha! Feel free to taste and add flavors along the way.
I just set up my brew today, so I'm not actually sure what it's going to taste like. Be looking forward to an update in 7 to 10 days! 😂 I used Red Rose Original black tea and am thinking about possibly adding some lemon juice after it ferments for a few days.
I set my jar up in my kitchen window to keep the SCOBYs warm, especially while brewing. However, since they shouldn't be in direct sunlight, I used a large cloth as my lid and sealed it with a canning ring, using the excess fabric to protect the jar from the sunlight.
If you have any tips on home brewing kombucha, please send them our way! We'd love to learn from you as well as share your tips in our next #kombucha update. Share your tips or kombucha brewing progress by sending us an email or tagging us on instagram!
XX Erin
Comments