Adam Vanni from JARR Kombucha has outlined a basic brewing recipe for us that will produce 2 litres of home brewed kombucha.
What you’ll need to get started
- 500 ml starter liquid / SCOBY – Happy Kombucha is a great place to head for starter kits
- 2 litres filtered water (500 ml boiling / 1 litre cold)
- 4 x organic unflavoured teabags (8 grams loose-leaf tea)
- 120 grams organic cane sugar
- Glass jar capable of holding 2 litres
- Stirring utensil
- Breathable cotton / cheesecloth
- Rubber band
- A warm airy space to let your booch brew
Brewing Steps
*Sterilise your jar and stirring utensil with boiling water before brewing.
1) Boil 500 ml of filtered water. While you’re waiting, drop the 4 tea bags into your jar. Pour the 500 ml of boiling water into your jar and allow the tea bags to steep for approximately 5 minutes. *Different teas require different steep times and temperatures so please research the specifics of your tea before brewing.
2) Remove the tea bags with your stirring utensil and add your 120 grams of sugar. Mix until dissolved.
3) Top up your 500 ml of sweetened tea with 1 litre of cold filtered water and stir. This will cool the liquid down to below 35 degrees, making it safe to add your starter liquid/ SCOBY.
4) After the tea is cooled, add 500 ml of starter liquid / SCOBY to the jar and stir.
5) Secure the cloth over your jar with a rubber band. Place in a warm, airy space out of direct sunlight. The ideal brewing temperature for kombucha is between 23 and 26 degrees.
6) Leave your kombucha to brew for 5 days. After 5 days, remove and dispose of the layer of cellulose that has grown on top of the liquid. Begin stirring your kombucha with a clean utensil, bottom to top for 1 minute, twice daily. This will help to oxygenate the liquid and encourage healthy bacteria growth which will speed up the fermentation process, dissipate much of the ethanol produced and ultimately produce a cleaner and more delicious tasting kombucha.
7) It is now entirely up to you to determine when your kombucha is ready based on your own personal preference. We recommend a period of about 2 weeks when fermenting at 24 degrees. If you’d like to get more specific, you can purchase ph strips / litmus paper. Finished kombucha normally sits between between 2.8 and 3.1 ph. When your kombucha is ready, put a lid on your jar and place it in the fridge. This will stop the fermentation process. Remember to save at least 1/4 (500 ml) of your final 2 litre brew as starter liquid / SCOBY for your next batch. If you’d like to scale up to 4 litres for your next brew, save 1 litre of this batch.
You can learn more about the history of Kombucha and it’s many health benefits in the IGTV video below.
About Adam Vanni
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